The worth of birthstone for march aquamarine gemstones depends on the several important aspects that jeweler or collector would certainly consider very carefully. Color is primary, with the most favored specimens being a dark, intense blue with just the merest tinge of green.
The deeper and purer blue, the more its worth, for most aquamarines are found in lighter shades.
Clarity plays a cardinal role in valuation since aquamarine forms with very few inclusions. The stones that are eye-clean, that is to say, have no visible imperfections when viewed without magnification, usually command premium rates. Unlike other gemstones, where inclusions tend to increase the value of that particular stone, the appeal of aquamarine lies in the crystalline clarity and transparency.
Size has a great difference between them, for larger stones command exponentially higher prices per carat. Some aquamarine can be found in huge crystals; thus, smaller stones tend to be more common. Magic happens when good color comes together with a giant stone, as values shoot up really high.
The worth of aquamarine can be affected very significantly by the cut. The expert cutter will orient the crystal properly in order to maximize both color saturation and brilliance. A cut that is perfect and adds to the natural properties of the stone while minimizing waste could significantly increase value. Popular cuts that are found with aquamarine include the emerald cut, oval, and pear cuts that enhance the natural clarity and color distribution of aquamarine.
Thus, the price is dependent on market factors. Since March is a birthstone and favored by many during spring and summer, there will always be seasonality in demand. The geographic source is another point of consideration, for instance, Brazilian aquamarine, as it has been regarded as more valuable.
Treatment status also determines pricing. Most commercial aquamarine is treated by heat to reduce green tones and enhance its blue color. This is a completely acceptable trade practice; the price is often higher for untreated stones of naturally very strong blue color.
Current market price ranges from quite affordable $30-50 per carat for commercial quality stones to several exceptional gems, all the way up to over $800 per carat, which could all be classified as investment-grade aquamarines. Such-like aquamarines, this one in superior color, clarity, and size, could reach many thousands of dollars per carat.
Quality certification through accredited gemological laboratories can augment values through authentication as well as quality. These certificates explicate key attributes of gemstones, which would assist buyers in making wise purchasing decisions.
Aquamarine's Spiritual and Healing Properties
Aquamarine has always had its importance in different cultures and faiths because of its spiritual meanings and healing properties.Β
The very name hails from Latin, Aqua marina, or seawater, which brings that stone into touch with water elements and their interpretation. "Stone of Courage and Protection" is aquamarine in spiritual traditions. Mariners of old carried this stone for good fortune in their voyages and protection against the perils of oceans. Its water-springing relates to what are said to calm emotions and clear-headedness, like the peaceful face of placid seas. Healing properties attributed to this stone are mainly linked with the activity of the throat chakra and communication enhancement. According to crystal healing practitioners, aquamarine helps overcome the fear of speaking aloud and encourages clear and honest expression. It is, therefore, a cool choice among public speakers, teachers, and individuals who want to better their communication.
Meditation with aquamarine is said to improve spiritual and psychic awareness. The soothing energy of the stone is thought to open deep meditative states and link with higher consciousness. Many employ this during their spiritual practice to enhance their access to intuition and knowing.
Emotionally, aquamarine is said to be a strong balm for depressed emotion. It is said to exert a calming influence that helps release old emotional patterns, further assisting in emotional equilibrium. The stone is frequently advised for people who are bereaved, anxious, or highly altered in their life circumstances.
Traditional physical healing traits attributed to aquamarine include benefits for the throat, thyroid, and immune system. While these beliefs should never replace medical consultation for concerns of health, many individuals use aquamarine as part of their alternative healing practices.
The stone is believed to bring accord and understanding between intimate partners. It represents the energy that fosters truthful communication as well as emotional expression, which is why it is popular for relationship healing and therapy support.
Being an elemental stone associated with the waters, it is known for emotional purification and rejuvenation. Many think it helps one detach from negative patterns and usher in a fresh dawn, much like water's innate cleansing qualities.
Aquamarine Gemstone and Its Unique Colors
The mesmerizing hue of aquamarine comes from the special combination of its chemical composition and the way lights interact with the stone. Like the emerald, this green to bluish-green gemstone belongs to the beryl structural family. Its typical bluish color derives from future traces of iron in the symmetry.
The characteristic blue color is produced when iron ions replace aluminum atoms in the beryl crystal structure. The amount and precise shade will vary, depending on these iron impurities' concentrations and oxidation states. In general, higher iron content usually produces deeper blues, while lower concentrations create lighter, more subtle shades.
Natural aquamarine isΒ mostly accompanied by a slight greenish tint, which is why many stones undergo heat treatment. The process takes place at temperatures between 400Β°C and 450Β°C, and it effectively changes the iron ions into a very stable form wherein a purer blue color results. This treatment is permanent and widely accepted.
Aquamarine is pleochroic, meaning it shows different colors on different angles of breakup. The angles regarding the different light positions can show various degrees of blue color by which the cutters have to develop it to give the best possible perspective when the light is entering the stone.
The colors of aquamarine vary from almost completely colorless to deep blue and can even show some green or teal hues in the case of some specimens. The most precious tones are blue, medium dark, and colorless because they do not have any green shades. They are often referred to as "Santa Maria" color, after the famous Brazilian mine that produced such colors.
Factors like temperature, pressure, and others of the trace elements present during the time of formation can affect the color. Hence, the aquamarines from various places have their particular color pattern.
Marked Historical Importance of the Birthstone for March Aquamarine
Aquamarine boasts a long history spanning thousands of years, diverse cultures, to various civilizations.
It is noted that it was one of the first gemstones to be prized by ancient mariners as a talisman for safe voyages, as they believed it was blessed by Neptune, the god of the sea. Usually, the mariners carried the amulets with the aquamarine, engraved by their choice with symbols for protection.
The Romans shared this maritime connection and understood aquamarine as sacred to Neptune. They believed that the stone protects sailors and equally guarantees a safe passage across stormy seas. In addition, Roman physicians made good use of it in their medicinal formulae, believed to cure diseases affecting the stomach, liver, and throat.
Medieval Europeans brought aquamarine into their ceremonial regalia and into their sacred artifacts. A stone with prophetic powers, it was utilized by the mystics for scryingβpeering into crystals for divination. Aquamarine rings were common for Christian clergy, who stretched the pure, bright blue color of the stone to heavenly virtues.
In ancient China, aquamarine was carved into all sorts of figures and ornaments, but most of this was during the period of Qing Dynasty. These artisans cherished this stone for its clarity and work ability and created many masterpieces that show the more sophisticated skills of lapidarians.
After early Brazilian discoveries of major deposits in the early 19th century, some changes happened in aquamarine's history. These discoveries made it possible for the stone to be used more commonly but was furthered for use in aquamarine jewelry in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco ages, such as pieces by renowned jewelers Cartier or Tiffany & Co.
Aquamarine has adorned royal families with jewelry collections ever since. Among the many known, perhaps the most popular is the Eleanor Roosevelt Aquamarine: a 1,298-carat stone bestowed by the Brazilian government to the First Lady in 1936.
Trendy Aquamarine Jewelry Types and Styles
In this respect, the modernity of aquamarine jewelry tends to blend classical accents with innovative design approaches. Durability and versatility give the stone an added advantage to much jewelry style and settings because its hardness on the Mohs scale is rated at 7.5-8.
Aquamarine as an engagement ring option is gaining numerical strength in the preferences of many over conventional diamond rings.
Examples of this are natural gemstones put in archaic solitaire mountings, or elaboration ones with diamond accents. Clear aquamarine, coupled with light blue clarity, makes this precious stone all the more special to such a unique kind of bridal aquamarine jewellery.
Standard necklaces
feature large aquamarine set in simple designs, often comprising the element of the design with diamond or pearl accents. Pendant designs range from simple solitaire drop to elaborate Art-Deco-inspired constructions that showcase the stone's crystalline clarity.
Often described as a statement earrings piece.
Aquamarines capture sizes that might be large enough to be set in earrings or drops or chandelier designs. The popular use of this stone incorporates its transparency and color thus plays its effects up to be very spectacular at times. The illuminates may include stud, drop and chandelier designs. The light of this stone would dance mostly in settings of movement that allow the gem to dance with the wearer's movements.
These days, contemporary designers adorned aquamarine gems in minimalist pieces-hence allowing the mere beauty of the stone to speak for itself. Such kinds of designs often embrace either a bezel setting or a tension mount. Thus holding that stone in a clean but secured modern style.
This new wave in vintage-inspired jewelry has made people become increasingly magnetized to old pieces made in Victorian and Art Deco styles containing aquamarine stones. Most of these creations have rather intricate designs featuring excellent millgrain that emphasize the classic view of the stone.
Identification Natural vs. Synthetic vs. Aquamarine
Natural aquamarine and synthetic aquamarine can be distinguished by the few characteristics they share along these two testing methods.
The former will generally take millions of years to form in pegmatite deposits. In contrast, the synthetic stones are created artificially, often using equipment and favorable conditions aimed at replicating natural formation processes.
One of the most reliable indicators is the presence of inclusions. Natural aquamarines typically have characteristic jewels tubes and even liquid bubbles and patterns that may look like fingerprints. Under high magnification, these patterns shows some very unique features that cannot be perfectly represented by synthetic stones. But a high-quality natural aquamarine can be very clean; therefore, this property is not universally applicable.
The refractive index and the measures of specific gravity can be used to help differentiate synthetic stones, although these properties will be very close to those of natural aquamarine. More advanced tests, on the other hand, like spectroscopic analyses on special gemological equipment, will be able to reveal the subtle chemical differences between natural and synthetic stones.
Signs of a synthetic gemstone include price because true aquamarine is exorbitantly expensive as compared to that fake stuff. When one comes across a great stone of flawlessness price, it is time to take a close look at it. Growth patterns evident under polarized light would show its synthetic origin. Several brands normally produce lines whose crystals are devoid of any pattern as found in natural crystal. Professional gemologist relies on some sophisticated machines to detect these few differences.
The best validate of natural stones is to obtain stones from the well-reputed dealers and get a certificate from a good gemological laboratory. This will take care of the extensive analysis carried out on the stone and its definitive comment on whether natural or artificial.
Aquamarine Jewelry Care and Cleaning
An aquamarine maintained well continues to gleam for a longer period. Though aquamarines score a high mark on the hardness scale at 7.5-8 on Mohs, they still need a kind of attention they should be kept in pristine conditions.
Daily care from getting exposed to rather harsh chemicals such as those used in household and personal care items would be necessary for any aquamarine jewelry piece. Removing the jewelry before swimming in chlorinated pools or soaking in hot tubs would lessen exposure to possible damage from the chemical pool water. Cleaning aquamarine jewelry should be done using mild soap in warm water and a soft brush to clean settings to remove dirt build-up. Ultrasonic cleaners are generally safe for aquamarine, but stones should be verified for any pre-existing fractures prior to this treatment method.
Keeping aquamarine apart from other gems in a jewelry box prevents it from scratching against others. Store pieces in soft cloth pouches or individual compartments of the jewelry box. It is important to keep apart because the stones can be scratched by harder gems such as diamonds or sapphires.
Every year, a professional cleaning and inspection will keep the piece looking its best and spot potential problems. The assessment will include checks on the prongs and settings for security, as well repairs or maintenance needed to the stone from any wear or damage.
Sudden changes of-temperature stress the stone: Aquamarine is generally fine, but the odd case of internal stress or damage will be seen through a thermal shock.
Really Popular Historical Aquamarine Pieces
Attached to a lot of history aquamarine pieces are some historical, legendary story- some because of their size, some because of their quality,
Some because of their historical importance- but this could be the most famous example. It weighed 100 pounds when it was found and was formed into a 10,363-carat obelisk-shaped stone, now on display at the Smithsonian Institution.
There is also the other very important example of the Roosevelt Aquamarine, given to the First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt by the Brazilian government. This stone measured 1,298 carats and then became a symbol of diplomacy between the 1930s U.S. and Brazil.
This is also one of the finest collections of aquamarines in any royal collection: Queen Elizabeth Brazilian Aquamarine Parure. It contains a necklace, earrings, and tiara and was given to her by the Brazilian government. Its exceptional quality has led to its wearing at many state functions and has caused it to be admired by anyone.
The Duchess of Sussex received this aquamarine ring from Princess Diana, but it became popular again after Meghan Markle displayed it at her wedding reception. The rsw1351-emerald-cut aquamarine encircled by tiny diamonds signifies the past as well as the present.
Discovered in Brazil back in 2004, the Star of Ivan originally weighed an impressive 75,000 carats in its rough state. After cutting, it yielded exceptional gems that reflected some of the finest color qualities of aquamarine.
There are also aquamarine pieces prominently represented in major museums worldwide. The aquamarine intaglios from ancient Rome belong in the British Museum collection, while there are additional specimens of both rough and cut stones presently available within the National Museum of Natural History in the Smithsonian.
Aquamarine gemstone shapes and cuts vary.
They include a very fine clarity with beautiful pleochroism in several cuts, each cut intended to reveal the stone's natural beauty and optical characteristics.
The emerald cut is still the most favored form of cut among aquamarine enthusiasts as the step cut facets really show off this stone's natural color and transparency.
Oval cuts are typically selected for aquamarine to maximize light return and flatter the shape to suit many types of jewelry.
This cut usually helps maximize carat weight from rough crystals while maintaining ideal proportions for setting into different types of jewelry.
The rounded corners and facet arrangement of the cushion cut offer vintage appeal and yet, create excellent brilliance.
This shape has its time in history, particularly during the Art Deco period when it was in vogue, and is still one of the most preferred for creating modern and old-themes jewelry.
These varieties of pear shapes also fulfill the various requirements of jewelry collections, ranging from pendants to earrings to rings.Β
The pear shape can also make an illusion when used in rings of longer fingers, showing movement when worn in dangling earrings.
Although round brilliant cuts are not as common for aquamarine, they generally allow for the most return of light sparkle.
This may not bring out the stone's natural color, however, because the arrangement of facets sometimes diffuses the blue hue.
Square cuts, and other types of square facet cuts, present very modern geometry, which work particularly well in contemporary pieces of jewelry.
This kind of cuts enjoys a special attraction from most people desiring clean lines and symmetrical shapes.
Fantasy cuts, convex faceting, designer cuts-have proven their mettle in standing out in making special pieces. These cuts tend to produce very strange light patterns while being very creative about showing off the natural properties of the stone.
Best Aquamarine Deposits of the World and Their Mining Procedures
Examples of such deposits worldwide are located in the mainly geological areas where Brazil reigns as the top global producer.
Deep blue "Santa Maria" aquamarines, often regarded as the reference standard of quality in the industry, are produced from the Santa Maria de Itabira area in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
It is in this region that Pakistan boasts of the Shigar Valley and the Nagar area, both in the Hunza Valley; this is where spectacular pieces are mined, within complex pegmatite formations. The deposits yield crystals with an exquisite tint of color integumentary and translucent qualities.
There have also been discoveries in Madagascar however, this country has really come up as a world-class source because it produces stones whose quality ranges. It is also the cause of its geology where special shapes of crystals generally produce unusually large specimens.
Modern mining methods are a merger of traditional and technologically advanced systems. In primary artisanal mining, for example miners hand pick crystals from pockets of gem containing pegmatite deposits into a small bag to mine without any damaging equipment.
There are larger operationsΒ which would probably be using mechanically operated mining devices that include hydraulic equipment besides some complex sorting machines. Nevertheless, careful working is still essential because of aquamarine's internal structure and its cleavage potential.
With the changing times, environmental aspects are also considered in aquamarine mining. Sustainable mining practices will opt for a minimal impact on the natural environment, while at the same time operating efficiently. This involves the introduction of water management systems and land rehabilitation programs.
New deposits are continuously being discovered, such as those found recently in Nigeria and Mozambique. These find places in the world map of known supplies of aquamarine. These new sources then often have their peculiarities in color and formation of crystals.
Proper documentation and certification about origins have become mandatory for aquamarine in the trade because certain places are overpriced for mere name value with respect to the quality. Therefore, this has spearheaded tracking systems from mines to markets.
Modern prospecting methods such as geological mapping and modern sensing technology give great additional potentials for discovering prospective new deposits, making the already existing ones less expensive and much more sustainable mining operations.
Serene beauty of our natural Aquamarine Jewellery collection
What is the meaning and symbolism of the March birthstone aquamarine?
It truly signifies tranquility, clarity, and never-ending youth, as the gemstone of the month of March is none other than aquamarine. It was once said that ancient mariners carried it as a talisman to safe passage over the ocean, and freedom from dangers that came along the sea. The name comes from the Latin word which means "water of the sea," suggesting its tranquil blue color. Modern-day crystal healing believes aquamarine benefits in communication, encourages courage, and bestows inner peace.
How do you clean and care for an aquamarine birthstone?
Aquamarine birthstones require gentle handling for the marvelous brilliant blue color. Warm, soapy water and a soft brush may be used to clean the stone, while keeping harsh chemicals and ultrasonic cleaners away from the birthstones of aquamarine. Ensure that aquamarine is stored separately away from harder gems so that scratching does not occur, as the hardness of this stone is rated at 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale. Exposure to sun burning for long hours has to be avoided, as well as sudden temperature changes.
What colors can March's aquamarine birthstone come in?
The most well-known of all aquamarine hues is the typical sea-blue. The March birthstone, however, naturally occurs in a range of blue shades, from pale sky blue to deeper blue-green tints. The richest and most valuable aquamarines will exhibit a strong and pure, medium-dark blue hue with no notion of green. The color of the stone is meant to be improved by means of heat treatment.
How can you tell if an aquamarine birthstone is real?
Real aquamarine birthstones have some real other characteristics: they have their pleochroism-that is, different colors when that gemstones are viewed from different angles; they give a refractive index of 1.567-1.590, and they possess natural inclusions. High magnification shows parallel needle-like inclusions within the real aquamarines. Finally, the stone should permit moderate brilliance and transparency.
Where are aquamarine birthstones found?
Brazil is currently the main producer of aquamarine birthstones, mainly from Minas Gerais, which is known for scoring its excellent specimens. Other countries include Colombia, Zambia, Madagascar, and Pakistan. Each provides slightly different characteristics in the stones but again, Brazilian aquamarines are most often considered the holy grail of aquas.
What makes aquamarine different from other blue gemstones?
Distinctively apart from other blue stones that are found in nature, this gem is made from the unique crystal structure of its being part of the beryl family. Aquamarines are very clearly visible and a pastel blue. Unlike sapphires or blue topaz, aquamarine has a hexagonal crystal structure and is therefore most durable for everyday wear.
How much does a quality aquamarine birthstone cost?
High quality aquamarine birthstones generally range from $100 to $900 per carat. Very special examples can go even higher. Such country, clarity, size, and the quality of the cut influence their prices. Natural, untreated, deeper blue stones with very good clarity will be worth the most in the markets.