March 23, 2021
By Chelsea Reed
With coastal clarity resembling the sea, aquamarine is abundant in jewelry markets. The popular gem is also the birthstone of March and marks the 19th wedding anniversary. Do you know about these interesting aquamarine facts? Test your “rock noggin” below to find out!
Fact #1: It’s related to the emerald and morganite.
The aquamarine is a variation of beryl. So are emerald and morganite. Each of these gems get their colors from impurities of trace minerals in the beryl crystal. Emerald and aquamarine get their blue and green tones from iron. Morganite’s pinkish hue comes from manganese.
Fact #2: Aquamarines come in the same cuts as diamonds.
Did you know pale aquamarines are a great alternative to an engagement ring? It’s easier and more affordable to find aquamarines with no inclusions. Aquamarines are graded and cut the same way as diamonds. Some popular shapes include the cushion cut, emerald cut, and round cut.
Fact #3: They star in ancient maritime legends.
An old legend says that aquamarine was first discovered in a treasure chest by mermaids. Greeks and Romans wore them often, and it’s been popular ever since! The stone was especially favored by sailors, hence giving it the nickname “sailor’s stone.”
Fact #4: The largest gem-quality raw aquamarine was in Brazil.
It weighed 243 pounds! The huge stone was from the city of Minas Gerais in 1910. For centuries the town has produced hoards of diamonds and gemstones. Jewelers cut the aquamarine boulder into more than 100,000 carats. That’s worth at least 67 million American dollars today!
Fact #5: The largest cut aquamarine in the world has a name, and it’s the Dom Pedro.
This huge aquamarine pillar is huge! It resides in the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. It too is from Minas Gerais, Brazil, and it weighs 10,363 carats! The cuts in this marvelous specimen make it seem like it is glowing an oceanic blue. Isn’t it grand?
Fact #6: Aquamarines are a favorite gift for royalty and elected officials.
In 1936 the Brazil government gifted Eleanor Roosevelt a beautiful faceted aquamarine stone. It weighed 1,298 carats! In 1953, the Brazilian President gave Queen Elizabeth II a necklace and earring set. As more aquamarines were given to her over time, they were fashioned into a huge tiara. Queen Elizabeth II still wears it to this day.
Fact #7: Aquamarines are 100% natural stone.
All aquamarines are natural, there is no such thing as synthetic. Sometimes crafty peddlers pass off forgeries as aquamarines. Other times, aquamarines get confused with other gems. But you don’t have to worry about that at Seaside Art Gallery. All Seaside Art Gallery’s estate jewelry has clear descriptions, so you can be sure it’s the real thing.
Chelsea Reed is a copywriter who writes online content, articles, blogs, and websites from her base in North Carolina
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