The Beauty and Power of Aquamarine

The term "aquamarine" literally translates to "sea water". Not by sheer coincidence then has this gem been associated with the sea. Some even called it the gemstone of mermaids. There are many who believed that this stone was protective to sailors at sea. In fact even today, there are those on cruises who wear aquamarine jewelry based on the superstition that the stone is good for sea travelers. Aquamarine has little to do with water or with the seas, other than the fact that the color of the stone resembles that of many bodies of water. This association with the sea is not the only belief associated with this stone.

New Age believers claim that aquamarine has divine and eternal powers - powers that are life-giving. The color is also said to inspire calmness and helps a person relax at the end of a hard day. It is believed to inspire serenity and courage, and possesses strong powers to heal a variety of psychological and physical ills. Many claim that this stone heightens the powers of intuition and self realization. It enhances the psychic powers and clairvoyance of the wearer. It is helpful in meditating it calms the mind, keeps away intruding and disturbing thoughts and helps achieve goals through the process of visualization.

Overall, the beautiful gemstone helps in reducing stress, gives the wearer the courage to blaze new paths, and helps in communicating your feels, emotions, and inner thoughts. There are those who claim that aquamarine allows the wearer to gain foresight, insight into one’s self and life, and helps you sleep better at night. Aquamarine is one of the birthstones for March. Aquamarine is considered to be auspicious for Scorpios and Geminis. Jewelry incorporating this gemstone is recommended for the 19th wedding anniversary as it is believed to promote love, friendship, hope, and optimism.

Archaeological finds suggest that aquamarine has been used in jewelry and amulets since at least 300 BC, and possibly as early as 500 BC. Over the centuries, the soft pale blue color of this stone has given joy and happiness to many a jewelry fan the world over. This light and subdued color of the stone is also one of the main reasons why it has gained popularity so rapidly. The color is complimentary to a wide range of skin colors and tones. In fact, it is mild enough to even be used in jewelry for babies and young children.

The stone is more or less transparent and so picking ones that do not have flaws and inclusions becomes particularly important. Since the stone is transparent, even an amateur can identify flaws in the stone by holding it up to a light. In jewelry applications today, stones with a more intense color are more popular than lighter colored ones. Jewelers sometimes treat lighter stones with intense heat to improve the depth of color.

It is impossible to tell if a stone has been heat treated or not, although this should matter little when buying a sterling pendant or other inexpensive fashion jewelry that contains aquamarine. The blue color of the stone is explained by the presence of iron within the stone matrix. The higher the iron content, the deeper the color of the stone. When jewelers price specimens for their designs, they typically pay a higher prices for flawless stones. Sometimes, the presence of flaws and inclusions are so pervasive that the stone changes from transparent to milky. Such specimens are considered to have the least value.

The stone can also sometimes be found in shades of green. Green specimens are generally less valuable than blue ones. Since aquamarine typically has a very light shade of blue, larger stones tend to hold their color better. However, the ability to cut a larger specimen from a raw stone may be limited by the presence of flaws. An experienced jeweler will balance and optimize the size of the stone with need to avoid flaws and inclusions.