Water of the Sea: Aquamarines for March

Aquamarine is the serene blue member of the beryl family. Defined largely by its colour, true aquamarine appears only in shades of blue and blue-green. The familiar phrase “aquamarine blue” suggests a slightly greenish tone, yet the most admired stones often show a clear robin’s-egg blue. Its name comes from the Latin aqua marina — seawater — a fitting description for a gem whose colour recalls the shifting light of the ocean.

"the beautiful Beryl family also includes emerald, morganite & heliodor"

The beryl family also includes green emerald, pink to peach morganite and the lesser known yellow heliodor. Chemically, beryl is a beryllium aluminium silicate, and in aquamarine small amounts of iron create its distinctive blue. Like other beryls it forms in hexagonal crystals and is a durable gemstone that facets beautifully, from flawless transparent stones of remarkable clarity to more characterful gems carrying delicate inclusions. These internal threads, once dismissed, are now appreciated for the depth and individuality they lend to the stone. Coming in at 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, it makes a durable gemstone for jewellery and is often heat treated to stabilise its colour. 

The finest aquamarine deposits have long been associated with Brazil, particularly the celebrated Santa Maria stones known for their vivid blue colour. Today exceptional aquamarines are also found in Pakistan, China, Myanmar, Russia, Ukraine and across Africa. Discoveries in Kenya and Zambia in the 1980s, and later in Mozambique during the 1990s, revealed stones whose colour rivals the historic Brazilian material. These African gems are often called Santa Maria Afrique in honour of that lineage.

Throughout history aquamarine has been linked with courage, clarity and safe passage across water. Ancient sailors believed the gem was a treasure of the mermaids, carried as protection on long voyages. The stone has continued to enchant modern admirers. 

Queen Elizabeth II famously wore magnificent Brazilian aquamarines, while one of the most extraordinary examples ever discovered is the Dom Pedro aquamarine (pictured above). Found in Brazil in the 1980s, the crystal was carved into a monumental obelisk-like form measuring roughly 36 centimetres in length and weighing over ten thousand carats.

As the birthstone for March, aquamarine has long symbolised calm and harmony. It is also traditionally given to celebrate the nineteenth wedding anniversary, its tranquil blue representing enduring affection. Durable enough for everyday wear, aquamarine moves easily from daylight to evening, particularly when paired with diamonds or other coloured gemstones.

For centuries its colour has suggested clarity, openness and the quiet confidence of the sea. When set in gold, aquamarine becomes luminous rather than pale — a gentle blue light carried close to the skin.