Gem Profile- Aquamarine

by Judy Ellis

Aquamarine, the sky-blue gem, is a member of the beryl family, making it siblings with emerald, golden beryl, goshenite, and morganite. The birthstone for March, aquamarine has a Moh's hardness of 7.5-8 - just a touch harder than quartz! - making it perfect for everyday jewelry. To clean aquamarine, simply clean with mild dish soap, using a toothbrush to clean behind prongs or settings.

Quartz family is silicon dioxide, a mix of silica and oxygen.

Beryl family uses beryllium, aluminum, and silica.

Aquamarine's misty color comes from trace iron in its structure.

Karren Vitt created this aquamarine pendant for her daughter-in-law.

It holds 4 birthstones, including aquamarine for her March birthday.

Aquamarine comes from the Latin for sea water.

It fits its pastel blue to pale green range.

Sailors carried it for sea safety.

Legends call it mermaids' treasure.

Deep blue aquamarine is most valuable.

Sky-blue is affordable and loved.

Aquamarine is cherished for irregularities.

Beryls like it have long, hollow tubular inclusions.

These add value.

Experienced gemcutters create cat's eyes or asterisms from enough tubes.

Asterism shows a shining star effect.

Cat's eye has a vertical slit shine.

Asterism adds side-to-side (or diagonal) shine.

Other stones with asterisms: sapphire, ruby, tiger's-eye, diopside.

Natural asterisms: Black Star Diopside and Blue Star Sapphire.

Private collection, Dale Armstrong.

Aquamarine mines span Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Russia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, and Mozambique.

Most market aquamarine comes from Brazil, and it's good quality.

US finds occur in Colorado, Idaho, California, and Atlantic coast pockets.

Aquamarine seems abundant.

But its pale color needs large stones for the right look.

Rough must be even bigger.

Large facetable crystals are rare.

The largest gem-quality aquamarine came from Marambaia, Brazil, in 1910.

It measured 19 inches long and 17 inches in diameter.

Gigantic!

Aquamarine from Pakistan

When mined, aquamarine is usually found with deposits of other rocks, ores, and gems such as tin, granite, feldspar, and tourmaline.

Most aquamarines have a natural greenish, yellow-green tint.

To create pure blue, heat to 375°C (700°F).

This removes green.

Heat treatment was common until recently.

Public now knows natural coloring.

It changes only color, keeping the stone stable and real.

Greenish-blue Aquamarine Trillion (38.42ct) by Joan Madouse.

Wrapped in 14kt gold filled wire.

Gemsociety.org describes Maxixe aquamarine (pronounced ma-she'-she).

A deep-dark blue version appeared decades ago.

It was irradiated for color, but the treatment faded.

Another claim says Maxixe comes naturally from Madagascar.

Its deep blue turns white in sunlight or heat.

Irradiation restores the color.

Use common sense.

Deep blue aquamarine is highly valuable with a high price.

Cheap versions are suspect.

Terri McMahon wire wrapped this 15x13mm raw aquamarine.

She used 21-gauge square sterling silver wire.

Gem Profile- Aquamarine

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