Aquamarine is March's birthstone.
Birthstones are a concept that covers various precious and semi-precious stones, one to several for each month. These stones symbolize those born in these months. They are typically used for jewelry given as baby shower gifts, christenings, or other special occasions.
Although birthstones are most widespread and known in countries like the USA, I find it an exciting concept to work with.
Historically, and within Christianity, birthstones have been mentioned as far back as biblical times, where twelve stones symbolized twelve different tribes in Israel. In Hinduism, birthstones also have a historical presence, where various stones, especially ruby and spinel, have held significance and represented cosmic harmony and prosperity for centuries. In modern times, birthstones have become commonly known as fashion accessories, allegedly due to the National Association of Jewelers in the USA, which in 1912 set out to standardize an official order and meaning for all months of the year. Since then, various changes have been made to the list, with the latest change in 2016, where spinel was added to August. I therefore use this guide as the official order today, with the risk that the list may change as the years go by.
Aquamarine
Aquamarine (from Latin: aqua meaning "water" and marine meaning "from the sea") is part of the beryl group, which also includes the green emerald (birthstone for May), as well as morganite.
Aquamarine is a fairly common gemstone and is mined in many places worldwide, including Brazil. Aquamarine can range from almost white to sky blue, greenish-blue to intense dark blue. Aquamarines with an intense blue color and without inclusions (an inclusion causes light to refract, resulting in a less clear and shiny stone) are the most valuable.
Aquamarine is pleochroic, meaning the stone can appear colorless, blue, or greenish-blue, depending on the viewing angle. During cutting, efforts are always made to enhance the blue color. The stone can be affected by heat and sunlight, which is why many such gemstones are heat-treated to achieve a clearer and more lasting color.
A first wedding anniversary is referred to as an aquamarine wedding or beryl wedding, and can be an obvious jewelry gift.
Superpowers
It is said that aquamarine can bring joy, hope, and optimism, as well as protect the love of lovers.
My advice
- With a hardness of 7.5 - 8.0 on the Mohs scale, aquamarine is well-suited for gemstones, although not as hard as diamonds.
- The blue color of aquamarine pairs beautifully with 14-karat and 18-karat yellow gold, as they complement each other wonderfully. This offers an opportunity to invest in a piece of jewelry with a large stone, as aquamarine is less expensive than, for example, sapphires, rubies, and diamonds.
- Regardless of your beliefs, I recommend choosing aquamarine for your jewelry if you want it to represent you or your loved ones born in March. I think birthstones are a very beautiful way to add more meaning and significance to your new piece of jewelry.
- For example, use aquamarine in a Unique piece of jewelry designed for you or someone you love.
Send me a message if you have any questions about birthstones.
Best regards, Michell