Knowledge
Aquamarines get their name from the latin ‘aqua’ meaning ‘water’ and ‘marina’, meaning 'of the sea'. With their dreamy hue and depth of meaning, this gem has been coveted throughout the eras.
Gemstones
History and Symbolism
The earliest references to aquamarines date back to at least 3000 years in Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Sumerian writings.The beauty of this gem has been cleverly captured in one sentence by Pliny the Elder, the Ancient Roman natural historian, who wrote ‘there is not a colour more pleasing to the eye’. Historically, aquamarines were found in Ceylon, India, and Brazil.
Aquamarine has often been attributed special properties and is associated with myths and legends. The Greeks and Romans believed it would protect sailors at sea during storms as well as from any other danger, such as the irresistible charm of mermaids encountered during voyages. Modern seamen have also subscribed to this ancient belief and during World War II the US navy christened a patrol boat the ‘USS Aquamarine’. A charming description of the stone from an early twentieth century publication describes aquamarine as seeming ‘to have come direct from some mermaid’s treasure house in the depths of a summer sea’.
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Aside from its association with the ocean, in many different cultures, including ancient empires such as Egyptian and Sumerian, the gemstone was regarded as a symbol of happiness and everlasting youth. In the Medieval era, the gem was gifted and worn to reawaken love lost between married couples and was considered by royalty throughout Europe as an antidote to poison, with the fashion to wear the gem set in a ring or a pendant.
Whilst the symbolic importance of aquamarine has varied throughout the centuries, today, the gem is associated with trust, harmony, friendship and positive feelings and is the birthstone of March.
The Characteristics of an Aquamarine
Aquamarine is a light blue to greenish blue member of the beryl family of gemstones, which counts emerald among its other well-known varieties. Unlike emeralds, however, aquamarines are typically large and transparent, and often feature in dramatic jewels on a grand scale.
Aquamarines naturally occur in very large sizes, indeed the largest specimen known to date was found in the Minas Gerais mine in Brazil in 1910—the primary world source of these stones—which weighed 110.5 kilograms, and measured 48.5cm in length and 42cm in diameter.
Though confined within the blue and green spectrum determined by the iron component in its structure, the gem offers a multitude of nuances as a beautiful reminder of the calming colours of oceans, lakes, and other bodies of water around the world.
Notable Aquamarines
The Roosevelt Aquamarine was a gift to US First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt when she and President Roosevelt visited Brazil in 1936. The gem weighs 1298 carats and was at the time the largest cut aquamarine in the world. It is now on display at the Hyde Park Museum in New York.
In 1957 Queen Elizabeth II commissioned an aquamarine tiara from Garrard that would match her other aquamarine jewels. They were to use the aquamarines and diamonds that were a coronation gift in 1953 from the Brazilian President, Getúlio Vargas.
Berganza’s Aquamarines
With an impressive selection of aquamarine jewels, you need look no further than the Berganza collection. Should you be after an aquamarine ring, we have both engagement rings and cocktail rings that are sure to delight!
If you are looking for a pair of aquamarine earrings to gift to a loved one, perhaps with a matching necklace, then visit our showroom today and immerse yourself in the dreamy depths of this exquisite blue gem.
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Zambian Emeralds
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Diamonds
Ceylon Sapphires
Pearls
Whilst the major historic sources of fine aquamarines have been Ceylon and India, since the 1900s deposits in Brazil, notably in Minas Gerais, have been an important source, along with Madagascar, Makawi, China and Ukraine.
Natural aquamarine is typically a pale greenish-blue, and prior to the 20th century, this was the favoured colour. Today, the intense blue aquamarines, with no green or yellow tones, are highly prized and command the highest prices.
Aquamarine has a hardness of 7.5-8 on Mohs’ scale so does require some care when being worn.