Aquamarine is one of the worlds popular and well known gemstones. It has a fantastic range of colours, and a good hardness – which makes it a most desirable gem for collectors. It is a member of the Beryl family; Beryls usually being clear, however! the iron content in Aquamarine is what gives the gem its characteristic pale blue colour.

Its name comes from the Latin aqua for water and mare for sea, and many superstitions and legends about the sea have been attached to the gemstone over the years. Sailors were said to have taken aquamarine to sea as a lucky charm to protect against shipwreck.

Although in the past Aquamarines naturally had a green tinge and were heat treated to enhance the blue and remove the green colour, more discerning customers are accepting Aquamarines with a hint of green – which are now highly sought after.

The largest source of the gem is found in the state of Minas Gerais in southeast Brazil. The mines of Brazil produce stones of a characteristic colour and also have characteristic inclusions, so much so that Aquamarines from this area can be specifically determined by gemologists based solely on visual inspection.

Hardness: 7.5-8, Refractive index: 1.57-1.59