AQUAMARINE

Aquamarine Gemstone is the green-blue to blue variety of the mineral Beryl. It is known to be large in size & well-formed, making it particularly valuable.

The name “aquamarine” is derived from the Latin word aqua, meaning water, and marina, meaning the sea.

Large gemstones have been found all over the world, including one gemstone found in Brazil that weighed over 240 pounds. It grows in large, six-sided crystals that can be up to a foot long. This makes it a great gemstone to be cut and polished in larger carats for bold statement jewelry pieces.

It is a rare gemstone, particularly in its finest color bracket. The finest “Santa Maria” deep blues from Brazil, can fetch upwards of $1000 per carat due to their rarity. Similarly, a deep greenish blue being mined in Mozambique known as “Santa Maria Afrique” commands a premium price.

Prospective buyers can consult an aquamarine value chart to ascertain its gem value. As a rough guide, a 1-carat aquamarine would cost approximately $675 per carat and a 2-3 carat  would be around $1,000 to $1,500 per carat.

MOHS HARDNESS

7.5 – 8

LUSTER

Vitreous

CHEMICAL COMPOUND

The chemical composition is Be 3Al 2Si 6O 18, also containing Fe2+. It belongs to the beryl family, being a beryllium aluminum silicate mineral. It is closely related to emerald, morganite, and heliodor. It is chemically stable and resistant to most common chemicals and acids.

WHERE TO FIND

In the US, Aquamarine can be found in Maine, New Hampshire and Connecticut, as well as Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia on the east coast. In the western US it can be found in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and California.

Aquamarine can also be found in Brazil, but it is also found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, and Mozambique.