Marching into Spring

Happy Spring!!!!!! March is here and the garden is waking up from its winter slumber! I’ve been dreaming about what I’m going to plant this year in our garden and all the beautiful flowers that make their appearance this time of year!

March is also the month of Aquamarine. I love this beautiful stone for its calming soft blue and green colors and the stone’s ability to be worn in almost any type of setting.

Aquamarine and white topaz necklace with sterling silver woven chain.

Aquamarine is the birthstone for the month of March., and the gem for the 19th wedding anniversary. The name Aquamarine is derived from the Latin for seawater. Legend has it that aquamarine stones will calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. The gem is also thought to help keep marriages happy.*

In 1971, Aquamarine was designated as the state gem of Colorado. Many deposits of aquamarine have been found in the Mt. Antero region of Colorado and the Denver Natural History Museum has an amazing aquamarine collection.

Blue Agate and Aquamarine Briolette Earrings

It’s easy to see why Aquamarine is such a beloved stone by so many! The soft calming colors make this stone perfect for jewelry!

Happy Spring!

Chrissi

*gemstone information is sourced from the GIA Gem Encyclopedia.

Aquamarine for March

Whenever I see an Aquamarine gemstone, I always think of a warm beach with sparkling blue water in a beautiful tropical location. There is good reason for this…aquamarine is considered the “gem of the sea” and the name aquamarine in Latin means “sea water”.

The soft blue-greens of the stone give a comforting and warm feel. Aquamarine is a transparent or translucent variety of the gem species Beryl which also contains the emerald and morganite varieties of gemstones. As a relatively hard gemstone with a Moh’s harness between 7.5-8, aquamarine is an ideal gem for most jewelry.

The largest and finest aquamarines are from Brazil, Afghanistan or Pakistan, although, there are deposits in the United States. The most desirable color is pure blue. As the birthstone for March…I feel like it brings warmth and color to the ending of winter and is the perfect stone to celebrate those March birthdays!

Cool Aquamarine is the Favorite for March

Aquamarine is the birthstone gem for the month of March. It’s beautiful cool blues to shades of green are the perfect wake-up after the dreariness of winter’s slumber.

The name Aquamarine comes from Latin for seawater. Legends surrounding the gem say that the gemstone was meant to keep sailors safe on their journeys across the seas. It was also thought that Aquamarine would enhance the happiness of marriages*.

The majority of aquamarine is found in Brazil, however, this beautiful gem is also found in Russia, Tanzania, Zambia, Kenya and Central Madagascar…along with Colorado. One of my favorite exhibits of aquamarine is located at the Denver Museum of Natural History. It’s an amazing specimen that was found in the Rocky Mountains and meticulously mined and placed on display in the museum.

Aquamarine has a Mohs hardness of 7.5 to 8.0, which makes it an excellent gemstone for all types of jewelry. Care should always be taken when cleaning any gemstones. Common treatments include heat to enhance color of the gemstone.

*source: GIA website on Aquamarine