The birthstone for March is Aquamarine, and it is a beauty. It has been found in quite large crystals, as in Brazil. Although still rare and at a dear price, they can be found in large sizes, which makes for some absolutely stunning possibilities.
Aquamarine is in the Beryl family, which makes it a relative of Emerald and Golden Beryl. It can be transparent to opaque, and it has a decent hardness of 7.5-8, which is softer than sapphires, rubies, or diamonds (keep your jewellery separated!), but harder than amethysts or citrines.
The name comes from the latin for “water” and “sea”. It is said to represent courage, loyalty, and happiness. Sailors would use it as a talisman for safe travel.
It is also the gemstone for a 19th wedding anniversary, with the 20th being its very famous sibling, Emerald. Personally, I’d rather be sent to the Aquamarine City than the Emerald City, would you?
Some notable pieces include the “Dom Pedro” obelisk, Eleanor Roosevelt’s very large gem, Lucille Ball’s stolen treasure, QE2’s royal parure, and Meghan Markle’s knockout ring, inherited from Princess Diana.
