Birthstone of The Month: Aquamarine
San Diego has been very cold this past month, with many people wondering why winter felt like it came late. Lucky for us, March has officially begun and with it the promise of soft spring breezes and warm kisses from the sun. Spring is amazing and so are the people who are born on this month. To help our loyal and dedicated Enji fans celebrate their birthday (and we’ll be celebrating too, Niki’s birthday is also this month), we have composed a list of 10 fun facts about their birthstone.
1) Aquamarine is a relative of the Emerald. Both stones are members of the beryl variety of gemstones. Golden Beryl and Morganite are also part of the beryl family and can often be found together in the same deposit.
2) Many aquamarine gemstones are heat treated to bring their color closer to a true, vibrant blue. This color change is permanent, but it doesn't harm or otherwise change the structure of the stone. Heat treated stones should be clearly marked as such, and they are often lower in price than natural stones with the same hue.
3) Aquamarine is well known for its distinctive blue-green color. Shades range from deep teal to a pale, crystal blue. The depth of color is actually influenced by the amount of iron found in each gem's structure, and that is why the color varies so much.
4) Aquamarine registers between a 7 and an 8 on Mohs scale. This is the unit of measurement that is used to test the hardness of different kinds of gemstones. This high score makes the gemstone perfect for daily use.
5) Aquamarine is a favorite gemstone among contemporary jewelry designers because even the palest blue gem can be a stunning jewel. It lends itself to such an assortment of shapes and cuts, that it gives designers great freedom in artistic expression.
6) While the most valuable aquamarines are mined in Columbia and Brazil, caches of the gem have been found even in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Other mines extracting gem quality material are found in Kenya, Zambia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Russia, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Madagascar.
7) The world’s largest cut aquamarine is named the Don Pedro. The stone is exhibited at the Natural History Museum at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
8) Aquamarine is the official stone of Colorado.
9) Believed to be a precious treasure from mermaids, sailors have worn aquamarine amulets to keep them safe at sea, ward off seasickness, and protect them from Satan.
10) The ancient Romans believed that Neptune, god of the sea, had a special affiliation with aquamarine.
Sources:
http://jewelry.lovetoknow.com/Facts_About_the_Birthstone_Aquamarine
http://www.gemstonebuzz.com/10-interesting-facts-about-aquamarine-gemstone
http://www.turleyjewelers.com/blog/13-fascinating-facts-about-aquamarine
https://www.gemselect.com/gem-info/aquamarine/aquamarine-info.php