Aquamarine Properties, Meaning, Facts and Photos

What is Aquamarine?

Aquamarine is the blue-green variety of the mineral beryl. The sky-blue-coloured stone tends to be the most popular but is often heat treated.

Blue topaz which is also heated, can sometimes be mistaken for aquamarine. Without careful inspection, it can be difficult to tell one from the other. One of the main differences is that aquamarine is far more expensive than topaz, and stones in larger sizes are rare.

Meghan Markle wore an aquamarine cocktail ring on her wedding day which originally belonged to Diana, Princess of Wales.

An aquamarine tiara, necklace, and earrings were made for the late Queen Elizabeth II. Each piece featured large rectangular aquamarine stones set with diamonds. The president of Brazil gave the necklace and earrings to her in 1953 as a coronation gift.

In 1957, the tiara was designed to match the necklace and earrings. A year later, she received a bracelet and brooch to complete the set. 

The colour of aquamarine can vary from the deepest shade of green to the lightest blue. It's caused by impurities of iron within the mineral beryl.

Aquamarine, which is widely used as a gemstone, grades 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of mineral hardness.

Most of the finest material comes from Brazil, Mozambique, Madagascar, Nigeria, Zambia, Angola and India.

On the Modern Birthstone List, aquamarine is the birthstone for March. On the Traditional List, it can be used as an alternative to tourmaline.

The mineral beryl is associated with the zodiac sign of scorpio. With aquamarine being the blue variety, it's often used instead.

Aquamarine Healing Properties

When used for its healing properties, aquamarine promotes emotional balance and harmony.

This captivating gemstone is renowned for its blue-green colour. The name 'aquamarine' comes from the Latin word 'aqua marina,' meaning 'water of the sea.' As such, it has long been associated with the soothing, calming energies of water.

Aquamarine promotes tranquility and relaxation. When used with meditation it enhances clarity and encourages a deep state of serenity.

Known as the Stone of Courage, it inspires feelings of fearlessness and inner strength. It can empower you to overcome challenges and obstacles by providing the confidence needed to express yourself well. 

Aquamarine encourages change. It strengthens intuition to support decision-making and enhances communication skills.

Its gentle and compassionate energy assists in releasing emotional baggage, facilitating healing and promoting harmony within relationships.

It's believed to encourage forgiveness, compassion and understanding. This can help you to let go of resentment and promote healthy emotional connections.
   
In ancient times, sailors believed the mermaid's tail was made from pure aquamarine. For this reason, it was often carried to bring luck and protection from the dangers of being at sea.
Aquamarine was often carved with images of Poseidon or Neptune, the Greek and Roman Gods of the sea. It was believed placing a stone under one's pillow would ensure sound sleep.

Aquamarine encourages creativity and self-expression. It helps those burdened with great responsibility by bringing strength, wisdom and clarity. Its gentle energies help reduce stress, replacing it with peace and calmness. 

Aquamarine is a wonderful stone to use for deep healing of mind, body and spirit.

Article Pictures

The aquamarine in our photo at the top of this article is from Brazil. It's housed in the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, Washington D.C. Photo by Stone Mania.

The next photo is from an article in Elle magazine.

The aquamarine in the third photo is courtesy of Stan Celestian. 

Photos are clickable and redirect to the original image.

Pop-up photo: Aquamarine on Feldspar - Courtesy of Alan English.