Description

Aquamarine is the birthstone for those lucky enough to be born in March. The word aquamarine is a combination of two words, aqua meaning water, and marina, meaning the sea. Therefore, the gem is named after the beautiful blue sea. Part of the history of this gem is that it was used by sailors to give them good luck on the seas and to ensure a safe voyage.

Aquamarine is in fact a type of beryl, a rare silicate mineral that is found in igneous and metamorphic rocks around the world. Specifically, it is found in granite rhyolites and granite pegmatites. A primary source of beryl is mined at Spor Mountain in Utah, albeit that is typically not for gemstone quality.

Beryl can be found in a variety of colors and each color is given a different name. Beryl colors and their names are as follows: emerald (green), aquamarine (blue), red beryl (red), heliodor (yellow), morganite (pink to orange), maxixe (dark blue), green beryl (light green), and the rare colorless version goshenite (colorless).

This March birthstone was also thought to bring happiness in marriage. Beryl was believed to give the wearer protection against foes in battle and litigation. It was also thought to make the wearer unconquerable and amiable, and to quicken the intellect.