Aquamarine – The Sky-Blue Gemstone with Clear Elegance and Timeless Luster

Aquamarine is the light blue to turquoise-blue shimmering variety of beryl – known for its crystal-clear purity, gentle luster, and calming, maritime appeal. The name comes from the Latin "aqua marina" and means "seawater" – a gemstone could not be more aptly described.

Whether delicate ice blue or vibrant ocean blue: Aquamarine is one of the world's most elegant and popular colored gemstones.

What is Aquamarine?

Aquamarine is a blue variety of the mineral Beryl.
Chemical composition: Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈.
The blue color is caused by traces of iron in the crystal lattice.

Special Characteristics of Aquamarine

Aquamarine appears elegant, calm, and crystal-clear – a gemstone of timeless beauty.

Gentle to intense blue
Very high clarity → many stones are eye-clean
Pleasant hardness (7.5–8) → robust & suitable for everyday wear
High brilliance with good cut
Large crystals possible → impressive gemstones
Rare in intense blue → valuable

Colors & Varieties of Aquamarine

Aquamarine displays a color spectrum from cool to intense:

Santa Maria Aquamarine (Top Quality!)
Intense, deep ocean blue. Named after the "Santa Maria" mine in Brazil.
Santa Maria Africana
Very similar quality to Santa Maria – from Africa. Intense, radiant blue → highly sought after.
Espirito Santo Aquamarine
Light, clear blue – classic gemstone.
Mint Aquamarine
Delicate blue tone with a slight green tint. Trendy, fresh color.
Maxixe Aquamarine (extremely rare)
Deep blue, but often color-unstable – collector's material.

Origin of Important Aquamarines

The most coveted intense blue tones traditionally come from Brazil and Africa. The best-known localities:

Brazil (Minas Gerais)
World leader for aquamarine – including Santa Maria qualities.
Mozambique & Nigeria
Modern sources for intensely blue varieties.
Pakistan (Skardu)
Crystal-clear, high-quality stones.
Madagascar
Very pure, light blue tones.
Russia (Urals)
Historical deposits.

Treatment of Aquamarine

Aquamarine is often heat-treated to remove greenish tones and produce a purer blue. Untreated aquamarines are often a bit greener.

heating → common & accepted
stable & permanent

Value Factors of Aquamarine

1. Color

The most important factor:

intense, pure ocean blue → highest values
medium blue → highly sought after in jewelry
very light blue → elegant, but more affordable

2. Clarity

Aquamarine is usually very clean.

eye-clean → premium quality
visible inclusions → rather rare, but reduce value

3. Cut

Of great importance for:

Brilliance
Color perception
Light distribution

Popular cuts: Oval, Emerald Cut, Cushion, Pear.

4. Size

Aquamarine forms large crystals – ideal for statement pieces.

5–10 ct → attractive jewelry size
10–20 ct → impressive
over 20 ct in top color → very valuable

Is Aquamarine a good gemstone for collectors?

Yes – especially for lovers of clear, elegant colors. Santa Maria qualities are among the most popular collector's items in the beryl family.

Advantages:

excellent purity
natural, pleasant color
good availability → ideal for large pieces
increasing demand for intensely blue material
robust & durable

Aquamarine in Macro Art

Ideal for macro artworks in acrylic, aluminum, and 3D – especially when a calm, elegant color effect is desired. Aquamarine shows particular beauty under macro photography: