Aquamarine - birth stone for March

It's March! And those of you with a birthday this month probably already know that your birthstone is the beautiful aquamarine. This is a blue to green-blue variety of precious beryl, the group of minerals that includes emeralds. Let's find out more about this fresh, cool stone. 

Ancient meaning 

According to legend, aquamarine originated in the treasure chest of fabulous mermaids, and since ancient times has been regarded as 'the sailor's lucky stone'. Aquamarine gets its name from the Latin term for seawater and has a long tradition of being a stone for those who spend much of their time at sea.

Big finds of aquamarine

The largest find of gemstone quality aquamarine dates back to 1910 when the "Minas Gerais" mine in Marambaya, Brazil, unearthed a stone of 243 lb (110.5 kg), 18 inches (48.5 cm) long and 15.5 inches in diameter, that was cut into many gemstones with a total weight of more than 100,000 carats.

The 'Dom Pedro', weighing 26 kg and cut in Idar-Oberstein, Germany in 1992 by the gemstone designer Bernd Munsteiner, is the largest single piece of aquamarine to have ever been cut.

Buying aquamarine

Aquamarine is moderately priced so it's very affordable for jewellery. Coloured gemstones are bought by size and not by carat weight.

Aquamarine is stunning in cluster rings. The ring at the top of the page is from Rocks and Co and features 1.22 carats of Santa Maria aquamarine from Brazil. This is a gemstone that truly covers all price points.  Some of the shopping selections below cost thousands of pounds, whereas others are modestly priced.

Care of aquamarine

Aquamarine is one of the more durable of gemstones, but it still requires careful handling and care. Avoid wearing aquamarine jewellery when working around harsh chemicals. To prevent scratches, always store aquamarine gemstones separately from other types of gemstone and gemstone jewellery.

Popular with Royalty

Both The Queen and the Countess of Wessex have worn the "Five Aquamarine Tiara," one piece from the Queen's extensive collection of aquamarine, mostly from Brazil.

The Countess of Wessex in the royal Five Aquamarine tiara

Discover the story behind your birthstone

Peridot, Ruby, Emerald, Topaz, Pearl, Sapphire, Diamond, Garnet, Tanzanite, Opal, Amethyst, Bloodstone

Is This Mutton has an extensive Pinterest jewellery board, which features more jewellery than can be shown on the blog. 

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