Aquamarine was named by the Romans about 2,000 years ago, its name being derived from the Latin aqua, meaning “water,” and marina, meaning “sea.” Said to be a gemstone that protects sailors and guarantees safe voyage, it is also known as one that cools the temper, allowing the water to remain calm and levelheaded.

Like emerald, aquamarine is a variety of the mineral beryl, with a hardness of 7 1/2 to 8 on the Mohs scale, which lists diamond as 10. Whereas emerald is colored green by the elements chromium or vanadium, aquamarine’s light blue is caused by traces (0.5 – 2.0 %) of iron. Though both are the same mineral, emerald is vulnerable to shock, while aquamarine has excellent durability. Aquamarine also shows a more even distribution of color throughout the stone and a characteristically high level of transparency.

Aquamarine is a gem that is loved by many for its crisp, clean appearance. The pure blue with a tone level of 3 seen in the photograph on the next page can be considered ideal. A random survey (300 persons: 150 men, 150 women) showed that women especially seem to prefer a level 3 over a level 3. It is likely that for them a lighter blue conveys a softer, more tranquil feeling. Because its color suggests coolness, it is a gem that is often worn in the spring and summer.

Most aquamarines are faced as emerald, oval, and pear shapes. A gem-quality aquamarine like that in the photograph is far more beautiful and valuable than a ruby or sapphire of accessory quality.