The aquamarine is an opaque, turquoise, precious stone that belongs to the family of beryllium, which is the same family as emerald. Although not as expensive as emerald, aquamarine is one of the most sought after gemstones.
Characteristics
Aquamarine means “sea water” and this name was given to it thanks to its special blue color. This color is due to the iron content present in the composition of this mineral and may range from pale blue to intense dark blue. It has a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale (with a maximum value of 10) used to measure the hardness of minerals.
Origin
For some peoples the aquamarine is considered the stone of the female deities of the sea. However, the ancient Greeks described it as the gem of Poseidon that escaped the trunks of the Nereids.
Today, the best quality aquamarine is mined in Brazil, in the huge Minas Gerais mine, and in Bello Orizonte. Other countries with significant mining are Kenya, Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia.
The largest piece of raw aquamarine was mined in Minas Gerais in 1910 and weighed 110 kilograms. This piece was named “Papamel”, and was cut into thousands of pieces which underwent the appropriate processing and were placed on the market.
Historical jewelry with aquamarine
Extremely impressive was the 1,298-carat aquamarine offered in 1937 by the Brazilian government to the wife of then-President Eleanore Roosvelt. Equally dazzling was the necklace with earrings also offered by the Brazilian government to Queen Elizabeth at her coronation.
In 1957, Elizabeth asked the Garrard House to make a tiara of diamonds and aquamarines, to combine it with these jewelry. The very next year, Brazil offered Elizabeth a bracelet and a pin to add to her set. When Elizabeth visited Brazil again that year, the then Governor of Sao Paulo offered her a hair accessory, decorated with aquamarine and diamonds. Of course, Elizabeth used it, making her tiara even more impressive.
In Haritidis Jewelry stores you will find a wide collection of aquamarine jewelry and diamonds. You can choose between necklaces, earrings and rings. Aquamarine is an ideal choice for women of all ages. Choose a piece of jewelry that suits your style and personality and you will definitely impress.
