Aquamarine
"The Aquamarine was much employed by the
ancients for engraving: there is one by
Quintillius, of Poseidon
mounted
on marine
horses."
Dr. L. Feuchtwanger, A Popular Treatise
on Gems (1867)
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To calm
Poseidon's anger during storms,
sailors once tossed amulets of
Aquamarine overboard |
In
my experience, Aquamarine is one of those gems
that most people immediately find attractive.
Blue might be one of the world's favourite
colours, but it's the crisp cleanness of
Aquamarine's blues as well as its resemblance to
the sea, that, for many, conveys feelings of
tranquillity and calm. Even its name embodies
these oceanic connections. Coined by the Romans
over 2,000 years ago, Aquamarine literally means
'water of the sea' in Latin, from the words
'aqua' (water) and 'marina' (sea). Given its
name, it is no wonder one myth says Aquamarine
originated from treasure chests, horded by
magnificent mermaids.
During antiquity, Aquamarine was praised for its
ability to protect sailors from the wrath of
Poseidon (the Greek god of the sea, Neptune in
Roman mythology), thereby guaranteeing seafarers
a safe voyage. Poseidon certainly was a god
you'd want on your side. Keep him happy, and you
got new islands and calm oceans, rub him the
wrong way and his trident would strike the
ground causing earthquakes, storms, drowning and
shipwrecks. Sailors back then didn't have GPS,
search and rescue, or life jackets, so many
would pray to Poseidon for a safe voyage,
wearing amulets of Aquamarine to instil bravery
in their hearts. At a pinch, these talismans
could be thrown overboard as offerings to cool
Poseidon's temper, so storms would subside.
Several years ago, I learned of a similar local
custom from a Thai gem dealer, who maintained
that Aquamarine can prevent seasickness and
drowning. Given Aquamarine's mythology, it's not
surprising that this gem was also regarded by
the ancients as fostering tranquillity,
serenity, calmness, purification and wisdom.
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AAA Aquamarine
& Diamond 18K Yellow Gold Ring |
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Its oceanic mythology aside, what puts the
sparkle in March's birthstone? Aquamarine is a
member of the Beryl mineral family (from the
ancient Greek 'beryllos', meaning blue-green
stone), commonly known as the 'mother of
gemstones' because of its highly regarded gem
varieties. Apart from Aquamarine blues, other
Beryl gemstones include Bixbite reds, Emerald
greens, Goshenite whites (colourless), Heliodor
yellows and Morganite pinks. Aquamarine is
coloured by trace amounts of iron, with its
relative concentrations causing an
extraordinarily beautiful range of pastel to
intense deep blues, sometimes with splashes of
green.
Aquamarine is typically eye-clean (no visible
inclusions when the gem is examined six inches
from the naked eye), occasionally with a very
high clarity even under magnification. Because
of its high clarity and transparency, colour is
Aquamarine's most important consideration. While
the deeper, more intense blues command higher
prices, they are exceedingly rare; Aquamarine's
lighter blues are more readily available.
The
deeper Aquamarine blues are often given
different trade names that can be potentially
confusing for those new to gems. Collectively
called 'AAA' or 'double blue' Aquamarine, the
names include 'Santa Maria' (rare, intensely
deep blue Aquamarine from Brazil's Santa Maria
de Itabira deposit), 'Espirito Santo' (medium
toned Aquamarine from Brazil's Espirito Santo
state) and 'Martha Rocha' (for a 1954 Brazilian
beauty queen). 'Santa Maria' colours have also
been found in Mozambique (circa 1991) and in
other African countries such as Zambia.
This has resulted in the trade names 'Santa
Maria Africana' and 'Santa Maria Afrique', which
conjure a curious mystique over its exact
origin. Currently, deep blue 'AAA' Aquamarine is
difficult to obtain in calibrated cuts necessary
for jewellery above half a carat due to its
geological scarcity. Rarely found in larger 'gem
quality' sizes in any location, continuous
production of the deeper Aquamarine colours just
doesn't happen, keeping them in high demand.
For me, the finest Aquamarines are pure blue,
with a medium tone and saturation, similar to
Goldilocks and her porridge, not too dark and
not too light. But as usual, this is simply my
opinion and you should develop your own tastes
based on your budget and colour preferences.
Hints of green often result in extremely
beautiful examples that aptly exhibit this gem's
oceanic air. Inversely, the more available
pastel blues with excellent transparency exude
tranquillity, displaying subtle tints
reminiscent of surf rising up the golden sands
of a tropical beach. Aquamarine that is poorly
cut, has too much grey or green, or has
prominent inclusions should be priced
accordingly. Because colour is such an important
value determinant for Aquamarine, lapidaries
often employ deeper cuts to accentuate its
colour. Aquamarine is typically well cut, with
emeralds, ovals and pears the most common. As
usual, look for an even colour and good
brilliance regardless of the cut or shape.
Prior to the Aquamarine's modern African
discoveries, in the early eighteen hundreds
(circa 1830), it was the Brazilian gem fields of
Minas which in Portuguese means 'general mines',
and Russia's Urals that ruled the roost,
producing the finest quality. Today, Brazil is
still a major supplier, but several African
nations, including Nigeria (an Aquamarine
producer since 1983), Madagascar, Mozambique and
Zambia, are the new kids on the block, supplying
equally beautiful Aquamarines.
Whether it's Aquamarine's sky or deep ocean
blues, this gem is enchantingly beautiful and
radiates regardless of eye colour or complexion.
In a way, Aquamarine really does seem to have
captured the lucid blue essence of the sea.
Goshenite
Goshenite
is the white (colourless) variety of Beryl noted
for its exceptional transparency and brilliance.
While named for the location of its first
discovery, Goshen, Massachusetts, Goshenite has
several other names including White Beryl and
Lucid Beryl. Its colourless purity gave rise to
it being used as lenses in spectacles in ancient
Greece and Rome. Today, historians believe that
the eye glasses worn by Roman Emperor Nero
during gladiatorial bouts probably sported
Goshenite lenses, even though the Roman
historian Pliny the Elder reported they were
Emeralds. Goshenite sources include Brazil,
Colombia, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
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Morganite & Diamond 9K Yellow Gold Ring |
Morganite
Discovered in Madagascar in 1911, this gem
was called Pink Beryl until it was renamed by
the famous gemmologist, George Frederick Kunz,
in honour of his benefactor, the New York banker
and philanthropist, John Pierpont Morgan. Sister
gem to
Aquamarine and Emerald, Morganite is a
translucent to transparent Beryl coloured by
trace amounts of manganese, which result in its
delightful roses, magnolias and peaches.
Typically eye-clean, Morganite is currently
obtained from Afghanistan, Brazil and
Madagascar. Unfortunately, the only limit to Morganite's popularity is its rarity.
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