The Aquamarine gemstone belongs to the mineral family Beryl and has a slight blue to turquoise color that is indicative of seawater. The beautiful aquamarine color is caused by its concentration of iron within it. The greater the intensity of color the higher the value of the aquamarine.
Mineral Name
Beryl
Chemical Formula
Be3AL2Si6O16
Specific Gravity
2.60 to 2.90
Moh's Hardness
7.5 to 8
Color
Blue primarily to green, pink, colorless, yellow and red
Aquamarine is found around the world but the best gemstones come from Africa and from the mines of Esperito Santo and Minas Gerais in Brazil. The Aquamarine name comes from the Latin word 'aqua' for water and 'mare' for sea. Ancient legends tell the story of where the aquamarine came from the treasure chests of beautiful mermaids and the stones would wash up from them to shore.
Ancient sailors prized the aquamarine because it was believed that the God, Neptune considered the gem sacred and would grant them a safe and properous voyage.
