One of the March Birthstones is Aquamarine

Cut and Clarity for the March birthstone

Aquamarines of high quality are very transparent gemstones. Some aquamarine gemstones can carry inclusions of long hollow rods a common characteristic of the beryl family. Rarely traces of minerals can align to create the cat’s eye effect (chatoyancy) or star effect (asterism) with six striking rays. Cat's eye aquamarine is usually very expensive. Aquamarine gemstones with asterism or “star aquamarine” are remarkably rare and very valuable. When cut properly aquamarine gemstones exhibit a vitreous luster.

Aquamarine gemstones are for the most part well suited for rectangular cuts. The most preferential cut for aquamarine is an emerald step-cut.

Is Aquamarine ever treated?

The pale blue color of aquamarine is attributed to Fe2+. Dark-blue maxixe color can be produced in green, pink or yellow beryl by irradiating it with high-energy particles (gamma rays, neutrons or even X-rays).

The darker shades of aquamarine are almost always heat treated as well as lower quality in order to remove the green and yellowish tones and improve the color to be a favorable blue.

Types of Aquamarine

Aquamarine gemstones come from a family of crystals with chemical similarities but have different impurities.

Emerald

Emerald refers to green beryl. It contains trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Most emeralds are highly included, so their brittleness (resistance to breakage) is usually classified as poor. Emerald is a rare and valuable gemstone and, as such, it has provided the incentive for developing synthetic emeralds.

Golden beryl and heliodor

Golden beryl can be pale yellow to a brilliant gold. Dissimilar to emerald, golden beryl typically has very few imperfections. Golden beryl is sometimes used to refer to heliodor but golden beryl refers to pure yellow or golden yellow colors, while heliodor are the greenish-yellow shades of beryl. The golden yellow color is attributed to the Iron (Fe3+) ions. Golden beryl and heliodor are used as gems.

Goshenite

Clear beryl with no color is called goshenite. All of the color varieties are caused by impurities and pure beryl is colorless. Various amounts of goshenite are found in almost all beryl deposits. It is most frequently used for gemstones and also used as a source of beryllium.

Morganite

Morganite, "pink beryl", "rose beryl", and "pink emerald" are rare light pink to rose colored gemstone quality variety of beryl. Orange and yellow shades of morganite can also be found. Color banding in morganite is common.

Red beryl

Red beryl or "scarlet emerald" is a red variety of beryl. Red beryl is very rare and has only been found in very few locations.

More about Aquamarine the March birthstone

Aquamarine occurs in most regions which yield common beryl. The deep blue version of aquamarine is called maxixe. Maxixe is regularly unearthed in the country of Madagascar. Its color fades to white when exposed to sunlight or is subjected to heat treatment, though the color returns with irradiation.

In the United States, aquamarines can be unearthed in the Sawatch Range in central Colorado. In Wyoming, aquamarine has been discovered in the Big Horn Mountains. There are also various mines in Brazil

The largest gemstone quality aquamarine was found in Marambaia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 1910. It weighed over 110 kg, and its measured 48.5 cm long and 42 cm in diameter.

The largest cut aquamarine gemstone is the Dom Pedro aquamarine. It can be found at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History.

The American Gem Society's March Birthstone page has more information to help you buy from knowledgeable and skilled jewelers and to help you make the most informed buying decision.

Bloodstone the Other March birthstone

Bloodstone has been the traditional March birthstone and now shares the March birthstone position with Aquamarine.