AQUAMARINE
BY BIGI UHL
With its light blue or sea green colours, aquamarine is reminiscent of not just the sky, but also the ocean. Hence its name, which is derived from the Latin words “aqua” (water) and “mare” (sea). The name “aquamarine” has been in use since the Renaissance. Aquamarine belongs to the beryl family. It symbolises the start of spring and is also the birthstone for those born in March.
AQUAMARINE
MyTHoLogy ANd HIsToRy Aquamarine has been popular since ancient times. The Sumerian and the Egyptians considered aquamarine to be the symbol of good fortune and eternal youth. The Arabs considered it to be the stone of joy, bringing those who wear it a state of mental and emotional balance. According to ancient mythology, aquamarine promises a happy marriage and prosperity and promotes feelings of joy. Aquamarine is also said to help promote clarity and foresight. An ideal gem, and not just for lovers or married couples. PAGE 02
AQUAMARINE
MyTHoLogy ANd HIsToRy In the Middle Ages, this jewel was also considered to be a symbol of chastity. According to one particular legend, seahorses once stripped the mermaids‘ palace of its aquamarine and brought it to our shores.
AQUAMARINE
Mythology and history Since this time, it has also been regarded as the sailor‘s lucky stone. Sailors believed they would be bestowed with courage at sea when wearing an amulet made of aquamarine. They also believed that it ensured a safe passage across stormy seas. During a storm, they would throw their amulets into the water to calm Poseidon‘s wrath. Interestingly, the Thais believe to this day that aquamarine wards off seasickness and protects those who wear it from drowning in the ocean. In the Middle Ages, light-blue aquamarine was used to magnify the contents of reliquaries. It was finely cut and placed in the peepholes of the reliquaries. This tradition inspired the use of beryl as eyeglasses around 1300. The German word for “glasses” (“Brille”) derives from the word “Beryl”.
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AQUAMARINE
Mythology and history
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AQUAMARINE
pieces of jewellery
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AQUAMARINE
Mythology and history Perfectly formed crystals are sought-after by collectors and jewellery lovers alike.
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AQUAMARINE
Mythology and history
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AQUAMARINE
cELEBRETIEs
Mila Kunis
Elizabeth Taylor
jill Zarin
Lily collins
Barbara cartland
cobie smulders
Kate Hudson
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AQUAMARINE
Properties
The dark, deeply saturated sea blue is the most rare and, as such, the most popular. Aquamarine gemstones of this colour have been christened “Santa Maria�, a name that makes the hearts of every aquamarine lover skip a beat. The sea blue aquamarine was named after the Santa Maria mine in Brazil, which was renowned for the quality of the aquamarine mined. The mines were unfortunately depleted in a very short time.
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AQUAMARINE
pRopERTIEs
Colour preference remains, however, subjective, as beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. The quality of the aquamarine determines the price, as with all gemstones. The range in quality is vast. Aquamarine deposits can be found in many countries worldwide. The most significant deposits are sourced from Madagascar, Brazil, Pakistan, Afghanistan and in the Urals.
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AQUAMARINE
Properties Aligned traces of foreign materials in aquamarine sometimes reflect the light and cause a cat‘s eye effect or star effect with six rays in a vivid sheen. As aquamarine is very brittle and sensitive to pressure, it may discolour when exposed to high temperatures. In the 19th Century, green aquamarine was the most desirable. Nowadays, too much of this green hue decreases the monetary worth by a minimum of one hundredfold per carat. The beautiful, deep blue colour which is so popular today is almost always heated to enhance the colour to its sought-after blue. Aquamarine gemstones are often heat-treated for colour enhancement. It is difficult to spot the difference in colour between gemstones which were exposed to heat treatment and those which were not, as the heat treatment is similar to the processes that occurred in the earth when the stone was originally formed. During treatment, the stone is heated to temperatures of between 350 and 450 degrees Celsius.
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AQUAMARINE
pRopERTIEs
The heat treatment removes the greenish undertones and deepens the colour. The types of aquamarine exposed to this treatment lack almost all colour, are otherwise dull in colour or have greenish undertones. Not all stones are suitable for heat treatment. Stones with inclusions cannot be heat-treated, as the heat causes tension in the inclusions, which can lead to cracks in the surface or even cause the stone to crumble into pieces. This happens either immediately after the heat treatment or at a later stage. As such, only stones which are free from inclusions are suitable for heat treatment. The effects of the heat treatment are not always permanent. Occasionally, the colour may fade with time.
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AQUAMARINE
Properties
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UHL
SCHMUCK & EDELSTEINE
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