Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family. The word
"aquamarine" is derived from the Latin word for sea-water because the
colors can range from shades of green-blue to blue. Although
aquamarine gemstones can be easily confused with blue topaz,
aquamarine is much more scarce and valuable. Iron is the substance responsible for the
color in
loose aquamarine gems, and the
shades of blue displayed range from almost colorless pale blue through to bright sea blue. The more intense the
color of an
aquamarine, the higher its value. Some
aquamarines show a slightly greenish
hue which is also considered typical. But a pure blue is still cherished as typical
aquamarine color, as it best brings out the immaculate
transparency and high
brilliance of this colored gemstone.
Aquamarine possesses a good
hardness - 7.5 on the Mohs’ scale. Its good
hardness makes it quite robust and protects it from scratches. It is tough enough to used as a center stone in any piece of jewelry.
Aquamarine is a colored stone for daytime fun or an evening out.
