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aquamarine
Featured Gem AQUAMARINE
The aquamarine gemstone is named aquamarine because it is the light bluish color of seawater.
The blue can be little bit greenish-blue, also. This gem is a type of beryl and can be found in rather large sizes. Some of these mined stones have been cut into gems as large as 100 carats.
BIRTHSTONE: MARCH
overview
In Latin the word aquamarine means seawater, aqua means water and marine means “of the sea.” This particular stone was believed to keep the sea calm, so sailors would wear it to have a safe, uneventful trip. This gem is also believed to keep marriages happy, so you will oftentimes find women wearing it to keep their relationship happy. It is the stone associated with the 19th wedding anniversary.
110 kilos
The record currently for the largest aquamarine is 19 inches long and 110 kilos in weight.
15,000 feet
It is in the great heights of the Karakoram Mountains of Pakistan where aquamarine is mined.
Beryl
Like emerald, aquamarine is a color variety of the mineral beryl.
QUALITY FACTORS
Grading and evaluating the following characteristics sets aquamarine's value.
color
The valuable range of aquamarine’s color is from a deep, dark blue to a greenish-blue.
clarity
Aquamarine’s gem cuts are usually without any inclusions visible to the naked eye.
cut
Brilliance is achieved with aquamarine by a particularly well-done cut.
carat weight
The aquamarine gems can grow to be very large, up to 110 kilos in gem quality.