AQUAMARINE

Aquamarine is a blue to green variety of the mineral beryl, with a chemical composition of Be3Al2Si6O18 . Impurities of iron, or Fe2, determine its coloration, which can range from almost colorless to sea blue and green. Parallel striations catch the light and aid in its display of depth of color. Aquamarine is found in pegmatites, a type of slow-forming igneous rock. There, it forms in hexagonal, pencil-shaped, crystals. The terminations are either flat or faceted domes. It has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale, and because of this it is considered a very suitable mineral for faceting and gem creation. Ancient Romans believed that aquamarine could protect people who are travelling across the sea and would regularly carry it as a talisman of good fortune and safety. Other well-known variations of the beryl family are emerald- the green variety, morganite- the pink variety, heliodor- the yellow variety, and the incredibly rare and red colored beryl variety, called bixbite; additionally, there is a colorless variation called goshenite, and another rare and alkali-rich version called vorobyevite, or rosterite.

AQUAMARINE HISTORY AND USES

Historical evidence suggests that aquamarine was first abundantly used as a talisman and gemstone by Greeks and Romans, between 480-300BC. It is said that certain Ancient Roman tales proclaim that aquamarine originated from the treasure chests of mermaids; which led sailors to believe that it carried with it good fortune and protection from unruly seas. Additionally, they believed that the stone had healing properties, and could aid with sea sickness and malnutrition. There is also archeological evidence to suggest its use as a talisman and gemstone throughout Egyptian and Greek culture, with certain artifacts of man-made aquamarine totems dating back as far back as the Ancient Sumerian.

The mineral was first named aquamarine in the year 1677, and is a conjunction of two Latin phrases, “aqua, meaning water” and “marine, or marina, meaning of the sea”. It is the birthstone of March, and became one of the State gemstones of Colorado in 1971. Today, aquamarine is most often used as a gemstone, and can also be found in many high-end mineral collections. The world's largest cut aquamarine, called the Dom Pedro, was faceted as an elongated obelisk by master lapidary artist, Bernd Munsteiner. The gem measures approximately 14 inches in height, 4 inches in width at the thicker base, and weighs over 4.5 pounds. The largest single crystal of aquamarine ever discovered hails from the Skardu Mine, in Pakistan. It weighs roughly 60 pounds and is nearly 2 feet tall.

AQUAMARINE METAPHYSICS

Metaphysically, aquamarine is an incredible aid to the Throat and Third Eye Chakras. It is said that the stone can help to open up the user to their truest voice, allowing for purpose driven communication with others, as well as the divine. Being a stone of both the Throat and Third Eye Chakras, aquamarine can help to facilitate intuitive decision making and create regular patterns of manifestation-based thinking habits. It allows the Third Eye to follow the path that takes its user from simple insights and creative ideas, to an open and expanding universe of self-created physical manifestations. Aquamarine is also said to help in clearing the mind of stress and fear-based programming, allowing for more productive and healthy uses of the human imagination. Physically, aquamarine is said to aid the body with afflictions of the throat and glands, as well as aid with thyroid disorder and resulting fatigue.