Description & Characteristics
Aquamarine is a pale-blue to light-green variety of the beryl family, with its name relating to water and sea. The color of aquamarine can be changed by heat, with a goal to enhance its physical appearance (though this practice is frowned upon by collectors and jewelers). It is the birth stone of March.
The name aquamarine comes from aqua (Latin for ‘water’), and marine, deriving from marina (Latin for ‘of the sea’). The word aquamarine was first used in the year 1677.
Composition
Aquamarine is blue with hues of green, caused by trace amounts of iron found within the crystal structure. It can vary from pale to vibrant and transparent to translucent. Better transparency in aquamarine gemstones means that light may go through the crystal with less interference. The hexagonal crystal system is where aquamarine crystallizes. Prismatic crystals with a hexagonal cross-section are formed by it. These crystals can be microscopic to enormous in size and frequently feature faces with vertical striating. The lustre of aquamarine ranges from vitreous to resinous. It can have a glass-like brilliance and a sheen when cut and polished correctly.