Aquamarine Gemstone, Aquamarine Jewelry
Aquamarine is actually part of the Beryl
family , stones within this group are Emerald and Morganite, and the lesser known Goshenite and Heliodor.
The color of aquamarine ranges from a sea green to a sky blue, and the name aquamarine actually means sea water.
In the 19th century the preferred color for this stone was sea green, but today tastes have changed and the most valued colors
are sky blue and dark blue.
Aquamarine is a dichroic gemstone, which means that
when viewed from different angles the stone can appear colorless or blue.
Care of your Aquamarine jewelry
Almost all aquamarine available today has been heat treated to enhance its natural color and
remove any yellow color. The stone has a very good stability, but can be attacked by chemicals such as hydroflouric
acid so it is best to remove your jewelry before using anything with chemicals.
Ultrasonic
cleaning is usually safe, but if the stone is known to have feather or liquid inclusions do not use this method.
If in any doubt, simply use warm soapy water, rinse well and dry with a soft cloth.
History and Folklore
A bridegroom can give an aquamarine as a gift to his bride, not just for "the something blue", but also
because when exchanged by lovers it can help the path or their interactions.
Aquamarine
can also be used in a similar way to amethyst, for help in calming emotional problems, it can also be worn to help relieve
the pain of toothache and to help illnesses of the jaw, throat and stomach.
It
is said that if you make a tincture by placing an aquamarine in a glass of fresh water, leave in full moonlight (outdoors
is best), for three hours. Then remove the stone and drink the liquid for purification and heightened psychic awareness.
Since aquamarine is a cleansing and purifying stone.
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birefringence (doubly refractive gems only) |
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