Aquamarine is the birthstone for March in the beryl family. Aquamarine’s name comes from the Latin for seawater and it was said to calm waves and keep sailors safe at sea. Aquamarine has a hardness of 7.5-8 and is found worldwide. The best gems are transparent with good clarity and depth of color in blue to slightly greenish blue hues. Aquamarines are almost always heat-treated to lessen the subtle yellow color that aquamarine often exhibits. During the day in bright light, aquamarines exhibit a soothing coolness. In the evening they glitter and gleam even under muted light conditions.
