A Guide to Aquamarines

Serene Beauty • Exceptional Clarity • March Birthstone

Aquamarine is the sky blue variety of beryl, taking its name from the Latin aqua marina, meaning water of the sea. It is a gemstone of remarkable clarity, often found free from inclusions in a way that its beryl cousin, emerald, rarely is. With its serene blue colour, exceptional transparency and quiet elegance, aquamarine has been treasured for centuries and remains one of the most beautiful and wearable of all coloured gemstones. It is the birthstone for March and the gemstone associated with the 19th wedding anniversary.

Where Do Aquamarines Come From?

Brazil has been the world's leading source of aquamarine since the early 1800s and remains so today. The term Santa Maria, originally referring to a specific mine in the Minas Gerais region of Brazil, has become a widely recognised quality descriptor in the trade. A Santa Maria aquamarine is one that displays a deep, vivid blue entirely free from green overtones, and these stones command a significant premium.

Fine aquamarines are also found across Africa, particularly in Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria and Zambia, as well as in Pakistan and Russia. African material in particular has gained recognition for producing stones with excellent colour and outstanding clarity.

Treatment and Natural Colour

The majority of aquamarines on the market are heat-treated to enhance their colour. In its natural state, aquamarine often has a slightly greenish-blue tone. Gentle heating removes the yellow component, leaving a purer, more desirable blue. This treatment is stable, permanent and widely accepted throughout the gemstone trade.

Unlike many other gemstones, the price difference between treated and untreated aquamarine is relatively small. What matters most is the quality of the resulting colour, clarity and cut rather than whether the stone has been treated.

What Determines the Price of an Aquamarine?

Aquamarine is considered a semi-precious gemstone and offers an accessible range of price points without sacrificing beauty. Understanding what drives value helps you make a considered choice.

Colour

Colour is the primary value driver. The most prized aquamarines display a deep, vivid blue entirely free from green overtones, often described as Santa Maria quality. Medium to deep blue tones are more valuable than pale or washed-out examples, though even lighter stones can be exceptionally beautiful.

Clarity

Aquamarines are known for their exceptional clarity. Eye-clean stones with no visible inclusions are the norm rather than the exception, which is part of what makes aquamarine so appealing. Stones with visible inclusions or cloudiness are significantly less valuable.

Cut

Aquamarine's natural clarity and colour make it an exceptional stone to cut. Elongated shapes such as emerald cut, oval and pear cut are particularly popular as they emphasise the depth of colour and the stone's beautiful transparency. A well-executed cut dramatically enhances the stone's presence.

Carat Weight

Aquamarine is one of the more accessible coloured gemstones in larger sizes, which makes it a popular choice for statement jewellery. Colour tends to deepen and improve as the stone grows larger, and fine examples over 5 carats are particularly striking.

Origin

Brazilian aquamarines, particularly those from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine, command the highest prices. African sources including Madagascar and Mozambique also produce exceptional material. Origin is increasingly documented and can influence value for finer stones.

Treatment

Heat treatment to improve colour is standard and universally accepted. Unlike ruby or sapphire, untreated aquamarine does not command a meaningful premium over treated stones. The quality of the finished colour is what matters most to value.

Aquamarine in an Engagement Ring

Aquamarine can make a stunning and distinctive choice for an engagement ring. With a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, it is reasonably durable but does require a little more care than sapphire or ruby. It is best suited to protective settings such as a bezel mount or a well-designed halo that shields the edges of the stone.

Its serene blue colour pairs beautifully with both platinum and white gold, and its exceptional clarity means it looks remarkable in almost any style of setting. For those seeking something distinctive, personal and genuinely beautiful, aquamarine offers a compelling alternative to the conventional.

Quick Facts

Birthstone March

Anniversary 19th Year

Hardness 7.5 to 8 Mohs

Notable Sources Brazil, Madagascar, Mozambique, Nigeria

Gem Family Beryl

Most Prized Colour Santa Maria Deep Blue

Why Choose Aquamarine Jewellery?

Aquamarine has a quality that few other gemstones can match. Its colour is calming and luminous, its clarity is exceptional, and it carries a timeless elegance that works as naturally with contemporary jewellery as it does with more classic designs.

As the second most prized member of the beryl family after emerald, it occupies a distinguished place in fine jewellery without the price premium of the precious stones. Whether you are drawn to it as a March birthstone, an anniversary gift, or simply because its colour speaks to you, aquamarine is a gemstone that rewards long-term ownership.

At Cheshires, we hand-select each aquamarine for depth of colour, clarity and cut. We would love to help you find the right stone for your collection or a bespoke piece made just for you.