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Aquamarine Stone
Chemical Formula: Be3Al2SiO6
Hardness: 7.5 - 8
Specific Gravity: 2.6 - 2.8
Aquamarine stone has been derived from the Latin terms "aqua" meaning water, and "mare" or sea. Aquamarine is a transparent pale blue to light greenish blue variety of beryl used as a gemstone. A truly fascinating stone, Aquamarine is the source of inspiration for the artists for innovative cuts than from other stones.
Related to Emerald, Aquamarine belongs to the gemstone family of Beryls with the color being more evenly distributed in Aquamarine than in Emerald. Aquamarine is usually free of inclusions and possesses a superior brilliance. The more intense the color of an Aquamarine, the higher its value.
The variety of shades of Aquamarine are known by their unique names: "Santa Maria" is the name for the rare Aquamarine found in the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil. Some other are denoted as "Santa Maria Africana" found in Aquamarine gemstone mines Mozambique, in Africa. Those from Brazil are given the name "Espirito Santo" from the state of Espirito Santo.
