Quick Facts on 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.