Aquamarine

Aquamarine is one of the best-loved of all gemstones. It is admired for its qualities of purity (lack of inclusions) and fine blue shades, which create a feeling of affinity with nature, evoking the eternal colours of sky and sea. The almost uncannily pure blues of aquamarine are known to inspire in people feelings of love and friendship, and jewellery designers never cease to be fascinated by the qualities of this wonderful gemstone.

According to ancient tradition, aquamarine was to be found in the treasure chests of mermaids, and it has long been regarded as a lucky stone for sailors. Indeed its very name is derived from the Latin "aqua" (water) and "mare" (sea). Aquamarine has also long been held to favour a happy marriage and to bring health, wealth and happiness to the woman who wears it.

Aquamarine belongs to the same gemstone family, beryl, as emerald, with a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale. Unlike emerald however, which is rarely found to be free of inclusions, aquamarine is usually clear and free of inclusions. The element which gives aquamarine its colour is iron, and depending on the amount of iron present in the crystal, the colour can vary from the palest blue to a deep sea blue. The more intense the colour of an aquamarine, the more it is admired and the greater is its value. Furthermore, an intense sea-blue colour seems to emphasise the immaculate transparency and wonderful shine of this gemstone.

Aquamarine is found mainly in Brazil, but considerable deposits are also found in Nigeria, Zambia, Mozambique and Madagascar. The Santa Maria mine in Brazil is the source of many of the finest examples of rare, intense blue aquamarine. Africa, notably Mozambique, has also yielded some very fine specimens of aquamarine, but not in the same quantities as Brazil. Gem cutters and jewellery designers never cease to be fascinated by the many qualities of this wonderful gemstone, and indeed aquamarine is often the gemstone of choice for those who wish to create new designs for an ever more demanding market.

The fine aquamarine and diamond ring shown here is part of the PeerlessGems collection. The central gemstone is a particularly fine example of a clear, intense blue aquamarine, and the surrounding baguette and brilliant cut diamonds perfectly complement the central aquamarine, bringing out its beauty of colour and supreme transparency.