Aquamarine – The Birthstone for March

The history of today’s generally recognised birthstones are a little shaky. The origins of birthstones can be traced back to the 1st century and are closely linked to religion and the bible, associating certain stones to certain apostles. People would wear a different stone each month to honour each apostle. The more modern tradition of wearing single birthstone relating to the month you’re born in is generally accepted to have started in Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries, depending on who’s telling the story.

The list of birthstones we use today was created by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912 and is widely accepted throughout the world. And so we have Aquamarine as the birthstone for March.

Birthstone jewellery is the perfect gift for someone (as long as you know their birthday, obvs) because it shows a real thoughtfulness in selecting the gift.

So, what about Aquamarine?

Aquamarine literally means seawater (aqua – water, marina – of the sea), and the stone itself has a long association with the sea. Early sailors are said to have carried a piece with them on voyages to protect them against mermaids and other sea creatures as they traveled the oceans. The Romans believed that aquamarine was sacred to Neptune, the god of the sea.

Part of the Beryl family of gemstones, which also contains emerald, aquamarines range from the palest, pastel blue, through a greenish-blue to a deep, rich sea-blue. The darker and more intense the colour of the stone, the more valuable it is. Aquamarines are widely used in all forms of jewellery as they are very translucent, very evenly coloured and less likely to have internal flaws than emeralds. The colour range also complements a wide range of skin tones and they have a wide appeal, as people tend to associate them with tropical seas and clear summer skies. Most of the aquamarines around today come out of Brazil, but they are also found in other countries such as Myanmar, China, Nigeria, Afghanistan and with some of the highest quality gems coming from Pakistan.

Traditionally, it is said that aquamarine brings joy and wealth to the woman who wears it (yes please!). It is also said to promote a happy marriage, have healing powers and aid meditation.

Anyway, I’ve picked out some fantastic pieces of aquamarine jewellery below. If you know anyone who’s got a birthday in March, I’m sure they’ll be more than happy with one of these gorgeous pieces.

Silver Wire Designs have a large range of beautiful, handmade aquamarine and silver jewellery available. Here are a couple of my favourites, but check out their site as there’s loads more to see.

Aquamarine & Silversheet Pendant

Aquamarine and Silversheet Pendant £46.95

Aquamarine & Silver Chunky Pendant

Aquamarine and Silver Chunky Pendant £105

This stunning Perla Ring from Astley Clarke may be a bit on the pricey side, but it is so gorgeous I couldn’t resist including it. Set with diamonds on 18ct rose gold, you’re getting a lot of ring for your money. The cloudy aquamarine is cabochon cut which really gives it an inner luminescence. If it were mine, I’d never take it off. £3,350.

The Perla Ring from Astley Clarke

Right at the other end of the design spectrum, I found Stone and Silver, who have some fantastic jewellery made using the stones in their natural, rough-hewn state. Some striking stuff here, I particularly love the ring. I know if I wore this I’d get lots of people commenting on it, it is so amazing. Nice to see a designer not playing it safe with traditional cuts and letting the beauty of the stone do the talking.

Rough Aquamarine Ring by Stone and Silver

Rough Aquamarine Ring by Stone and Silver £45.

Rough Aquamarine Earring by Stone and Silver

Rough Aquamarine Earring by Stone and Silver £45.

Now for a bit of an antique. This breathtaking ring highlights exactly why aquamarine is so wonderful. The emerald cut shape of the stone really shows the perfect clarity of the stone, so pure and clean. Wonderful. And I’ve always been a fan of mixing emerald cut stones with round cut ones. The sparkliness of the diamonds sits perfectly against the cool elegance of the aquamarine. Simply lovely.

1.8ct Aquamarine and 0.40ct Diamond Trilogy Ring £1,350.

Aquamarine & Diamond Trilogy Ring from Laurelle Antique Jewellery

A quick look on Etsy threw up thousands of items, so go and have a look, you really will be spoilt for choice. Here are my fave picks.

Raw Aquamarine Pendant by Rock Sugar Studio

Again, the natural raw aquamarine stone is used here to stunning effect.

Raw Aquamarine Pendant by Rock Sugar Studio £22.13 (approx).

Hammered Aquamarine Earrings by Bark Decor

A nice pair of contemporary style earrings, showing the range this gemstone has.

Hammered Aquamarine Earrings by Bark Decor £21.48 (approx).

Raw Earth Aquamarine Ring by Sky Koltun

Appealing to my love of huge pieces of jewellery, this one is my absolute favourite. The colour is gorgeous, the design of the ring is bold and simple, letting this massive stone take centre stage. Perfect.

Raw Earth Aquamarine Ring by Sky Koltun £48.82 (approx).

Moss Aquamarine Gold Necklace by Nans Glam

A simple, elegant necklace which matches the hue of the stone perfectly with the warmth of the 14k gold chain.

Moss Aquamarine Gold Necklace by Nans Glam £37.75 (approx).

So if you’ve got a loved one’s birthday coming up in March, why not treat them to an exquisite piece of aquamarine jewellery, they’re sure to love it. And whilst you’re at it, treat yourself to something pretty too. You can always claim it’s to help with your meditation.

Enjoy.

WSS.

xx

Please note, all products reviewed here are done so totally independently, the author has not been incentivised in any way. All images are used without the permission of the owner who holds any and all the rights to them. If you own these images and wish me to remove any of them, please use the Contact Us form on the site.