Aquamarine: The March Birthstone

For years now, the accepted March birthstone has been beautiful blue aquamarine.  It wasn’t always that way, however.  Many years ago the birthstone for March was determined by where you were from, since each society had their own thoughts on what gemstones they associated with certain months.  In ancient times, for instance, bloodstone was associated with March in a Gregorian poem of unknown origin:

“By her who in March was born

No gem save bloodstone shall be worn

They will ensure her constancy

True friendship and fidelity.”

How Aquamarine Became the Birthstone for March

The modern birthstone of March, aquamarine, was designated in 1912 when the trade association Jewelers of America circulated a list that they had prepared for jewelry retailers to use in order to promote birthstone jewelry to their customers.  Much of the confusion about which stone two associate with which month went away after this list was circulated, and the modern birthstone list quickly became the definitive authority for birthstones.

Click Photo to Buy This March Birthstone Aquamarine 10K White Gold Pendant from Amazon.com

As for having a beautiful birthstone, March babies certainly lucked out.  The aquamarine gemstone is not rare by any means and it is one of the “semi-precious” gemstones, taking its place by such other stones such as the beautiful February birthstone amethyst, Tanzanite, and peridot.  Aquamarine is a close relative of the emerald, being a form of the mineral Beryl.  Aquamarine gets its color from a iron, while emeralds get their color from a vanadium and corundum.

The best aquamarine stones tend to be a beautiful deep blue green color, but many beautiful aquamarines are found in lighter blue colors also.  If you would like to make sure you are getting a the best aquamarine available, look for stones coming from Brazil or Mozambique.  The aquamarine gemstones found in those two areas tend to be larger and more clear than those found in other areas.  Aquamarine stones have a tendency to appear dichroic, which means that when they are viewed from different angles in different types of light they appear to change color.

Some Unique Characteristics About the March Birthstone You Should Know

• Because of their internal structure, aquamarines are prone to developing internal cracks if the stone is struck sharply by a hard object.  Always make sure to remove aquamarine jewelry before doing tasks such as housework, dishwashing, or engaging in sports.  I can attest to this personally.  An aquamarine ring I inherited after my mother’s passing was cracked when it struck the inside of my washing machine one day while I was removing clothing from the machine.  Be very careful with aquamarines, especially if they are in jewelry that is extra special to you!

• Aquamarine gemstones, when exposed continuously to sunlight, may fade.  This is another good reason why aquamarine jewelry should be removed when playing outdoor sports.

• Aquamarines tend to attract and hold dirt such as lotions skin oils and soap, so regular cleaning is usually needed.  The easy way to clean aquamarine jewelry is to use a soft old toothbrush which has been sanitized in a dishwasher, and warm soapy water.  The jewelry should be dipped in the soapy water and lightly scrubbed with the brush, and then rinse thoroughly and dried with a soft cloth.

Popular types of March birthstone jewelry are aquamarine rings, pendants and earrings.  Many wonderful online retailers sell aquamarine jewelry, which tends to be moderately priced.  Of course it depends on what other elements have been paired with with the aquamarine gemstones such as gold settings and diamond accents.  Even so some very good prices can still be found for March birthstone jewelry such as this beautiful 10k White Gold, March Birthstone Aquamarine and Diamond Ringthat can be found at Amazon .com.

Aquamarine, the birthstone for March, certainly is a gorgeous gemstone.  If you were born in March you certainly should treat yourself to at least one piece of aquamarine jewelry.  Come to think of it, even if you were not lucky enough to be born in March, you should still treat yourself to at least one piece of beautiful blue aquamarine jewelry!

Happy Shopping!

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