Photo from Erica Courtney.
The name “aquamarine” means “sea water” in Latin, alluding to its color. Most natural-color aquamarine is light bluish-green. Prior to the 1900s, this was the preferred color for aquamarine, but today it is routinely heat-treated to remove any green component, thereby producing a permanently colored blue stone. The more intense the blue color, the more valuable the stone.
Aquamarine is a birthstone for March, the 19th wedding anniversary stone, and the state gemstone of Colorado. The mountain peaks of Mount Antero and White Mountain in Colorado are among the finest quality localities known for gem aquamarine. They are also among the highest in elevation, located at 14,000 feet.
Brazil is the leading producer of gem-quality aquamarine. Other important sources include Madagascar, Mozambique, Pakistan, Russia, and Zambia. Colorado aquamarines are rare compared to the preceding sources.
Erica Courtney is an award-winning jewelry designer noted for her use of spectacular-colored gemstones in her Drop-Dead Gorgeous collection, which showcases the flawless hand craftsmanship of renowned master Goldsmiths.
Located in the entertainment capital of the world. Erica’s Los Angeles showroom has become a go to source for stylists and celebrities, and for red carpet events and television productions, such as the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and America’s Got Talent.
For more info about Erica and her jewelry, go to www.EricaCourtney.com.
Photo from Erica Courtney.
Information about aquamarine and other colored gems is in my Gemstone Buying Guide: How to evaluate, identify, select & care for colored gems (http://reneenewman.com/gemstone.htm)
Guest articles by Renée Newman:
https://gem-spectrum.com/category/renee-newman
About the author:
Renée Newman is a gemologist (GG, GIA), lecturer, writer and author of 15 books on gems and jewelry. Her goal is to provide consumers and jewelry professionals with unbiased, affordable information on how to buy, evaluate and appreciate gems and jewelry. She can be reached through her website:
