March Birthstone - Aquamarine
Aquamarine is believed to endow the wearer with courage, happiness, and everlasting youth. It is said to increase intelligence and have a positive influence on love realtionships, especially married couples, by smoothing out differences. Aquamarine comes from the Latin term aqua marina which is translated “water of the sea”. It is the March birthstone and a suggested gift for the 16th and 19th wedding anniversaries. Hey, do ANY of these birthstones cause bad things to happen to the wearer??? I think not. {VBG}
Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family and ranges in color from an almost colorless pale blue to blue-green or teal. The most prized color is a deep-blue aqua color. It is 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of hardness and has a hexagonal crystal structure.
A notable biblical mention of the stone is found in the Song of Solomon,”O daughters of Jerusalem, this is my beloved, and this is my friend. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl.” In the middle ages, beryl was supposed to give its wearer cheerfulness. It was called the “sweet-tempered stone,” and these qualities might perhaps account for the presence of a piece of beryl in the English crown. In the Middle Ages it was believed to give the wearer foresight and freedom from insomnia. Water in which an aquamarine had been soaked was believed to cure eye troubles and hiccups. Legends also say that it is the treasure of mermaids with the power to keep sailors safe at sea. This may explain why sailors have carried them so faithfully.
Ready for trivia…? The British Museum of Natural History owns an 879.5 carat flawless aquamarine with a lovely sea-green color.
