aqua1240

The term aquamarine is derived from the Latin word aqua marina , which translates as sea water. It is a blue to blue-green coloured gemstone. Like emeralds , aquamarines are a subdivision of the beryl group, made up of beryllium aluminium silicate. In actual fact many ordinary forms of beryl are synthetically improved to form aquamarine . They are most often found in granite pegmatites , and are frequently associated with quartz , feldspar and muscovite . Aquamarines often occur with other pegmatite forming minerals such as, garnet and topaz . The colouring of aquamarine is caused by trace deposits of iron impurities in the beryl . Heating can enhance this colouring. Usually, the deeper the blue aquamarines are in colour, the greater the value. Some forms of aquamarine are pleochroic . They are known to be a hard and durable stone, and it is uncommon to find aquamarine gems with any visible flaws.

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