Aquamarine

Aquamarine is the blue variety of the mineral beryl, the same family as emerald and morganite. Its color ranges from pale sky blue to the deep, saturated tone known as Santa Maria.

Santa Maria began as the name of a Brazilian mine and now describes the finest saturated blue color grade, wherever the stone was mined. It refers to color, not guaranteed origin.

Many aquamarines are gently heated to remove a greenish component and settle a pure blue. The change is stable and permanent, and treatment status is stated on every stone we list.

Depth of blue carries most of the value, followed by clarity, which is expected to be eye clean or better in beryl. A small stone of saturated color outranks a large pale one.

Because the material allows it. Emerald crystals almost always grow with inclusions, while aquamarine can form nearly flawless. The market therefore forgives inclusions in emerald and penalizes them in aquamarine.

Yes. At 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, aquamarine is among the more durable colored gemstones and suits engagement rings and everyday jewelry well.

Every aquamarine ships with the Sosna Gems Colored Stone Report, our internal documentation. Independent laboratory certification can be arranged on request for any stone.

Yes. The online collection is only part of our sourcing reach. Contact us with your parameters for color depth, size, and budget and we will search individually.

Compare them against a white background in daylight. The better stone holds a clean blue without gray or green shadows, and an even color across the face matters more than a marginal difference in carat weight.