March birthstone
Aquamarine
The March birthstone is aquamarine, with bloodstone as the traditional alternate. Aquamarine is beryl, the same mineral as emerald, but it grows far cleaner, so it is usually cut in large, transparent stones. At 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale it is durable enough for regular wear, and it gives more size on the hand for the money than almost any other blue stone.
- Species
- Beryl, the same mineral family as emerald
- Color range
- Pale sea blue to blue green
- Mohs hardness
- 7.5 to 8
- Also this month
- Bloodstone
Aquamarine belongs above all to the Retro and mid-century years. When platinum was restricted for wartime production, jewelers needed stones with scale and presence to fill big gold mounts, and aquamarine delivered exactly that. Emerald cut and step cut aquamarines of twenty carats and more are not unusual in 1940s and 1950s pieces.
The color runs from a barely there pale blue to a stronger sea blue with a green cast. Older stones frequently sit at the paler, greener end, because heat treatment to push the color toward pure blue became routine only later. A pale, slightly green antique aquamarine is entirely correct for its period.
Because clean beryl is common, inclusions in aquamarine are far less expected than in emerald. A visibly included aquamarine is unusual, and worth a closer look before you buy.
In antique and vintage jewelry
Large emerald and step cut stones in Retro rose and yellow gold, mid-century cocktail rings, and Edwardian pendants where the pale blue sits well against platinum.
Wearing and caring for it
Straightforward. Warm water, mild soap and a soft brush. Aquamarine is durable, but a large table facet can still scratch against a diamond, so store it separately.
As a gift
The most generous stone in this list for the money. A large aquamarine cocktail ring reads as significant well beyond what it costs.
Common questions
Is aquamarine related to emerald?
Yes. Both are beryl. The difference is the trace element that colors them, and the fact that aquamarine crystals usually grow much cleaner than emerald.
Why are antique aquamarines paler?
Routine heat treatment to remove the green cast and deepen the blue is a modern trade practice. Older stones were often left as they came out of the ground, so they read paler and greener.
What is bloodstone?
A dark green chalcedony flecked with red, and the traditional March alternate. It appears most often in antique intaglio and signet rings rather than in faceted jewelry.
Shop the pieces
Shop aquamarine jewelry
Antique and vintage pieces set with aquamarine, each one a single example.
Nothing matching this is available right now. Every piece is a single example and sells once, so this changes weekly. Browse everything in stock or ask our buyers to look for it.