The Mermaid's Stone - Aquamarine

The clear blue of aquamarine attracts almost everyone from jewelry makers, gem collectors to the individuals how want to have that silky blue gemstone. Aquamarines tone flatters all skin colors and harmonizes with all precious metals. It is relatively easy to cut and can often be found in innovative shapes, as cutters experience with new forms.

Aquamarine is a member of the beryl group. Beryl commonly occurs as an accessory mineral in granites, and is usually found in cavities and in granite pegmatites. Beryl is usually clear, but iron content gives aquamarine its characteristic blue color. Beryl crystals in some pegmatites grow to very large sizes, even up to 30 feet; aquamarine crystals up to 3 feet long are not uncommon. It is also sometimes found in steam gravels and generally free from inclusions, meaning that it is a durable stone; this is also why it is easy to cut. Though it is known to have some inclusions of biotite, rutile, pyrite, and hematite.

The name aquamarine comes from the Latin aqua, for water, and mare, for sea, and many superstitions and legends about the sea have been attached to the gemstone over the years. It has been said to come from the treasure chests of mermaids. Sailors often took aquamarine with them to sea as a lucky charm to protect against shipwreck; sometimes the stone was carved with the image of Poseidon or Neptune, the gods of the sea. When it is immersed in water, the stone is practically invisible and the water in which it was immersed was long considered to have curative properties.

Aquamarine is said to bring pure love, by turning darker or lighter, the stone indicates what is true and false; when it becomes almost white, it is said to warn against false friends. It promotes friendship and love; symbolizes peace and encourages a gentle nature and personality in the wearer.

Fresh from the studio, this new design features faceted rondelle aquamarine stones in the necklace strand with coordinating crystals, cloisonné beads and at the center a beautiful Brazilian agate slice in a soft color of blue and warm carmel.

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Colorado's Rare Beauty - Aquamarine

A beautiful and sought after gemstone, Aquamarine is an exceptional natural stone. Unlike Peridot, Topaz, Garnet, Rose Quartz, Amethyst, Pyrite, Citrine, Amazonite, Rhofdnite, Fluorite and Agate, Aquamarine is actually only found in one place in Colorado, the mountain peaks of Mount Antero and White Mountain. -- but it is very high quality.

Aquamarine is the blue, or perhaps more correctly, blue-green or aqua variety of the mineral Beryl. Other gemstone color varieties that are also the mineral beryl include Emeralds (green), Morganite (pink/purple) and Heliodor (yellow). Other colors of beryl are simply referred to by their color, such as Red Beryl. Aquamarine is sometimes found in huge crystals (unlike emerald). It is also known in a glassy form, often without showing crystal form, and sometimes with many holes or other odd shapes. Other times a large cluster of prismatic crystals can be seen to all have the same alignment - a sign that it is really a single crystal with many faces.

Mining and collecting the Colorado Aquamarine is only for the well fit. Mt. Antero is the 10th highest peak in the state at 14,269 feet in elevation. It is located between the towns of Buena Vista and Salida and borders the west of the Arkansas River valley in the Collegiate Peaks range.

Today it is still a challenge and adventure to go up the mountain, whether by foot or four-wheel drive. The 7 mile "one way" drive is rocky, bumpy, steep, narrow, and above the timberline involves some hazards. One miscue on the switchbacks or shelf road could result in a tumble of a thousand feet or more!

There are both patented and unpatented mining claims in the area, but most of the land is considered open for hand-digging. The only known off-limits area is the actual tunnel of the California Mine (patented claim). As of a few years ago the access portal had caved in and was covered with slide debris. Things can change, so be aware of any strictly enforced "keep out" areas that may exist.

As a side note from an article published in late 2007: Things have definitely changed and not all for the better. It has become increasingly difficult for outsiders to legally hunt up on the mountains due to a recent proliferation of new mining claims. Mt. White has seen an enormous amount of activity. Most of the claims have been productive off and on, although no record of recent major finds. Another problem facing collectors is that the State closes down the roads (if you can call them that) in both locations in bad weather except to claim holders. But not all is lost with the profusion of other gems, minerals, rocks and fossils available all over the state.

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Information provided by the family resident Gemologist.