Aquamarine Gemstones

What is an aquamarine gemstone?

Aquamarine is a blue-to-blue-green variety of beryl, coloured by trace amounts of iron, with a Mohs hardness of 7.5 to 8. That hardness makes aquamarine one of the more practical coloured gemstones for rings and everyday jewellery. The name derives from the Latin for seawater, a reference to the stone's characteristic pale-to-medium blue hue. Most gem-quality aquamarine comes from Brazil, notably the state of Minas Gerais, though significant deposits also exist in Pakistan, Madagascar, and Mozambique. Aquamarine tends to occur in large, inclusion-free crystals — a geological trait that allows cutters to produce exceptionally clear stones even at larger carat weights, which is relatively rare among coloured gemstones of comparable price.

How to choose the right aquamarine — tone, clarity, and cut

The most important variable when selecting an aquamarine is tone: the stone ranges from near-colourless pale blue through to a richer, deeper 'Santa Maria' blue, which commands a higher price per carat. Mid-tone stones with good saturation and no grey modifier offer the clearest representation of the colour aquamarine is known for. Aquamarine's natural clarity is high — eye-clean specimens are the norm rather than the exception, so any visible inclusions in an aquamarine warrant a closer look before purchase. In terms of cut, aquamarine's pleochroism (it can appear colourless or blue depending on the viewing angle) means that the cutter's orientation of the rough significantly affects the finished colour. Emerald and rectangular cuts are traditional for aquamarine because they preserve depth of colour, while oval and round brilliant cuts maximise light return and suit lighter-toned stones well.

What does an aquamarine gemstone cost in the UK?

Aquamarine is one of the more accessibly priced precious gemstones, sitting considerably below sapphire and ruby at equivalent sizes. Price is driven primarily by tone, clarity, and carat weight. Pale, lightly saturated aquamarines are available at modest cost per carat; deeper 'Santa Maria' or 'Espirito Santo' blues — named after their Brazilian source regions — carry meaningful premiums. Aquamarine's tendency to occur in clean, larger crystals means that unlike many coloured stones, per-carat prices do not climb as steeply at larger sizes as they do with, say, ruby or alexandrite. For those setting an aquamarine as the centre stone of an engagement ring, it is worth noting that Bridebook's 2026 UK average engagement ring spend is £2,247 — an aquamarine centre stone often allows a larger, cleaner stone within a comparable budget.

Is aquamarine durable enough for daily wear?

At Mohs 7.5 to 8, aquamarine is harder than quartz and sufficiently resistant to everyday scratching for use in rings, including those worn regularly. It is not as hard as sapphire (Mohs 9) or diamond (Mohs 10), so protective settings such as bezel or half-bezel are worth considering for a ring worn daily. Aquamarine has no cleavage planes in the directions relevant to most knocks, which adds to its practical durability. The stone is stable under normal light and heat conditions, and its colour does not fade with exposure to daylight — a meaningful distinction from some other blue gemstones. When cleaning aquamarine, warm soapy water and a soft brush are recommended; ultrasonic cleaning is generally safe for untreated stones but should be avoided if the stone has been fracture-filled.

Setting an aquamarine into a ring — what to expect

When a loose aquamarine is set into one of our rings, the process moves through CAD design, a silver or wax sample for review at our Hatton Garden workshop, then casting, setting, finishing, and hallmarking at the London Assay Office — typically completed within 7 to 14 working days from order confirmation. Aquamarine pairs well with platinum and white gold, which echo the stone's cool blue tones without competing with its colour. Yellow gold creates a warmer contrast that can deepen the appearance of paler stones. Rose gold is less conventional with aquamarine but can produce a distinctive, contemporary result with mid-tone specimens. Solitaire and bezel settings are well suited to aquamarine's natural clarity, allowing the stone's colour and transparency to remain the focal point.