March Birthstone Aquamarine is Heating Up In the Market

Legend has it that aquamarine, March’s pastel blue birthstone, can calm rough waves and cleanse the water element within our own bodies, improving overall wellness.

And it’s not only the gemstone of the month—it’s also a rock on the rise.

Signs point to its ascendant popularity: pastel gemstones in general are all the rage in fine and fashion jewelry right now, be they Montana sapphires or morganites. And The Zing Report editor Emili Vesilind’s talked to several vendors at the Tucson shows in February who reported an increase in demand for aquamarine.

Furthermore, the gem’s been popping up a lot on the red carpet recently: Actor Michael B. Jordan wore a 2 ct. aquamarine Tiffany & Co. brooch to the London premiere of Creed III, and for the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Zendaya wore two statement necklaces by Bulgari that prominently featured aquamarine.

It’s also a feel-good gem, which is welcome in these complicated times. “It’s a bright and happy stone—a symbol of youthfulness, good health, and hope,” says Katherine Whitacre, Chic Pistachio U.S. sales director for their jewelry brand Aurelie Gi. “We feel that blue stones are generally crowd favorites [and] the interest in brighter colors in clothing and accessories is likely why the aquamarine has become more popular recently.”

Robert Bentley, founder and designer of gemstone bead brand the Robert Bentley Company, says, “Good aquamarine always awakens the feelings of joy and well-being in everyone. For centuries, mankind has been filled with happiness and a feeling of well-being when we see the sparkle of the sunlight on the surface of a body of water and the endless depth of a cloudless blue sky.”

A variety of the mineral beryl, which includes emeralds, aquamarine is mainly mined in Brazil but can also be found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, and Mozambique in shades ranging from a transparent light blue to blue with greenish hues.

Peggy Grosz, senior vice president at fine jewelry brand Assael, asserts, “We have a particular fondness for aquamarine. Pearls come from the sea, so seem a natural partner given their beautiful sea colors. They pair well with the silvery blue undertones of some South Sea pearls as well as the silver or deeper blues of Tahitian pearls.”

Eve Streicker, designer and founder of Original Eve, adds,  “Blues are always a customer favorite, but the thing that makes aquamarine so special is the variety—you have vivid blue and highly transparent aqua, moss aquamarine that has a softer appearance thanks to inclusions, blue-greens that seem to take on the hue of whatever they’re near, and I have even used Cat’s Eye aquamarine in my collection. It’s a gem with lots of personalities in the most beautiful colors.”

Top photo: Original Eve aquamarine and gold earrings

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