There was a collective gasp heard around the world last spring when the Duchess of Sussex departed for her wedding reception. True, she brought the wow-factor with her dazzling wedding dress and chic reception gown, but all eyes were on the enchanting aquamarine cocktail ring adorning her finger for the black-tie event. The heirloom ring was from Princess Diana, her late mother-in-law, and was a famed piece of jewelry that she had worn many decades ago. The bittersweet moment showed that even though the women would never get to meet, there was a lot of love and pride present for the couples’ big day.

Aquamarine is March’s spring-tastic birthstone, and also serves as the 19^th wedding anniversary stone. A member of the beryl family, aquamarines come from the same family as emeralds and morganite. While even the palest blue stone can be breath-taking, aquas range in color spectrum to a dark, denim-like teal. You can see what that might look like in the following examples.

To us, aquamarine serves as a “vacation stone,” immediately conjuring memories of sun-kissed ocean fun, sunny blue skies, and tranquil purity that lets us escape from daily mundane tasks. Our favorite materials to pair with aquamarine are cool white gold settings and crisp white diamonds to show off the aquamarine’s spectrum of blue. We like to think of diamonds as the “wing man” for aquamarines since they enhance the beauty and charm of the stone’s hue. Warm yellow gold is also very flattering, as it helps draw focus to the greener tones found within the stone.

Check out our Aquamarine Showcase Gallery to see more PJ Custom examples

Cheat sheet for buying aquamarines and customizing jewelry:

1. Aquamarines register as a 7.8 on the Mohs hardness scale, making them a durable choice for any kind of jewelry, including bridal and daily wear.
2. Most aquamarines are heat-treated, which is a very common process for many different types of precious gemstones to bring out more of the color saturation. Treatment does not compromise the value or integrity of the stone, but aquamarines with more beautiful color quality and saturation command much higher prices.
3. Aquamarines grow in large crystals, making many high-carat stones available. Since they are beryl crystals, aquas can sometimes have microscopic bubbles or inclusions within the jewel. Though they are not necessarily unattractive, you can ask your jeweler for an “eye-clean” aquamarine to make sure your stone looks crystal clear to the naked eye.

Fun facts about aquamarines:

Aquamarines derive their name from Latin “aqua marina,” meaning “sea water,” and has thousands of years of history bringing luck to sea voyagers. The mysticism surrounding the stone was believed to come directly from mermaids, protecting the sailors from danger, evil, seasickness and other medical ailments. Ancient Romans believed that the stone could cure medical ailments as well, and healers in the Middle Ages believed that the stone warded off anxiety and toxins from poison.