What is Santa Maria Aquamarine Gemstone?

Santa Maria Aquamarine is a very rare and very beautiful type of aquamarine gemstone. This stone is famous for its deep blue color, which looks much darker and richer than normal aquamarine stones. When people see this gemstone, they notice its strong blue color first, because it looks bright, clean and full of life.

Aquamarine is a semi precious gemstone and it belongs to beryl family. This is same stone family that also includes emerald. Most aquamarine stones are light blue or blue with a green shade, but santa maria aquamarine is different because its blue color is much deeper and more pure.

Because of its color and beauty, santamaria aquamarine is counted as best quality aquamarine in world.

Origin of Santa Maria Aquamarine

Name santamaria aquamarine comes from a place called Santa Maria de Itabira in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Many years ago, very special aquamarine stones were found in this mine. These stones had a deep blue color that people had never seen before in aquamarine.

Brazilian mine is almost empty now and very few stones come from there today. Because of this, aquamarine stones with similar color are now found in some African countries like Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Madagascar.

Even if stone comes from Africa, it is still called santa maria aquamarine only when its color matches same deep blue shade. So today, Santa Maria is used as a color name, not just name of a place.

Main Features of Santa Maria Aquamarine

Color

Most important feature of santa maria aquamarine is its deep blue color. This color is much stronger than normal aquamarine, which often looks light or pale. Even small Santa Maria stones look rich and beautiful because color is so strong.

Clarity

Most santa maria aquamarine stones look very clean when you see them with your eyes. This means you do not see spots, lines or marks inside stone easily. Clean stones look brighter and more attractive.

Hardness

Santa Maria is a strong stone. On hardness scale, it has good strength, which means it does not scratch easily. Because of this, it can be used in rings, pendants, earrings and bracelets that people wear every day.

Rarity

This gemstone is very rare. Finding a santa maria aquamarine is not easy and finding a large one is even more difficult. Many people want this stone, but very few pieces are available, which makes it more valuable.

Why Santa Maria Aquamarine Has Deep Blue Color

Blue color in aquamarine comes from iron inside stone. In santa maria aquamarine, iron is present in a special balance that gives stone its deep and rich blue color.

Some aquamarine stones can look very dark, but their color may not last long. True santa maria is loved because its blue color is natural, even and stable and it does not look fake or too dark.

4 Cs of Santa Maria Aquamarine

Like other gemstones, santa maria aquamarine is judged using four main points.

Color

Color is most important part of this gemstone. Deeper and cleaner blue color looks, more valuable stone becomes. Stones with less green shade and more pure blue color are considered best.

Clarity

Clear stones are more beautiful because light can pass through them easily. This makes stone shine more and look bright.

Cut

Good cut helps stone shine well. When stone is cut properly, it reflects light in a nice way. A bad cut can make even a good stone look dull.

Carat

Santa Maria Aquamarine stones are usually found in small sizes. Stones above one carat are very rare and are considered very special and costly.

Where Santa Maria Aquamarine Is Found Today

Since the old Brazilian mine is almost finished, most santa maria aquamarine stones now come from Africa. Only a very small number of aquamarine stones from these mines have right color to be called Santa Maria quality.

Mining these stones takes a lot of time and hard work, which is one more reason why they are so rare.

Importance and Uses of Santa Maria Aquamarine

Santa Maria Aquamarine is used mainly in high-quality jewelry because of its beauty and rarity. It is often seen in rings, necklaces and special custom jewelry.

Aquamarine is also birthstone for month of March. Many people choose this gemstone as a gift for birthdays or for 19th wedding anniversary.

Some people also believe that aquamarine helps bring calm feelings and clear thinking. These beliefs come from old traditions and personal faith.

Final Summary

Santa Maria Aquamarine is finest type of aquamarine gemstone because of its deep blue color, clean look, strong nature and rare supply. It is loved by gemstone collectors and jewelry lovers all over the world. Because very few stones are available and many people want them, santa maria aquamarine is seen as one of most special and valuable aquamarine gemstones today.