Dreamy, watery aquamarine-the name comes from Latin, and literally means “water of the sea”. It was considered to be the stone of Neptune, Roman god of the sea. Sailors carried aquamarine as protection against the songs of the sirens which could lure a seafarer to his death! And you thought your kids’ music was annoying!
Aquamarine is a stone for the throat chakra, helping us to communicate calmly and clearly. As a water element stone, it is cooling physically and emotionally, so it’s good for hot flashes and hot tempers!
Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family and has a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale. With fewer inclusions and cracks than its sister, emerald, it is less brittle and a great stone for jewelry.The colour comes from iron, although a lot of material is heat-treated to make it darker. Either way, it’s still a beautiful stone and deserves to be worn and loved!
I think aquamarine looks best with silver because it is so softly coloured, although with some of the greenish coloured stones, you could use a paler gold for a pretty effect. I bought a strand of graduated, roughly faceted aquamarine several years ago and strung them with brushed, sterling silver “potato chip” beads for an accent. Every time I wear them, I feel like I should be swimming in the ocean in a clamshell bra and an iridescent, scaly tail!
If you can’t get aquamarine, try using a light blue topaz for a similar effect. The colour may be a little bit different, but will be just as pretty.
Bloodstone was believed to be formed when drops of Christ’s blood fell on green jasper under the cross as He hung there. It was also carried into battle by warriors and used to heal wounds. Bloodstone corresponds to the root chakra and brings strength, courage and determination to our endevours, and I’m sure that we could all use some of that!
Bloodstone is a green jasper with spots of iron oxide. It has a hardness of 6.5 on the Mohs scale and like most jaspers, makes beautiful, durable jewelry. It is quite often seen in rings, where it is engraved with different figures. I have a necklace that I made many years ago, that has bloodstone, fancy jasper and agate in it. I used silver beads with some antiquing on them for accents. Bloodstone always feels like an ancient amulet to me so I try to use components that continue that feeling. Gold or copper could both be used with striking results,as well.
So whether you’re a siren or a warrior, (or maybe both!) there’s a stone for you in March!