The birthstone for March is the Aquamarine. I wouldn't mind the Art Deco style ring containing 20 carats of aquamarine shown above. The aquamarine is a member of the beryl family. It's almost entirely free of inclusions unlike its famous green cousin, the emerald. It has a good hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale and a wonderful shine. Iron is the substance which gives aquamarine its colour which ranges from an almost indiscernible pale blue to a strong sea-blue. The more intense the colour, the more value is put on it.
The various colour nuances of aquamarine have melodious names: the rare, intense blue stones from the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Brazil, are called 'Santa Maria'. Similar coloured stones from gemstone mines in Africa, particularly Mozambique are given the name "Santa Maria Africana'. 'Espirito Santo' aquamarines from the Brazilian state of that name has a not quite as intense colour as the 'Santa Maria'.
The blue light of the aquamarine is supposed to arouse feelings of sympathy, trust, harmony and friendship. Good feelings which are based on mutuality and prove their worth in lasting relationships. Aquamarine blue is the colour of water with its life-giving force and according to legend, it originated in the treasure chest of fabulous mermaids, and has, since ancient times, been regarded as the sailors' lucky stone. Its name is derived from the Latin 'aqua' (water) and 'mare' (sea). It is said that its strengths are developed to their best advantage when it is placed in water which is bathed in sunlight.
It's also the colour of Bombay Sapphire bottles. The Queen has a fabulous tiara, necklace, earrings and bracelet made of aquamarines given as a gift from the people of Brazil. She has a lot of jewellery, kept in a room about the size of an ice rink and situated 40 feet beneath Buckingham Palace, rumour has it. Her personal jewellery is conservatively valued at $57 million. That's personal, not the Crown Jewells or jewells regarded as belonging to the Throne and destined to be handed on to the next reigning monarch.
I wonder if she ever wanders down to rummage through the goodies?
9 comments:
So Witchy, when are you expecting to hear back about that job application for QVC?
never mind the Moh Scale ... this mermaid dreams of having the LifeStyle where a ring like that would blend in.
That other fabulous Elizabeth, Dame Taylor has personal jewellery that her biographer J R Taborelli claims is valued at US$102 million, and none of it gifted by the people of Brazil or anywhere else ... and of course it blends in with HER lifestyle.
and I'll bet Dame Elizabeth knows that Moh Scale off by heart, bless her.
and OT but I have to say -
Spam:
I have 3 gmail addresses.
one is farcebook,
one is blogger, and the 3rd is friends and family etc.
The 2 on blogger and farcebook get no spam. never. none at all.
The friends and family one used to get one or two spams a day, but now is the one attached to my newly organised PalPay arrangement.
Suddenly the efn spam is pouring in at one a minute and swooshing right by the gmail filter.
You Bastards PalPay!!!
Wot me, work for a living? Do you realise how many civil servants I'm keeping in a job by being a welfare recipient? The whole system would fall apart without me.
Good one bwca, it would fit with my lifestyle too, if I had one that consisted of lying around on my fat behind being attended to by luscious toyboys. (Don't bother applying Fleetwood, you aint a toy or luscious but you would make a good doormat)
It sounds like you have spyware rampaging, you'll have to do a scan and kill it.
"...this mermaid dreams of having the LifeStyle where a ring like that would blend in."
Annie,
You want to be a fossil?
No, she wants a fabulous chest and a following sailor. boom boom.
If I was the queen or even if I wasn't but had a huge cache of jewellery I would rummage through it at least once a day just to see the pretty sparkles........
I'm not a fan of aquamarines. My mother loved them, I didn't like her, pretty much whatever she loved I didn't like. Since she died I've admitted to liking several things that I'd always said I hated, but I would have never given her the satisfaction of being able to say "I knew you'd like that, you're so much like me"
I spent most of my life trying so hard NOT to be like her. I still prefer stronger colours in my gems, that hasn't changed.
Having said all that let me add that's a very pretty ring you've pictured.
River, I used to pass a jewellery shop when I first started work and I loved a ring like this but with a deep green Tourmaline instead. It was far too expensive for me but I did layby another with my second paypacket (first paypacket went on flat shoes) and I still wear it and love it. I know what you mean about mothers, I don't wear any jewellery at the moment, I don't want the stones picking up negative vibes. (how very New Age)
I don't wear any of my jewellery either. Not that I've got much. i do have a bag full of my mother's brooches, all costume jewellery, nothing valuable, but pretty stuff. It's tucked away in one of my handbags that I never use, I plan to mount them one day on a black velvet background in a thick photo frame and then hang them probably in my room.
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