But what is water without tea?
Cool and aqua blue
I grant you,
But caffeinated and hot,
sadly not.
~Carrie
(Wouldn't this make for a pretty broach...it's 1000 carats!)
The aquamarine for March's gemstone of the month post required some extra thinking on my part as my jewelry box is completely empty of this stone. Rather than cheating and using a much cheaper topaz, I figured I would go to where I could see huge aquamarines of all types--the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. (which also happens to be not far from where I work)!
Sadly the Hope Diamond wasn't on display, but there was plenty of the light blue aquamarines to feast my eyes on, both in faceted
and very much uncut form.
I found it interesting just to compare the many different ways the stone develops.
I also learned some interesting facts while I was reading the displays at the museum. Aquamarine is the common name for the light blue version of beryl.
All of these stones are beryl, from the emeralds (yes real emeralds!), on the left, past the pinkish morganite, onto the yellow beryl (also called heliodor), to the green beryl in the front middle, with aquamarines on the right and the small display of red beryl (marketed as red emerald) in the front right. Red beryl is very rare.
The aquamarine gets its name from the Latin, Aqua Marina, which means "Sea Water," due to its pretty blue color, of course. With that in mind, there is only one set in my collection that would be the perfect match for this gem...
The Cliffs of Dover by Paragon. The plate has the better view of the beautiful ocean against the white cliffs of Dover:
There'll be bluebirds over
the white cliffs of Dover
Tomorrow
Just you wait and see.
~Vera Lynn
Hello again. I would really appreciate if you would email me - rockquilt2@verizon.net - I would like to ask you about some Prince Albert pieces and it needs to be before Easter. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing the interesting info and cool photos of aquamarine (love that colour!), Carrie! Paragon is one of my favourite china makers and your pretty teacup is their first landscape design that I've ever seen.
ReplyDeleteSo glad that you're participating in the exchange! YAY! It's so much fun! I can't wait to receive the info on my swap partner.
I enjoyed reading about the different colors of beryl, as it was my grandmother's name. I have a pin that was hers with a green beryl stone, I didn't realize there were other colors. I love aquamarine, though, and it's my oldest daughter's birthstone. Your dishes are quite appropriate for this month!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this interesting piece of valuable information. I enjoyed reading about beryl stone. I wonder how they are being found?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this interesting piece of valuable information. I enjoyed reading about beryl stone. I wonder how they are being found?
ReplyDeleteThose Beryl stone up there is just gorgeous. Is if for action or museum display?
ReplyDeleteThose Beryl stone up there is just gorgeous. Is if for action or museum display?
ReplyDeleteHi Abigail--it is a part of a museum display at the Smithsonian museum of Natural History.
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