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Colors, Where Found
Aquamarine is another of the gems composed of Beryl. It occurs in colors of light sky blue, greenish blue, or greenish yellow. The light sky-blue stone is the one of the most value, and is very brilliant, especially by artificial light. Recently aquamarines have become more and more popular, and this is doubtless due to the discovery of many fine masses of the crystal. Some of the finest of these are in Siberia, India, Brazil, and in many different localities in the United States, notably in North Carolina. The color of the aquamarine may be altered by various artificial means, and experiments along this line have been undertaken for many years by some of the German universities, resulting in the discovery of a method by which in rare cases the less valuable greenish-blue variety may be changed to a shade of light sky blue of great value without altering the stone to any perceptible degree. Because of this, it is thought that the coloring matter in the gem must be organic.
Biblical Mention
The history of the aquamarine is not as complete as that of the more valued stones. A notable biblical mention of the stone is, however, found in the Song of Solomon,
"O daughters of Jerusalem, This is my beloved, and this is my friend. His hands are as gold rings set with the beryl."
In the middle ages, beryl was supposed to give its wearer cheerfulness and to compose the heart and mind. It was called, in fact, the "sweet-tempered stone," and these qualities might perhaps account for the presence of a piece of blue beryl in the English crown. |
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Precious Stones Guide Vol 3
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