Aquamarine is a green-blue variety of the mineral beryl, named after its characteristic color, ranging from light blue, to cyan, and to bluish green.
Very large specimens exist, which means that aquamarine's value doesn't increase incrementally at higher carat weights; its price per carat remains relatively constant. Huge aquamarine stones have been found in Brazil, with notable examples Papamel and Marta Rocha (552,500 and 173,500 cts, respectively). From Marta Rocha a total of 57,200 carats of cut gemstones were produced.
Factors that determine aquamarine's price are the depth and shade of its color, its clarity, and the cut.
Aquamarine is frequently used in jewelry, and due to its durability and hardness (7.5 to 8 on Mohs scale), it can be used even in pieces that are typically prone to damage from wear, such as rings. It's also often used as a necklace pendant.
Topaz sometimes has a very similar appearance to aquamarine, and the two could be confused.
The biggest producer of aquamarine is Brazil, followed by Pakistan, Russia, China and a few others. Aquamarine's deep blue variety is called maxixe and is found in Madagascar.
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