Carreras Pearls of Wisdom

Find out what saltwater can do to jewelry or what to do with fine jewelry on a trip. The widget below offers tips on pearl, gemstone, diamond or fine metal jewelry. Just click the next button on the pearl picture to see the quick tips on what you should and should not do to preserve and protect your fine jewelry purchases.

Carreras’ Extreme Make-over!

The Allure of Aquamarine

If your birthday falls in the month of March, then your beautiful birthstone is the gemstone Aquamarine.

Aquamarine is also suggested as a gem to give on the 16th and 19th wedding anniversaries.

Aquamarine is a member of the beryl family and ranges in color from an almost colorless pale blue to blue-green or teal. The most prized color is a deep-blue aqua color. It is 7.5-8 on the Mohs Scale of hardness and gets its name from Latin words meaning water and sea.

The most valuable aquamarines come from Brazil, but it is also mined in Kenya and Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Tanzania, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Russia. . Aquamarines on the market today are usually faceted, but when cut as a cabochon, they may display a cat’s eye effect known as asterism.

Some gemstones are heated to high temperatures to enhance their color and/or clarity. Aquamarines are often heat treated to change a blue-green or teal colored stone to a pure blue. This results in a permanent color change.

Folklore, Legend, and Healing Properties:

Since early times, aquamarine has been believed to endow the wearer with foresight, courage, and happiness. It is said to increase intelligence and make one youthful. As a healing stone, it is said to be effective as a treatment for anxiety and in the Middle Ages it was thought that aquamarine would reduce the effect of poisons.

A legend says that sailors wore aquamarine gemstones to keep them safe and prevent seasickness.

During the month of March, Carreras is supporting the local charity, ChildSavers. We will donate 15% of Aquamarine sales to ChildSavers.

Please visit our jewelry showroom to view our beautiful collection of aquamarine rings, earrings, and pendants. We also have loose stones available for purchase and custom design work.