Aquamarine - born from sea foam. Legends of semi-precious stones Legend of a mermaid and aquamarine

Transparent, clean and calm, like a calm sea surface, aquamarine requires honesty, fidelity and justice from its owner. And in return gives him strong nerves and healthy vision, peace of mind and happiness in a family union.

Description and chemical, physical properties / wave color crystal

Aquamarine (from the Latin aqua maris, "water of the sea") is a variety of beryl, and the stone gets its sea-green color due to the content of ferrous ions.

In nature, it occurs in the form of elongated prismatic crystals. Usually this stone is evenly colored, although the color of the crystal itself can vary from light blue to blue and gray-blue, it can be bluish-green or greenish-blue. It has such an interesting property as dichroism: this means that in different directions of the crystal, light rays are refracted differently. Simply put, from different angles of view, its color may be slightly different. This property must be taken into account when cutting a stone. In addition, it helps to distinguish aquamarine from similar jewelry stones (it is sometimes confused with blue topaz, tourmaline, etc.) and from fakes.

This mineral is quite hard - 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale. However, he is quite fragile. The fracture is uneven, conchoidal. The density of aquamarine is about 2.7 g/cm3. Is different glass glitter, the degree of transparency may be different.

Considered valuable jewelry stone. Its cost varies depending on the shade and purity of the color. Above all, samples of saturated of blue color. Sometimes obtaining the desired shade is achieved artificially, in particular, by calcining aquamarine to 400-500 degrees Celsius. This increases the intensity of its color.

Jewelry with aquamarine should be protected from sunlight, because under their influence it loses its beautiful color, burns out.

Mineral and signs of the zodiac / Who is with him like a fish in water?

Aquamarine symbolizes sea water, and it is not surprising that it is most suitable for those born under the constellation. He helps these people achieve harmony, get rid of all kinds of fears and stress, as well as make their thoughts clearer and perceive the world as it is.

Aquamarine is also a good amulet for. As a stone of friendship, it helps them build relationships with people, keep them and protect them from the misunderstanding of others.

In medieval astrology, aquamarine was considered a stone, now it is also recommended to be worn by representatives of this zodiac sign.

But it's better not to deal with aquamarine.

Myths and legends / Treasures of mermaids

Most of the legends and myths surrounding aquamarine are also based on its connection with sea water. In the ancient world, it was considered the stone of the god of the seas, Poseidon (Neptune). From ancient times, sailors took amulets made of this mineral with them on their voyages so that the lord of the waters would protect them during the journey. Aquamarine is also called the stone of mermaids: there is a legend that it came to people from a chest with their treasures, stored at the bottom of the sea.

There are other legends about the origin of aquamarine, and they are also associated with water. According to one of them, it arose from the tears of a girl who mourned her beloved on the shore of a cold lake. They fell into the water and turned into transparent stones of such a delicate color. And another says that aquamarines are frozen spray of the ocean, which scattered on the ground when the wave hit the coastal rocks with force.

There is also a medieval legend, which reflects the meaning of this stone as a symbol of fidelity in love and friendship. According to her, one of the most famous couples in love of those times - the philosopher Abelard and his student Eloise, parting forever, exchanged rings with aquamarine.

Medicinal properties / Watch and relax

One of the important medicinal properties aquamarine is associated with its aquamarine color. Like water, it has a relaxing and soothing effect. Therefore, it is recommended to contact him for help with various problems with nervous system: neurosis, excessive nervous excitability.

Due to its color, it is also useful for vision. It is believed that aquamarine treats eye diseases, helps with astigmatism, inflammatory processes, helps to reduce intraocular pressure. And yes, it does improve your eyesight. So, if you can set aside a few minutes a day to sit quietly with a piece of aquamarine in your palms, looking at it and distracting from everyday worries, then you will kill two birds with one stone: you will help both your nerves and your eyes.

Since aquamarine is closely associated with the water element, the ability to influence body fluids is also attributed to it: it is believed that it helps to maintain a normal water-salt balance and helps fight swelling.

Another area of ​​its healing influence is the teeth, mouth, throat. They say that thanks to him you can get rid of a toothache, as well as quickly cure a cold. In addition, it is believed that this stone has a beneficial effect on the immune system and helps to remove toxins from the body.

Magic properties / The secret to a strong marriage

Aquamarine is a symbol of friendship and fidelity, calmness and prudence, honesty and justice.

If among its medicinal properties in the first place is the ability to calm and tidy up nerves, then, speaking of magical properties, it is also necessary first of all to note the ability of aquamarine to pacify violent negative emotions, such as anger and irritation. It brings peace of mind, prudence and wisdom to its owner. In addition, he is considered a talisman of eloquence. Suitable for people engaged in scientific work, especially students, whom he helps to gain perseverance and develop sharpness of mind.

Another important property of aquamarine is that it is believed to help maintain alliances based on love or friendship. Products from aquamarine strengthen marriage, help spouses to keep mutual love, respect and loyalty, maintain a common interest. It is no coincidence that in the Urals there was a custom to bring this stone as a gift to the newlyweds on their wedding day.

Keeping true friendship for many years - the aquamarine talisman also helps in this. It is recommended to wear it for those who feel lonely and dream of finding friends, like-minded people, reliable comrades, in communication with whom there will be no place for lies and betrayal.

This stone has a special relationship with lies: it categorically cannot stand it. Therefore, it is contraindicated for dishonest people to wear aquamarine. Not only will he not reveal his magical abilities to them, but he will also help bring them to clean water, show others their deceit. In general, it is believed that aquamarine is able to influence its owner, preventing him from committing dishonest acts and raising his moral level. Therefore, sometimes aquamarine is called a stone-teacher, as well as a stone of justice.

They also note its ability to change color depending on the weather and the state of mind of its owner. With peace and balance, both in nature and in the soul of a person, it retains a pure blue color. And in bad weather or when the owner is in a dejected state, a greenish tint intensifies in it. It is also believed that aquamarine can become cloudy, become less transparent if its owner is threatened by someone's bad intentions, lies and insincerity.

Places of occurrence and production / Record holders from Brazil and Russia

Aquamarine is not a rare mineral. It is quite common in nature and is found on almost all continents of the globe.

A large number of high quality aquamarines come from the deposits of Brazil (Minas Gerais, Bahia, Espirito Santo). By the way, it was in this country that one of the largest crystals of this mineral was discovered in 1910, its weight was more than 110 kilograms.

Significant deposits of this gemstone are located in Madagascar and in Russia. In a slightly smaller amount, it is also mined in many states of the USA, Australia, Burma, and India. Sri Lanka, South Africa and other countries.

In our Russia, large deposits of aquamarine are known in the Urals, in Transbaikalia. By the way, crystals of this mineral of unusually large sizes, which went down in history, were also found in our country. So, in Eastern Transbaikalia in 1976, an aquamarine weighing 82 kilograms was discovered.

We continue the series of articles on and semi-precious stones. In previous articles we talked about diamonds, truth and fiction, now let's turn our attention to no less beautiful, but still less expensive stones - aquamarine, amber, amethyst, agate, amazonite.

Aquamarine is not without reason considered the stone of the sea god - Poseidon, there is a very beautiful legend about this. The story begins in the days of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece when the Gods ruled the world, and people were protected by real heroes.

Who said that God cannot fall in love with a mere mortal? In those days, this happened all the time, so the god Poseidon, who is also known as Neptune, did not escape this fate. However, the girl did not reciprocate, so the god of the seas thought about how to tie the beauty's heart. This legend is written in verse:

What to give the beauty of the earth?

Ten or two of the finest pearls?

Or the stone that is with me,

Which is the talisman of the sea? -

Neptune sighed, looking at the wondrous stone, -

Is my stone too transparent?

But, it seems, in a silver outfit,

He will like the beauty of the earth.

The verse talks about gender precious stone- aquamarine, which is indeed considered the patron saint of love in esotericism. According to legend, if you give an aquamarine to a windy girl, then her feelings will become permanent, which Poseidon secretly hoped for. It is not known how this story ended, however, to this day, many believe that there is simply no better talisman for lovers than aquamarine.

THE LEGEND OF AND DIONYSUS.

The god of wine and gambling Dionysus or Bacchus is known in many cultures, some considered him harmless, puffy, feminine. Other nations attributed to him a bad temper, great strength and ferocity of a lion. In many frescoes, Dionysus was depicted as effeminate, pampered, cheerful man pleasant appearance. However, our legend presents Bacchus in a completely different role.

Dionysus really loved feasts and women, who were called Bacchantes, but after heavy drinking, the god became unpredictable, furious and angry, like a lion. Once, after another holiday, the fierce Bacchus became so furious that he began to tear all the people he came across on the way. And it so happened that a beautiful nymph named Amethyst went out for a walk on that ill-fated evening.

According to another version, Dionysus could command the lions, who, on his orders, tore people apart. In general, this beauty fell under the hand of God, and he began to tear her. However, the nymph prayed to the gods of Olympus to grant her protection, and at the same moment she turned to stone. The claws of the lions could not break the smooth, transparent stone, so they left the nymph alone.

The next morning, Dionysus sobered up and went to meet his friend at the feast, Selenus. On the way, the god saw a stone statue that was the nymph Amethyst. Remembering what he had done, Bacchus, in desperation, tried to restore the life of the girl with his breath. The miracle did not happen, and the god decided to try the life-giving power of wine, over which he had power.

To the great chagrin of Dionysus, who loved beautiful women no less than wine, the nymph remained a stone statue, but under the influence of wine, the white transparent stone turned pinkish-purple. Since then, another semi-precious mineral has appeared - amethyst.

- AMAZON STONE.

Reading about the mineral amazonite, one can come across the statement that the stone got its name from a deposit at the mouth of the Amazon River. However, in fact, legends say that greenish crystals were found a thousand years before the Amazon River was discovered.

In history, legends about women warriors of the Amazons are quite common. The word "Amazon" is translated into Greek as breastless, and this description is very appropriate for Scythian women. In those days, girls specially rubbed their breasts with green stone powder so that the magnificent size of the bust would not interfere with archery and other military exercises. It was believed that the green stone retarded the growth of the female breast.

By the way, archaeologists find jewelry made of amazonite quite a long time ago during excavations of Scythian burial mounds. That is, in those places where, according to legend, the Amazons lived. According to modern scientific data, amazonite does have the ability to inhibit cell growth, which may someday be able to give mankind a cure for cancer.

The myths of ancient Greece also speak about the ferocity of the Amazons, according to legend, the god of war Ares appreciated the courage, devotion and militancy of women and presented them with a belt. It was behind this belt, which belonged to the queen of the Amazons Hippolyta, that Hercules set off. The Greeks suffered greatly at the hands of the warriors, but the Amazons still lost their relic. In the legend, this belt is described as follows: the belt consisted entirely of green stones called ... as you probably guessed - the description corresponded to modern Amazonites.

- EYE OF THE CREATOR.

Many legends about precious stones are associated with birds, most often they are used in one way or another for the extraction of minerals. However, according to legend, the agate crystal is actually the eye of a white eagle. Perhaps this story really has the right to life, because many mineralogists claim that the pattern of agate crystals resembles an eye.

This is an ancient legend, according to which a great EVIL once came to earth. The earth was practically burned, people suffocated from burning and smoke, even what could not burn burned down. People here and there saw the silhouette of an evil sorcerer - a warlock, but there was no hero who could fight the black magician.

And then the Gods sent their protector to the earth - a white eagle. The battle turned out terrible, the water boiled in the oceans, the sky and the earth turned red, blood flowed like a river and put out the fires. As a result, the sorcerer disappeared, and the white eagle himself was slain. Life left the bird, and he fell to the ground, turning into stone. His only remaining eye turned into agate.

From that moment on, people began to attribute protective properties to the mineral, the crystal was used as talismans and amulets for protection from sorcerers and magicians. It is believed that agate prevents the evil eye and damage, helps the owner to identify evil and good people. From that moment on, agate received another name - “The Eye of the Creator”.

- DEVIL STONE.

Jewelers have a rather complicated relationship with cats, in different centuries these animals were revered, considering them to be almost animals of the gods, and years later, on the contrary, they attributed mystical properties, blaming all their troubles and misfortunes on unfortunate animals. We already wrote about how, but now I want to talk about one legend.

The Bible tells how God was angry with people and sent a Flood to the earth. After that, humanity suddenly became very pious, so the devil could hardly manage his affairs. According to legend, Satan walked the earth for a very long time in search of sinners, but did not find it, then he decided to act differently.

Satan disappeared, but immediately a beautiful gem appeared, which struck people with an unusual effect, later called the cat's eye. However, this stone was fraught with mortal danger: if you look at the crystals of the "cat's eye" for a long time, then aggression, anger, and hatred would wake up in people.

And at that moment the Devil returned to earth again. Under the influence of the stone, people again began to forget about God, and now it was not difficult for Satan to find sinners. He presented the biggest sinner with a huge stone that remotely resembled a cat's eye. It is believed that if you wear jewelry with a cat's eye, then the Lord will stop noticing good deeds, and only sinful deeds will be recorded for people.

To stones with the effect of a cat's eye, as well as tiger eye, and Hawkeye, are still treated with caution. But it should be noted that the effect of the crystals is really amazing, and Jewelry look unusual, spectacular and draw attention to the owner of the stone.

- FROZEN TEARS.

Since ancient times, it has been customary that all the legends about amber, one way or another, are associated with tears. Natural amber really has a teardrop shape, and a transparent color can remind you of tears. This legend tells about the love of the beautiful goddess Jurata for the simple fisherman Castistis.

In ancient times, the Baltic Sea was owned by the goddess Jurate, who ruled over mermaids and other marine life. Once a poor fisherman named Castistis began to catch the goddess's favorite fish with a net, and she became angry. First, Jurate sent her mermaids to the fisherman with a warning, but the guy did not listen to them. Then the Goddess herself rose to the surface of the Baltic Sea.

Seeing the fisherman, Jurate was amazed by his beauty and magical voice, the fisherman sang songs amazingly. The goddess fell in love with a young guy without memory and took him to her seabed in her magnificent castle.

It would seem that a story with a happy ending, but the then supreme god Perkunas found out about this idyll. Learning about the love of the goddess for a mortal, he became furious and killed the fisherman with a thunderbolt, and chained the unfortunate goddess to the seabed.

The inconsolable Jūratė did not repent of her deed, therefore, even today the waves of the Baltic Sea bring her tears to the shore to the people, which have turned into forever beautiful and frozen crystal. So it turns out that the golden drops of crystal are the frozen tears of the goddess Yurate.

About Aquamarine - History and Introduction

Aquamarine is a blue to blue-green variety of precious Beryl. The Beryl group of minerals is the best known of the chromium-rich, green emerald, which has proven to be one of the "Four Precious Gems of the World" (diamond, sapphire and ruby ​​are the remaining three). Aquamarine is one of the official stones in March. Aquamarine is exceptionally hard and has a unique vitreous luster. He is best known for his stunning blue, aqua coloration, which can range from light blue to deep blue. The name "Aquamarine" comes from an old Latin expression that meant "sea water".

Aquamarine and Emerald belong to the same family, but they are surprisingly different. Aquamarine and Emerald are both beryllium aluminum silicates. Whereas Emerald is colored with traces of chromium (and vanadium), Aquamarine's color is the result of iron impurities within a colorless Beryl crystal. Aquamarine and Emerald have almost the same specific gravity and refractive index, but emeralds tend to be hazy, opaque, and full of inclusions. Aquamarine has excellent transparency and clarity. Aquamarine, as well as other types of Beryl, is quite strong and hard, ranging from 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale. Dark and deeply saturated blues are the most desirable and prized colors of Aquamarine. Other varieties of Beryl are Morganite, and Golden Beryl (), Green Beryl and Bixbit.

World famous aquamarine
There are finds of huge Aquamarines weighing several tons, which were not qualified for cutting and cutting due to the weak gray or opaque color. The largest find of aquamarine with gem qualities dates back to 1910. The Minas Gerais mine in Marambaia, Brazil produced a 243 lb (110.5 kg) stone, 18 inches (48.5 cm) long and 15.5 inches in diameter, which was cut into a large number of precious stones with a total weight of more than 100,000 carats.

"Don Pedro", weighing 26 kg and cut in 1992 by designer Bernd Münsteiner, became the largest aquamarine ever cut.

Definition of Aquamarine

Aquamarine can generally be identified by its unique marine blue color. It is quite hard and has a vitreous body and vitreous luster. Aquamarine stones have excellent clarity and transparency compared to many other gemstones that can resemble Aquamarine. The intensity of the color and the clarity of the stone are the most important criteria when evaluating an Aquamarine, clearly visible in the quality of the cut. Aquamarine is colored by the presence of some iron. By testing the composition, trace elements and its six-sided crystal structure, one can easily distinguish it from other blue-green stones.

The leading supplier of Aquamarine is Brazil, with a large number of mines throughout the country. Other deposits of Aquamarine are found in Australia, Myanmar (Burma), China, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and several places in the USA. Karur, India Lately became one of the largest suppliers of Aquamarine.

Aquamarine colors

Like sea water, natural aquamarine is found in light blue, dark blue, blue-green, and blue-green. The richer the color, the higher the value of the stone, although almost all Aquamarines are usually in light blue tones. Deeply saturated blue is the most desirable color, but this is very rare and occurs in larger specimens. Color intensity is one of the most important criteria when evaluating colored gemstones, but unlike other gemstones, Aquamarine does not depreciate as color intensity decreases, in fact, many buyers prefer crystal clear or lighter-colored aquamarine over color-rich stone.

Purity and brightness of Aquamarine

Aquamarines of the best quality they are clear, transparent stones. Some stones may contain inclusions, such as long, hollow rods, a hallmark of the Beryl family. Unified traces of foreign minerals, a rare feature that is the cause of a cat's eye or star effect (asterism) with six rays and a bright sheen. usually has a high cost. The six-pointed asterism or "" designs are exceptionally rare and very valuable. Aquamarine has a vitreous body and a vitreous luster when cut.

Cut and Shape of Aquamarine

Aquamarines are available on the market in both faceted and cabochon cuts. Beryl is particularly well suited for rectangular or square cutting. The best cut for Aquamrine is the step emerald cut. Brilliant cut with long and rectangular shapes also very popular. Obscure, opaque examples of aquamarine and cat's eye stones are cut cabochon. Skilled gem cutters can create any shape imaginable from Aquamarine. The most common shapes are quite traditional, they are: round, pear-shaped, oval and pillow. Unusual shapes and cuts are difficult to find in large stones. Aquamarine and other types of beryl are often carved into animals.

Processing Aquamarine

Aquamarine is often heat-treated to improve its color, but many examples are unfinished. Heating at low temperatures reduces unwanted green and yellowish tones in the stone. dark shades Aquamarines are almost always heated, as are lower quality stones (usually 725-850F or 400-450C) in order to improve the color to a favorable blue. Heating at more high temperatures may cause discoloration of the stone.

Please refer to our for a detailed explanation of gemological terms.

Aquamarine belongs to the Beryl group of minerals. There are quite a few varieties of Beryl among stones with gem qualities and ratings, most of which are classified based on color and color agents such as green emerald for example. Aquamarine also comes with cat's eye and asterism, effects that are very rare and therefore very valuable. Such specimens are available in cut . Other gemstones that may resemble the colors of aquamarine are: Tourmaline, Sapphire and Spinel.

The most popular types of Aquamarine:

Emerald, precious Beryl, Golden Beryl, Aquamarine cat eye, Morganite - the most popular varieties of Aquamarine.

Lesser Known Types of Aquamarine:

When cleaning, you can use warm soapy water, and dry the stone with a soft cloth or napkin. Be sure to rinse the stone well to remove any soapy residue. Wrap your stones in a soft cloth if stored for long period time, or place them in a box with an inner lining.

Aquamarine

Aquamarine is a precious stone, a transparent variety of beryl, the color is due to the presence of iron impurities - bluish-green, dark green, light and dark blue. Its brilliance is glassy.

Aquamarine is the sea frozen in stone. Its name came from the color of this stone: “aqua” - water, “maare” - sea. As Pliny wrote, “with its color it resembles the pure green of sea waters” ... According to legend, this stone was mined from a treasure chest of ghostly mermaids. And in ancient times, this stone was considered to bring good luck to sailors. There is a legend in the East that says that aquamarines are frozen splashes of the ocean. The wave, hitting the coastal stones, throws millions of sparkling drops onto the shore like fireworks, which fall on the ground in bulk.

In ancient Greece, aquamarine was considered the talisman of the god of the ocean, Poseidon.

What to give the beauty of the earth? Ten or two of the finest pearls? Or the stone that is with me, Which serves as a talisman of the sea? - Neptune sighed, looking at the marvelous stone, - Is my stone too transparent? ... But, it seems, in a silver outfit, He will like the beauty of the earth.

Making his gift to an earthly girl, Neptune hoped that the stone would bind the beauty's heart with love threads, make her love for him permanent. Probably, the god of the seas was not mistaken in the action of his talisman. And now this stone is the keeper of love.

There is also a medieval legend, which reflects the meaning of this stone as a symbol of fidelity in love and friendship. According to her, one of the most famous couples in love of those times - the philosopher Abelard and his student Eloise, parting forever, exchanged rings with aquamarine.

Carvings of emperors, gods and mythical monsters on bluish-green aquamarine gems have survived to this day.

From a single piece of aquamarine, framed at both ends in gold, the scepter of the Polish king Stanislav was made, which is stored in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin, and in 1867 a bust of Napoleon III from a single aquamarine weighing 6 kg was sold in Paris. One of the most famous aquamarines, weighing about 920 carats (182 g), adorns the crown of the British Empire. Aquamarines in general since the early Middle Ages have been very popular in Europe, being the usual inserts in royal regalia - they were in the magnificent "Gisella's Dress" of the daughter of the King of the Franks Charles III, and in the tiara of Pope Julius II.

It is considered a valuable jewelry stone. Its cost varies depending on the shade and purity of the color. Above all, samples of saturated blue are valued. Some properties of aquamarine simply defy logical explanation - this stone changes color when the weather changes or depending on the mood of the owner, like sea waters. If a hurricane is raging outside the window or in your soul, the aquamarine will become more greenish. If it is raining and slushy in the yard, or intrigues are woven against you, or sadness lies in your heart, the stone will become cloudy. This stone is able to wash away longing and sadness, relieve the dull pain of separation or loss. Jewelry with aquamarine can be worn in the brightest sunny moments of life, and acute moments of experience, so that it dissolves heaviness and helps you set off on a new voyage. The properties of the stone are more pronounced when it is framed in silver, but this gem is also unique in that it is combined with almost any metal. Aquamarine is most useful for people born under the signs of Pisces and Cancer. This stone will bring only misfortunes to Sagittarius and it is completely contraindicated for Gemini.

The most magnificent aquamarine deposits are located in Brazil, one of the South American deposits produced an aquamarine crystal weighing 110.5 kg. The largest known faceted stone weighs 2594 carats.

The largest and most beautiful specimens are in the collections of the British Museum - a bluish-green transparent crystal in the form of an irregular prism weighing approximately 110.2 kg; as well as cut stones of bluish-green (879 carats), green (60 carats), dark blue - all from Brazil; in the Hyde Park Museum, an excellently cut blue aquamarine crystal weighing 1847 carats; in the American Museum of National History - faceted stones of various colors, including a dark blue Brazilian aquamarine (144.5 carats) and a pale blue Sri Lankan aquamarine (355 carats); at the Smithsonian Institution, bluish-green (1000 carats) and dark blue (911 carats) Brazilian aquamarine, as well as a blue-blue specimen from Siberia (263.5 carats); this collection also contains extremely rare examples of cut stones of unusual color, such as green-yellow (2054 carats), yellowish-blue (1363 carats) and brown (about 20 carats) with asterism effect - all from Brazil. Large collections of aquamarines are also found in Russia, Iran and Turkey.

In ancient times, items made of azurite were objects of worship: for example, Egyptian priests used amulets from it, and the druids of Ireland used azurite sticks to create magic.

Azurite is a stone of expanding the boundaries of consciousness, it helps to reevaluate one's life, reveal unmanifested abilities and talents. Azurite is best worn on the wrist in a bracelet or around the neck in a necklace, beads, pendant or pendant.

Azurite has been most actively used since ancient times as a paint. Not every mineral can become paint - for this, its crumb must also have bright color, while blue turquoise or scarlet rubies, when rubbed, become a whitish substance unsuitable for the artist. Azurite was quite soft and extremely rich in rich blue - from cobalt to sky blue - a palette of shades. The famous Egyptian paintings, depicting scenes from the life of gods and pharaohs, were based on azurite and malachite pigments, as well as the paintings that did not fade with time, painted once on the walls and ceilings of rich Roman villas. From Rome, the custom of making paint from azurite passed into Byzantine culture, and from there - into ancient Russian icon painting and wall painting, where "stuffed cabbage", as the azurite dye was called in Russia, was used more widely than other blue mineral pigments.

In European painting from the 15th century to the middle of the 17th century, blue paint for fresco painting was made from azurite, which was used more widely than paint based on lapis lazuli. This is due to the fact that it gives an excellent blue color, but it does not require a lot of time to enrich the pigment.

Andrey Rublev immortalized this stone in the world-famous Trinity. In this work, the cabbage roll certainly dominates over the other flowers, uniting them with a single idea. Russian icon painters in general gave a clear preference to the blue scale - a symbol of spirituality and wisdom, and in each icon until the 17th century, light "heavenly" tones prevailed.

Azurites are mainly mined in Australia (in Queensland), Chile, Mexico, USA (in Arizona and New Mexico), Germany, France, Kazakhstan and Africa (in Zaire, Namibia, Zambia). In terms of the quality of collectible azurite, the championship belongs to the famous Teumeb deposit in Namibia, where individual crystals reach a size of 25 cm with impeccable quality. Widely known are azurites from deposits in Morocco - Mibladen and Tuissit. Interesting samples of azurite are mined in the copper deposits of the Southern Urals.

Aquamarine is a precious stone, a transparent variety of beryl, the color is due to the presence of iron impurities - bluish-green, dark green, light and dark blue. Its brilliance is glassy.

Aquamarine is the sea frozen in stone. Its name came from the color of this stone: "aqua" - water, "maare" - sea. As Pliny wrote, “with its color it resembles the pure green of sea waters” ... According to legend, this stone was mined from a treasure chest of ghostly mermaids. And in ancient times, this stone was considered to bring good luck to sailors. There is a legend in the East that says that aquamarines are frozen splashes of the ocean. The wave, hitting the coastal stones, throws millions of sparkling drops onto the shore like fireworks, which fall on the ground in bulk.

In ancient Greece, aquamarine was considered the talisman of the god of the ocean, Poseidon.

What to give the beauty of the earth?

Ten or two of the finest pearls?

Or the stone that is with me,

Which is the talisman of the sea? -

Neptune sighed, looking at the wondrous stone, -

Is my stone too transparent?...

But, it seems, in a silver outfit,

He will like the beauty of the earth.

Making his gift to an earthly girl, Neptune hoped that the stone would bind the beauty's heart with love threads, make her love for him permanent. Probably, the god of the seas was not mistaken in the action of his talisman. And now this stone is the keeper of love.

There is also a medieval legend, which reflects the meaning of this stone as a symbol of fidelity in love and friendship. According to her, one of the most famous couples in love of those times - the philosopher Abelard and his student Eloise, parting forever, exchanged rings with aquamarine.

Carvings of emperors, gods and mythical monsters on bluish-green aquamarine gems have survived to this day.

From a single piece of aquamarine, framed at both ends in gold, the scepter of the Polish king Stanislav was made, which is stored in the Armory of the Moscow Kremlin, and in 1867 a bust of Napoleon III from a single aquamarine weighing 6 kg was sold in Paris. One of the most famous aquamarines, weighing about 920 carats (182 g), adorns the crown of the British Empire. Aquamarines in general since the early Middle Ages have been very popular in Europe, being the usual inserts in royal regalia - they were in the magnificent "Gisella's Dress" of the daughter of the King of the Franks Charles III, and in the tiara of Pope Julius II.

It is considered a valuable jewelry stone. Its cost varies depending on the shade and purity of the color. Above all, samples of saturated blue are valued. Some properties of aquamarine simply defy logical explanation - this stone changes color when the weather changes or depending on the mood of the owner, like sea waters. If a hurricane is raging outside the window or in your soul, the aquamarine will become more greenish. If it is raining and slushy in the yard, or intrigues are woven against you, or sadness lies in your heart, the stone will become cloudy. This stone is able to wash away longing and sadness, relieve the dull pain of separation or loss. Jewelry with aquamarine can be worn in the brightest sunny moments of life, and acute moments of experience, so that it dissolves heaviness and helps you set off on a new voyage. The properties of the stone are more pronounced when it is framed in silver, but this gem is also unique in that it is combined with almost any metal. Aquamarine is most useful for people born under the signs of Pisces and Cancer. This stone will bring only misfortunes to Sagittarius and it is completely contraindicated for Gemini.

The most magnificent aquamarine deposits are located in Brazil, one of the South American deposits produced an aquamarine crystal weighing 110.5 kg. The largest known faceted stone weighs 2594 carats.

The largest and most beautiful specimens are in the collections of the British Museum - a bluish-green transparent crystal in the form of an irregular prism weighing approximately 110.2 kg; as well as cut stones of bluish-green (879 carats), green (60 carats), dark blue - all from Brazil; in the Hyde Park Museum, a superbly cut blue aquamarine crystal weighing 1,847 carats; at the American Museum of National History, faceted stones of various colors, including a deep blue Brazilian aquamarine (144.5 carats) and a pale blue Sri Lankan aquamarine (355 carats); at the Smithsonian Institution, bluish-green (1000 carats) and dark blue (911 carats) Brazilian aquamarine, as well as a blue-blue specimen from Siberia (263.5 carats); this collection also contains extremely rare cut stones of unusual colors, such as green-yellow (2054 carats), yellowish-blue (1363 carats) and brown (about 20 carats) with asterism effect - all from Brazil. Large collections of aquamarines are also found in Russia, Iran and Turkey.

Alexandrite is a variety of beryl, a very rare type of yellowish-green chrysoberyl. The stone differs in that it changes the red-burgundy color under artificial lighting to emerald green in daylight.

Ural and Indian stones are bluish-green, Ceylon stones are densely olive. There are also green shades of grass, emerald color and others. The "red" part of alexandrite can be of different shades of red, purple and often resembles amethyst.