March's Birthstone and Flower; Aquamarine and Daffodil

Aquamarine is latin for seawater and is a perfect name for this water coloured gemstone.  Aquamarine's association with the sea is known to go back as far as 480 BC when it was considered to be a treasure of Atlantis and mermaids.  Ancient mariners believed this gemstone could calm stormy seas and keep them safe from adversaries.  They carried amulets of aquamarine to protect them and provide courage.

Romans believed that if a frog was carved onto an aquamarine stone, it would turn enemies into friends.  I think that might still work today.  Giving a reconciliatory gift of an aquamarine would certainly make me reconsider an adversary - frog, or no frog!

During the Middle Ages, aquamarine was used for divination of sacred revelations.  It was believed to be able to foretell coming events and continued to be a talisman of protection and courage.

All of these wonderful qualities, combined with its enduring beauty makes it still a treasure today.  Its calming effects on couples and association with a happy marriage, make it a popular gift for anniversaries.  Since it's a relatively hard stone, aquamarine is perfect for jewelry meant for daily wear.  It's from the Beryl stone family and is a blue-green sister to the deep-green emerald.  Aquamarine has the benefit of being less included with fewer fractures than emerald so is available in larger stones.

March's birth month flower is a perfect compliment to aquamarine, both visually and representationally.  Being opposites on the colour wheel, blue stones and yellow flowers make thoughtful gifts for all those lucky March babies.  Mary Kelava, of The Floral Prescription, tells me that daffodil's meanings are new beginnings, courage, chivalry and devotion.  Chivalry and devotion remind me of the happiness in marriage reference and think that a bouquet of daffodils tied with ribbon threaded through an aquamarine ring would make for a swoon-worthy anniversary gift, too!

Visit Mary's blog at The Floral Prescription for a glimpse into the charming language of flowers.

 Aquamarine      Blue Topaz      London Blue Topaz 

Aquamarine naturally has a watery, blue-green hue.  The above photo shows a comparison of aquamarine to blue topaz, which is often substituted as a more affordable and brighter blue option for March.