Blue to blue-green beryl, known as Aquamarine, is quite a familiar stone, a staple in jewellery stores and rightly so. It is a magnificent gem which can be stunningly beautiful when well cut and polished and of good size and color. Unfortunately, huge amounts of material have been sold which either lack enough color to truly be called aquamarine or which are inferior in their fashioning. The most common natural color for this gem is a light to medium light slightly to moderately greenish blue. The name, aquamarine, then, indicates its resemblance to the color of sea water.
