Gem-name guide / Gem variety

Aquamarine

Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈

Aquamarine is the blue to greenish-blue variety of beryl. The variety and the mineral species have different roles in naming: aquamarine describes a gem, while beryl describes its underlying mineral identity.

Material or mineral family: Beryl
Name classification: Gem variety
Mohs hardness: 7.5–8
Typical colour: Blue to greenish blue

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Names describe materials, not the authenticity, treatment, provenance or quality of a particular specimen. Physical properties vary for mixed materials; values absent from this guide have not been estimated.

Reference snapshot: September 2026. Source dates and uncertainties are retained in the record.