March Birthstone: Aquamarine
The modern March birthstone is aquamarine, the soft blue-green member of the beryl family, with bloodstone as the older traditional alternate. Here is what each stone means, how well it wears, and how to choose a piece that lasts.
Key Takeaways
- The modern March birthstone is aquamarine, a pale blue to blue-green variety of the mineral beryl. The traditional alternate is bloodstone, a dark green chalcedony flecked with red.
- Aquamarine rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, according to the GIA, which makes it a good everyday stone for rings, earrings and pendants.
- Aquamarine is also the gem of the 19th wedding anniversary.
- The name comes from the Latin for "water of the sea," and Roman fishermen carried it for protection and safe travel by boat, per the American Gem Society.
- Bloodstone is the older birthstone for March; aquamarine is the modern standardised choice and the one most people shop for today.
What is the birthstone for March?
The March birthstone is aquamarine. It is a clear, light-toned stone that runs from a barely-there sky blue to a deeper ocean blue with a touch of green. Like emerald, aquamarine belongs to the beryl family, so the two stones are mineral cousins that simply wear different colours. Where emerald is rich green and often heavily included, aquamarine tends to be cleaner and more transparent, which is part of why it photographs so well and why people fall for it in person.
March is one of the months with two birthstones. Aquamarine is the modern stone you will see on almost every list and in most jewellery cases. Bloodstone is the traditional alternate, an older choice that predates the standardised lists most of the industry follows today. Both are correct. Which one you pick comes down to colour preference and the story you want the piece to carry. For more on how the months line up, see our Birthstones by Month: Modern & Traditional Stones hub.
Aquamarine meaning and history
The name aquamarine comes from the Latin words for water and sea, and the colour earns it. According to the American Gem Society, Roman fishermen carried the stone for protection, safe travel by boat, and luck in catching fish. That seafaring link has stuck. People still tend to read aquamarine as a calm, clear-headed stone, the sort of thing you give someone heading into a new chapter.
It also has a practical claim to fame: aquamarine is the gem tied to the 19th wedding anniversary, so it shows up in anniversary pieces as often as in March birthday gifts.
Bloodstone: the traditional March birthstone
Before aquamarine became the modern standard, bloodstone was the stone for March. It is a dark green variety of chalcedony (a form of quartz) scattered with vivid red spots of iron oxide, which is where the name comes from. The American Gem Society lists it as the second birthstone for March, a stone long linked to vitality, protection, and old healing traditions.
Bloodstone sits around 7 on the Mohs scale, so it is sturdy enough for everyday wear, though it is usually cut as a smooth cabochon or used in signet rings and men's pieces rather than faceted like aquamarine. If someone wants a March stone with an older, earthier character instead of a bright blue, bloodstone is the one to ask about.
How durable is aquamarine? Wear and care
Aquamarine is a genuinely practical stone. At 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, it resists scratching well and holds up to daily wear in a ring, which is more than you can say for softer coloured stones like opal or pearl. It has no cleavage that makes it prone to splitting along a plane, so a well-set aquamarine ring is a reasonable everyday piece, not just a careful-occasion one.
That said, hard is not the same as indestructible. A sharp knock on a hard surface can still chip any faceted stone, so we steer customers toward a protective setting (a bezel, or a halo with shielding prongs) if the ring is going to live on a working hand. Clean it with warm soapy water and a soft brush. Skip ultrasonic and steam cleaners if the stone has been fracture-filled, which is uncommon for aquamarine but worth checking. On our Coquitlam bench we usually give a customer's aquamarine a quick look under the loupe before any cleaning or resizing, just to confirm there are no surface-reaching inclusions before it goes near heat or vibration.
Aquamarine vs bloodstone at a glance
| Feature | Aquamarine | Bloodstone |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Modern birthstone | Traditional alternate |
| Mineral | Beryl | Chalcedony (quartz) |
| Colour | Pale to deep blue / blue-green | Dark green with red flecks |
| Mohs hardness | 7.5 to 8 | About 7 |
| Usual cut | Faceted | Cabochon, signet |
| Best for | Rings, earrings, pendants, anniversary | Signet rings, men's pieces |
Choosing an aquamarine and gift ideas
Colour is the main thing that drives an aquamarine's value. The most prized stones are a clean, even blue with good transparency; the deeper and bluer the colour (with less green), the more sought-after it tends to be. Because aquamarine is widely available in larger sizes, you can get real presence for the money, which makes it a generous-looking gift without a diamond-sized budget.
For a March birthday or a 19th anniversary, a few options that work well: a pendant or pair of studs as a first piece for a teenager; a faceted solitaire ring for an anniversary; or a birthstone ring that sits alongside a partner's stone. If you want to read up on the stone itself before deciding, our Full Gemstone Guide covers grading and settings in more depth. You can also compare the neighbouring months: February Birthstone: Amethyst and April Birthstone: Diamond, or look back to January Birthstone: Garnet. We design and set in-house in Coquitlam, so if you bring in a stone or want one sourced, we can build the piece around it on our own bench rather than sending it out.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the birthstone for March?
The modern March birthstone is aquamarine, a blue to blue-green variety of beryl. Bloodstone, a dark green stone with red flecks, is the traditional alternate. Both are recognised March birthstones, with aquamarine being the one most people buy today.
Why does March have two birthstones?
Bloodstone was the older traditional stone for March. Aquamarine was added when the birthstone lists were standardised in the twentieth century and is now the modern default. So March, like several other months, carries both a modern and a traditional stone.
Is aquamarine durable enough for an everyday ring?
Yes. Aquamarine rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale according to the GIA, which is hard enough for daily wear. It can still chip on a sharp impact like any faceted stone, so a protective setting such as a bezel or halo is a good idea for a ring worn on a working hand.
What does aquamarine symbolise?
Aquamarine is associated with the sea, calm, and safe travel. Its name comes from the Latin for water of the sea, and the American Gem Society notes that Roman fishermen carried it for protection and luck on the water. It is also the gem of the 19th wedding anniversary.
How do I clean an aquamarine?
Warm water, a little dish soap, and a soft brush is all most aquamarine needs. Avoid ultrasonic or steam cleaners if the stone has been treated or has surface-reaching inclusions. If you are unsure, bring it in and we will check it under a loupe first.
What is bloodstone made of?
Bloodstone is a dark green variety of chalcedony, a form of quartz, marked with red spots of iron oxide. It sits around 7 on the Mohs scale and is usually cut as a smooth cabochon or used in signet rings rather than faceted like aquamarine.