The birthstone for March is the blue beauty of Aquamarine.

 Aquamarine gets its name from the Latin 'aqua marina' meaning 'sea water', which describes its colour, a blue to turquoise colour. Aquamarine is a transparent stone, it is a type of beryl often found in Sri Lanka and throughout Africa.

 The largest Aquamarine ever discovered, which was gemstone quality, weighed over 110kg and was found in Brazil in 1910.

 The Romans believed that carrying Aquamarine offered protection from any dangers when travelling at sea.  It was also believed to provide energy and help to cure laziness.

 Blue topaz is very similar in colour to Aquamarine, and is often used to imitate Aquamarine, as it is a less expensive stone which is also transparent and can have a blue/turquoise appearance. To tell Aquamarine and blue topaz apart they need to be tested by a gemmologist.