Santa Maria Aquamarine

Discovered in the Santa Maria de Itabira mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the 1950s. While standard aquamarine presents a pale tone, this specific deposit yielded crystals of intense, highly saturated blue. The original mine is now largely exhausted. The name "Santa Maria" has transitioned from a geographical origin to a grade. Today, any aquamarine exhibiting this specific depth of colour is traded under this title, regardless of where it was unearthed. A location became a standard. Beryl coloured by trace amounts of iron. The deeper the blue, the higher the iron concentration and the more specific the geological conditions required to form it.

When standard tools lack the necessary weight, you look for something denser. This stone strips away the airy, floating qualities of typical aquamarine, leaving only the concentrated core. It ends up with people who are currently doing the heavy lifting and have no time for distractions.