The birthstone for March is aquamarine, a pale blue-green gem long connected to the sea and to calm, clear water. People have worn it for centuries believing it brings peace, honesty, and safe travel, and that reputation has followed the stone into modern birthstone jewelry. The history behind aquamarine, and how it earned its place as March’s gem, gives new meaning to a stone many people already recognize but rarely know the background of.
Aquamarine: March’s Official Birthstone
The official birthstone for March is aquamarine, a blue to blue-green variety of the mineral beryl. It shares its family with emerald, though aquamarine takes its color from traces of iron rather than the chromium that gives emerald its green.
Some birthstone lists also name bloodstone, a dark green stone speckled with red, as an alternate option for March. Bloodstone’s history as a gem actually reaches back further than aquamarine’s. Ancient Greeks and Romans called it heliotrope and used it for engraved seals and rings, and medieval Christians later connected its red flecks to the blood of Christ, giving it the nickname “martyr’s stone.”
Even so, aquamarine is the stone almost everyone means today when they say “March birthstone.” It became the primary choice when jewelry associations in the United States standardized the modern birthstone list in the early 20th century, and bloodstone has remained a secondary, less common option ever since.
What Does Aquamarine Symbolize?
Aquamarine’s name comes from the Latin words “aqua” and “marina,” meaning “water of the sea.” That name is not a coincidence. Sailors in ancient times carried the stone as a good luck charm, believing it would calm rough waters and guide them safely home.
That maritime connection shaped nearly everything people came to believe about the gem. Aquamarine has long been associated with calmness, clear thinking, and honesty, likely because its color mirrors still, clear water rather than a stormy sea. Some old folklore even claimed the stone came from the treasure chests of mermaids. None of this is something science can confirm, but the symbolism has stuck for centuries and still shapes why people choose aquamarine jewelry today, whether for a March birthday, a wedding, or a fresh start in life.
Aquamarine’s Zodiac Sign Connections
Aquamarine is most often linked to the zodiac sign Pisces, which runs from about February 19 to March 20 and overlaps closely with the aquamarine birth month. Some traditions also connect the stone to Aquarius, Gemini, or Libra, since zodiac gemstone lists vary between different cultures and eras.
Beyond the zodiac, aquamarine also carries meaning as an anniversary stone. It is the traditional gift for a 19th wedding anniversary, giving the gem significance that extends well past March birthdays into long-term relationships and milestones.
Famous Aquamarines Through History
Aquamarine’s connection to March hasn’t stopped it from making headlines outside the birthstone world. A handful of individual stones have become famous enough to be recognized by name, which says something about how much people have valued this gem across different eras.
The largest cut aquamarine in the world is the Dom Pedro, a 10,363-carat obelisk-shaped gem carved by German gem artist Bernd Munsteiner from a rough crystal found in Minas Gerais, Brazil, in the late 1980s. It now sits on permanent display at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History. Before the Dom Pedro existed, that record belonged to a 1,298-carat aquamarine that Brazilian president Getúlio Vargas gave to First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt in 1936 as a diplomatic gift; she later donated it to the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library, where it remains today.
More recently, an emerald-cut aquamarine ring that once belonged to Princess Diana has kept the stone in the public eye. Diana wore the ring frequently in the 1990s, and after her death it passed to her son, Prince Harry, who gave it to Meghan Markle. She wore it to their wedding reception in 2018 and again at public events in the years since, introducing a new generation to March’s signature gem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is aquamarine the only birthstone for March?
Aquamarine is the primary and most widely recognized birthstone for March, but bloodstone serves as a secondary, traditional option on some birthstone lists. Most jewelers and modern birthstone charts default to aquamarine alone.
Why was aquamarine chosen as the March birthstone?
Aquamarine became March’s official birthstone when American jewelry associations standardized the modern birthstone list in the early 20th century. Its color and its long-standing folklore around calm waters and safe travel made it a natural fit for the month that marks the shift from winter into spring.
Can someone wear aquamarine if they weren’t born in March?
Birthstones are a tradition rather than a rule, so anyone can wear aquamarine regardless of birth month. Many people choose it simply for its color, or because it matches their zodiac sign or wedding anniversary rather than their birthday.
What zodiac sign is most associated with aquamarine?
Aquamarine is most commonly linked to Pisces, since the sign’s date range overlaps heavily with March. Some traditions also associate it with Aquarius, Gemini, or Libra, depending on which zodiac gemstone list is being used.
Does the March birthstone have any other special meaning besides birthdays?
Beyond marking March birthdays, aquamarine is the traditional gemstone for a 19th wedding anniversary. It has also long been associated with themes of calm, honesty, and safe travel, which is why it shows up as a gift for new beginnings, not just birth months.
Conclusion
Aquamarine earns its place as March’s birthstone through a mix of genuine history and lasting symbolism: a gem named for the sea, carried by sailors for protection, and worn today as a marker of calm and clarity. Whether it’s chosen for a March birthday, a matching zodiac sign, or simply its color, aquamarine carries centuries of meaning behind a very simple idea, that water and the people connected to it deserve a little peace.
