Colorado State Gemstone

Colorado’s official State Gemstone is the Aquamarine. It was officially designated in 1971. The word comes from the Latin aqua and marina, meaning “water of the sea” and refers to the beautiful turquoise blue colors usually associated with this gemstone. It is a variety of beryl, which may range from very small crystals to several meters in size. The largest aquamarine ever mined was found in Brazil in 1910 and weighed in at 110 kg. It was 48.5 cm long and 42 cm in diameter. There are many areas around the world which yield this gemstone, and in the United States, Colorado is one of them. Aquamarine has been discovered around Mt. Antero in the Sawatch Range in central Colorado (see map below), but the gemstone can also be found in California, Idaho, Wyoming and on the east coast.

Aquamarine is the birthstone associated with March. As beautiful and mysterious as the blue waters of the Mediterranean, is the gem named Aquamarine. It is also the designated gemstone for the 19th Wedding Anniversary. It is a very hard mineral, making the Aquamarine a durable gemstone for use in jewelry, and a beautiful gift for any anniversary year.