Aquamarine Physical Properties
Aquamarine Physical Properties loose sale price & Aquamarine Gemstone Information

  • Aquamarine Chemical composition: Be3Al2(Si6O18)

  • Class: cyclosilicates

  • Crystal system: hexagonal; 6/m2/m2/m

  • Crystal habit: prismatic crystals, elongate or flattened, are often vertically striated and grooved. Some crystals show varying degrees of etching.

  • Twinning: twinning is very rare and simple on pyramidal planes{3141} or{4041}

  • Specific gravity: 2.68 - 2.80

  • Index of refraction: 1.563 - 1.583

  • Birefringence: weak (0.005 - 0.007)

  • Pleochroism: distinct in strongly colored specimens, blue or green/colorless

  • Hardness: 7.5 - 8.0

  • Color: blue to blue-green to sea-green

  • Luster: vitreous, some specimens have chatoyancy (cat's-eyes and stars)

  • Transparency: transparent to translucent

  • Cleavage: imperfect, parallel to the basal pinacoid {0001}

  • Fracture: conchoidal to uneven, brittle

  • Streak: white