March Birthstone: Aquamarine and Bloodstone, Full Guide

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In March, two stones share the spotlight: aquamarine and bloodstone. The history of the choice, symbolism, gift ideas, care and imitations.

Key points

March birthstones	Aquamarine (current list), bloodstone (older list)
Aquamarine	Blue to blue-green beryl, hardness 7.5 to 8
Bloodstone (heliotrope)	Green chalcedony spotted with red, hardness 6.5 to 7
Colours	Light blue, blue-green; dark green and red
Common treatment	Aquamarine is often heated
Related signs	Pisces, Aries (in the sign tradition)

Two stones for one month

March is a month with two stones. The traditional list offers bloodstone (which mineralogists call heliotrope) and jasper. The 1912 American list keeps bloodstone and adds aquamarine as a secondary stone. Since the revision of 1952, aquamarine has become the main stone, with bloodstone as the alternative. The British list now gives both as well.

List	Stones
So-called traditional list (15th to 20th century, depending on the authors)	Bloodstone (heliotrope), jasper
1912 list of American jewellers	Bloodstone, aquamarine
British jewellers’ list (2013 version)	Aquamarine, bloodstone
Current American list	Aquamarine, bloodstone

The two stones have nothing in common: one is blue and translucent, the other dark and opaque. You may choose the one that suits you, or both.

Aquamarine: a sea-coloured beryl

Aquamarine (from the Latin aqua marina, “sea water”) is a variety of beryl, the same mineral as emerald. Its light blue to blue-green colour comes from traces of iron. Its hardness (7.5 to 8) makes it a sturdy stone, and it is often very clear, with few visible inclusions. It is mined in Brazil, Mozambique, Nigeria, Madagascar and Pakistan.

Sailors are said to have worn it as a stone for a safe voyage: this is a tradition, not a fact. In modern symbolism, it is associated with calm, clarity and communication, and with the throat chakra.

Bloodstone: the stone with red spots

Bloodstone, or heliotrope, is a dark green chalcedony (a quartz with very fine grains), spotted or veined with red from iron oxide inclusions. It is opaque, with a hardness of 6.5 to 7. The main deposits are in India, but it is also found in Brazil, Australia and China.

Its appearance gave it its name: “blood stone” (bloodstone in English). Medieval Christians saw in it the blood of Christ fallen on a green stone at the foot of the cross: this is a pious legend, not a fact. In modern symbolism, it evokes courage and quiet strength. It is also the stone linked to Aries in one list of signs (see the sign of Aries). Do not confuse it with the sanguine used in drawing, a red clay crayon, which shares only the name.

A little history: the 1912 list and its revisions

In August 1912, in Kansas City, the association of American jewellers of the time (today Jewellers of America) adopted an official list of birthstones to simplify sales. Several historians see it first and foremost as a commercial move rather than a return to Antiquity. This does not diminish the beauty of the stones, but it calls for some perspective.

The list then evolved: in 1952, a committee of the American jewellery industry added alexandrite for June, citrine for November and pink tourmaline for October, replaced December’s lapis lazuli with zircon, and reversed the roles of aquamarine and bloodstone in March. The United Kingdom has its own list, set in 1937 by the goldsmiths’ association. Modern lists can therefore differ from one country to another.

Other possible stones for March

chalcedony, pale blue, of the same nature as bloodstone;
ocean jasper, in sea colours, as a decorative stone;
larimar, the blue of the Caribbean sea, but from a single deposit (Dominican Republic);
beryl in its other colours (green, yellow, pink).

These stones are suggestions, not March stones in the official lists.

Giving a March birthstone

Aquamarine, solid and clear, works very well in a ring, a pendant or earrings. Bloodstone, opaque and understated, suits beads, bracelets and cabochons, a good choice for a man. Two stones for one month: you can also combine them.

For ideas, see our jewellery and bracelets ranges.

Care, treatments and imitations

Aquamarine. Lukewarm water, mild soap, soft cloth. Ultrasonic cleaning suits a stone without cracks. It tolerates light well. Almost all aquamarines on the market are heated to lighten a greenish tint or make it bluer: this treatment is stable and common. Imitations include blue glass and synthetic blue spinel; a very intense electric blue at a low price should raise doubts.

Bloodstone. Lukewarm water and a soft cloth; avoid harsh products. Its hardness allows everyday wear. It is sometimes imitated by dyed stones or dark green jaspers spotted with red: ask about the origin.

For your other stones, see our guide to cleansing your stones.