Find the exact aquamarine bead you’re shopping for in the variety available on 1stDibs. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from
Gold,
18k Gold and
Silver — can elevate any look. In our selection of items, you can find a vintage example as well as a contemporary version. If you’re looking for a aquamarine bead from a specific time period, our collection is diverse and broad-ranging, and you’ll find at least one that dates back to the 19th Century while another version may have been produced as recently as the 21st Century. As it relates to this specific piece, our collection includes designs that are universally popular, but
.5 Carat and
1 Carat carat weights, specifically, are sought with frequency. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic aquamarine bead over the years, but those made by
Marina J.,
Decadent Jewels and
Karen Sugarman Designs are often thought to be among the most beautiful. See these pages for a
bead iteration of this accessory, while there are also
round cut cut and
mixed cut cut versions available here, too. Most of our aquamarine bead for sale are for
women, but there are 92 pieces available to browse for
men.
Prices for a aquamarine bead can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — at 1stDibs, these accessories begin at $157 and can go as high as $84,244, while this accessory, on average, fetches $1,800.
Perhaps the one gemstone that best embodies the glimmering blue of the ocean is aquamarine, not just in name but also in color. Aqua marina (Latin for water and sea), March’s birthstone, is often crystal clear and blue. Often affordable in price, vintage and antique aquamarine jewelry belongs in everyone’s jewelry box.
Aquamarine is a precious gemstone from the mineral beryl family. Its cousin is the emerald. Like other beryl varieties, aquamarines are rated 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. This means that they are soft enough for jewelers to cut to their client’s specs but also durable enough for daily wear.
On land or sea, aquamarines feature prominently in many folk tales, including one about mermaids gifting aquamarine to sailors to protect them during sea voyages. Worn around sailors’ necks as an amulet, it kept them from getting seasick and, most importantly, from shipwrecks. Considered a symbol of courage by some, aquamarine amulets were also favored by Egyptian and Hebrew warriors during battle.
Aquamarine has also made appearances on some of the grandest of great dames. The Brazilian government gifted Eleanor Roosevelt with a 1,847-carat aquamarine in 1935 and Queen Elizabeth II received a sizable aquamarine upon her 1953 coronation; this stone is now the focal point of her aquamarine tiara. And renowned Tiffany & Co. designer Jean Schlumberger made a diamond Bow setting for a 148.5-carat aquamarine, which was originally exhibited at the 1893 World’s Columbian Exhibition, now in the collection of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
On 1stDibs, find a range of vintage and antique aquamarine jewelry that includes unique aquamarine rings, necklaces and other accessories.