Aquamarine is the blue to greenish blue variety of Beryl which is colored by iron trace elements within the chemical make-up of this transparent gemstone. Natural aquamarine beads are usually of a lighter saturation of a blue or a greenish blue hue resembling a sea blue. Aquamarine was named for the latin word `Aqua` meaning water and `Marina` meaning of the sea. Mined in Brazil, Africa, Madagascar, Pakistan, Australia, US, China - Aquamarine was originally mined by German immigrants to Brazil in the 1850. The famous cutting center in Germany called Iber-Oberstein grew as a result of the discovery of Aquamarine by these immigrants and their need for lapidaries to cut rough into prized faceted gems.