What Is March's Birthstone? An Aquamarine Gift Guide for Spring Birthdays

The short answer: Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. It is a pale blue-green gem whose name comes from the Latin for water (aqua) and sea (marina), and it has long been linked to calm, clarity, and safe travel. For a March birthday, a good pick is a Name Necklace with Birthstone ($59.99) set with an aquamarine-toned stone, or a plain Custom Name Necklace ($59.00) if they are not a birthstone person.

What is aquamarine, exactly

Aquamarine is a light blue to blue-green variety of the mineral beryl, the same family as emerald. Its color ranges from a very pale, almost invisible blue to a deeper teal, and the pale end of that range is what most jewelry uses. The modern birthstone list was formalized in 1912 by the American National Retail Jewelers Association, and aquamarine has held its spot as March's stone since.

Brazil is the biggest source of aquamarine today, with more coming from Nigeria, Madagascar, Zambia, Pakistan, and Mozambique. In the United States, it turns up in Colorado, where it is the official state gemstone, and in a few spots in California.

What aquamarine means

The meaning attached to aquamarine is almost entirely about calm. It is associated with clarity, serenity, and emotional steadiness, which is a fitting theme for a birthstone gift since it reads as a wish for someone rather than just a color choice. The sea connection runs deep: sailors historically carried aquamarine as a travel talisman, believing it could calm rough water and protect against the dangers of a long voyage. Roman fishermen carried it for the same reason, plus luck catching fish. Ancient Egyptians were buried with aquamarine beads, and Roman physicians reportedly used it to treat digestive complaints, for whatever that is worth today.

None of that is a guarantee of anything, and we would not tell you otherwise. But it is part of why aquamarine has stayed a popular gift stone for centuries: it carries a genuine, well-documented story, not a marketing one.

Best personalized aquamarine gifts

• Name Necklace with Birthstone ($59.99) - their name on a pendant with their birthstone color set beside it. The most direct way to give a birthstone gift that still feels personal to them specifically, not just to March.
• Baby Feet Birthstone Necklace ($46.99) - for a mom with a March baby, a birthstone piece that marks the birth month rather than the mother's own.
• Custom Name Necklace ($59.00) - if the March birthday person is not into stones at all, their name alone is a safe, wearable-every-day option.
• Flower Name Necklace ($49.99) - pairs a name with a birth flower charm, which works well alongside or instead of a birthstone if you want to layer more than one personal detail into one piece.

How to pick the right shade

Aquamarine ranges from a barely-there pale blue to a more saturated teal. If you are buying for someone who prefers subtle jewelry, ask for or choose the lighter end of the range. If they like their jewelry to make a statement, a deeper blue-green reads more clearly as a real stone rather than a pale accent. When in doubt, lighter is the safer gift, since it goes with more outfits and skin tones.

Caring for aquamarine jewelry

Aquamarine is a reasonably durable stone, but it can still scratch or dull if it is knocked around daily. Take it off before swimming, showering, or heavy manual work, and wipe it with a soft cloth after wear. The metal setting matters more for day-to-day durability than the stone itself. Stainless steel settings do not tarnish, so a stainless steel piece with an aquamarine-toned stone needs very little upkeep.

Ordering timeline

Every piece is made to order, which takes 3-5 business days before it ships. From there, free tracked shipping runs 8-14 days. For a March birthday, that means ordering at least three weeks ahead is the safest bet, especially if you want time to double check spelling before it goes into production. All pieces come with 30-day returns if anything needs fixing.

Questions people ask

Is aquamarine a real gemstone or a color name?
It is a real gemstone, a light blue to blue-green variety of beryl, the same mineral family as emerald.

What does aquamarine mean as a birthstone?
It is traditionally tied to calm, clarity, and safe travel, with a long history as a sailor's talisman.

Is aquamarine expensive?
Compared to stones like emerald or sapphire, aquamarine is generally more affordable, which is part of why it shows up often in birthstone jewelry at accessible prices.

What other stones are associated with March?
Bloodstone is sometimes listed as an alternate March birthstone in older traditions, but aquamarine is the primary and far more common choice today.

Does an aquamarine-toned birthstone necklace tarnish?
The stone itself will not tarnish. If the setting is stainless steel, the metal will not tarnish either, which makes it a low-maintenance everyday option.

How many letters fit on a birthstone name necklace?
Most name pendant styles fit a first name comfortably up to about 10-12 characters before the pendant gets too wide to sit well.