Physical, chemical, spectroscopic, and microscopic characteristics of a sample of hydrothermally grown synthetic aquamarine from the USSR are presented. Physical and spectroscopic data are correlated with the chemical composition of the synthetic beryl to establish cause of color. Diagnostic criteria to separate natural from synthetic aquamarine are given, and the growth conditions of this synthetic blue beryl are discussed. This is the first description of synthetic aquamarine in the English gemological literature.
