Emerald: May Birthstone
Emeralds come in a range of colors. While the most highly valued emeralds are the darkest green, this beautiful stone's color ranges from pale to dark green, with other colors hints.
Emerald: A gem of history, legend and lore
Emerald has been known since the ancient times for its mystical qualities. Cleopatra, for instance, preferred being decked out in emeralds from head to toe because the Egyptians thought the gem held the key to everlasting youth. It is for this reason that emeralds have been a common find in the archaeological excavations surrounding the properties of the pharaohs. In addition to this, emerald is also a well-known gem in South American folklore, as the Incas revered emeralds as gods in their ancient culture.The reason behind choosing Emerald as the May Birthstone
Emerald is the birthstone for the month of May for a reason. May is the season of full bloom, with flowers emerging from their buds and colorful foliage bursting into bloom. It's a season of hope and regeneration, and emeralds, with their deep green hues, perfectly represent this.
Emerald is associated with all things that foster fertility, such as passion, fitness, and prosperity. Its springtime green color evokes the freshness of new growth. As May signifies the period of growth, and the rising sun, Emerald goes perfectly with this theme.
As was mentioned earlier, green is also a color associated with fertility. It's no coincidence that emeralds were given as gifts to young Roman wives. Emeralds were a go-to for lovers in the Middle Ages because green is synonymous with Venus, the goddess of love. Even today, it is common to give emerald jewelry to new or expecting mothers as a symbol of fertility related good luck.
Emeralds are also thought to have influence beyond their presence. It used to be a common lore that putting an emerald under your tongue would give you the power to foresee the future.
PS: Did you know that the 55th wedding anniversary is called the Emerald Anniversary!
Emerald's Mysterious inner glow
The elegance of an emerald is challenging to comprehend until you've got one in your hands. When you compare naturally mined emeralds, you'll find that they're all different. Depending on the concentrations of trace minerals within each crystal and the lighting conditions, their green Color may appear bright or soft pastel green. However, it's not just their Color that makes them stand out. Emeralds also seem to have a radiance that emanates from within. Believe us not, why not have a look yourself!
The Color for soothing your eyes!
Pliny the Elder, a Roman naturalist, wrote in his encyclopedia Natural History that 'nothing green is greener' than the May birthstone and that gazing at an emerald was the best way to relax and soothe the eyes. Remember, how we were taught as kids that looking at the green grass is good for the eyes, well the same holds true for emeralds too!
There have been some scientific theories around it but we haven’t been able to verify it conclusively for now, even though it does sound logically correct if we go by the characteristics of the light spectrum.
The Composition, Varieties and the mining Grounds for Emerald
Emeralds are mined in several countries, including Colombia, Zambia, and Brazil. While this might give a sense of abundance of this gemstone, yet, finding a high-quality pure emerald is a very rare occurrence. Needless to say, their price per carat exceeds that of diamonds in many cases!
Colombia is the most important source of best quality emeralds. As a result, many gemologists regard the Colombian Emeralds as the benchmark by which all other emeralds are measured.
Colombia's most well-known mining towns are Muzo, Chivor, and Coscuez. They all grow emeralds in various Colors. However, emeralds from the Muzo mine are generally darker than those from other mines, while Chivor produces bluish-green gems and Cozcuez produces yellowish-green gems.
The Minas Gerais mine in Brazil is also a significant producer of best quality emeralds around the world. Aquamarine, a close relative of the emerald in the beryl mineral family, is also found here. Zambia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan are among the other countries that grow emeralds.
Some Great gift Ideas for the events happening in May
May's birthstone, emerald, is an ideal gift for any significant life event happening in the month; from birthdays and anniversaries to celebrations for new babies, marriages, graduations, and weddings.
A piece of emerald jewelry is sure to be appreciated- not just for the thought that went behind it but also for its grandeur. Anyone who has the opportunity to see an authentic emerald gem up close cannot help but be enchanted.
Juliet's popular line, "a rose by any other name would smell as good," is probably familiar to you. However, this does not apply to emeralds and other gemstones, so make sure you buy one from a certified gemstone dealer only. There are just so many fakes in the market but as they say- not everything that is green is an emerald!
At Iris Gems, we make sure that all the gemstones that we offer are certified by the most reputed labs – GIA, Gubelin, GRS, AGL, SSEF.
Value
Emerald’s prices depend on depth and purity of color, the clarity and its carat weight. Color is extremely important in grading Emeralds and the most prized emeralds are bluish green to pure green. Evenly distributed color with good saturation and no color zoning, a not too dark tone, vivid color, and a high degree of transparency makes an emerald the most prized.
Inclusions are common in emeralds and are acceptable. Eye clean emerald are rare and expensive.
The most common cut is the -emerald cut because it enhances the beauty and color from the inside.
The price of emeralds rises exponentially with its carat weight and size.
Things to consider while buying
Most Emeralds are treated to improve its looks. Since Emerald is a softer stone, it may need to be fracture filled with oils or artificial resins to enhance the clarity. The oiling or filling is classified as ‘minor’ to ‘significant’ depending upon the treatment. Emeralds may also be dyed to improve their color.
Caring for your Emerald
Emerald is a special stone and it requires special care. It is a soft stone with a hardness of 7.5 to 8.0 on Mohs scale. It is therefore prone to scratches and abrasions. Exposure to heat may cause cracks and harsh chemicals should be avoided on this stone. Emeralds should never be put in an ultrasonic cleaner which can almost certainly ruin the stone. The best way to clean an emerald stone or jewelry is by soaking and cleaning in a warm soapy water and using a soft brush.
Emerald jewelry should be put on after wearing the outfit, hairspray or perfume and it should not be worn with harder stones such as diamonds and sapphires which may scratch its surface. One should avoid wearing an emerald ring (or jewelry) every day. It should be reserved for occasions.
Some Great gift Ideas for the events happening in May
May's birthstone, emerald, is an ideal gift for any significant life event happening in the month; from birthdays and anniversaries to celebrations for new babies, marriages, graduations, and weddings.
A piece of emerald jewelry is sure to be appreciated- not just for the thought that went behind it but also for its grandeur. Anyone who has the opportunity to see an authentic emerald gem up close cannot help but be enchanted.
Juliet's popular line, "a rose by any other name would smell as good," is probably familiar to you. However, this does not apply to emeralds and other gemstones, so make sure you buy one from a certified gemstone dealer only. There are just so many fakes in the market but as they say- not everything that is green is an emerald!
At Iris Gems, we make sure that all the gemstones that we offer are certified by the most reputed labs – GIA, Gubelin, GRS, AGL, SSEF.
General Trivia:
- Fast forward today, Emerald is more of a luxury item which is associated with glamorous women such as Elizabeth Taylor, Angelina Jolie, and Jackie Kennedy.
- There is a common lore among many soothsayers(mostly in the European regions) that keeping emeralds under the tongue will help you see into the future.
- There is also a claim that a shift in the Color of an emerald gemstone could reveal whether your partner was lying to you.
