Emerald

Gemstone for May birthdays

The word emerald comes from the Greek 'smaragdos' meaning green stone. It is the most precious stone in the beryl group and in the precious top four of gemstones including sapphire, ruby and diamond. Emerald was the sacred stone of the goddess Venus and has always been highly valued throughout antiquity.

Emeralds were first mined in Egypt from 330 BC into the 1700s and much loved by Cleopatra . During the 16th century the Spanish traded emeralds for precious metals and brought emerald to the attention of European royalty.

Emerald is the gemstone for May birthdays. Emeralds are said to represent love, hope and healing

Emerald is highly valued for its deep bright green color. Inclusions are tolerated more in emeralds than virtually any other gem as they are considered part of the character of the natural stone and contribute to its uniqueness.

Emerald is part of the green to bluish green beryl family of minerals, that also includes aquamarine. The depth of green differentiates an emerald from the less expensive green beryl. Emeralds come primarily from Columbia, also found in Zambia, Brazil, Afghanistan and Russia.

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