22 May Your May Birthstone – Emerald!

If your birthdate falls within the month of May, you’re lucky enough to be associated with one of the truly spectacular gemstones, the emerald. Emeralds and their bold green hue are revered by royals and celebrities alike. Some of the most well-known emerald jewelry belonged to Elizabeth Taylor and was accented by platinum and diamonds.

Emeralds belong to the beryl family. This group also consists of aquamarine and morganite gemstones. Emeralds are most commonly found in Colombia, but can be found in South America as a whole, as well as a few other locations around the world. It’s name is a Greek derivative that literally means green, which is fitting since a lot of people associate May with a time of the year that really starts greening up outside before summer. Emeralds are included stones, meaning the internal marks are visible. The deeper green the emerald, and the clearer it is, the more valuable they are.

Royalty and emeralds go hand in hand. When you think of crown jewels, you typically think of gold, but when you think of the precious stones that adorn each item, you probably think of emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. Cleopatra is said to have cherished emeralds above all other stones during her reign, and even owned all of the mines.

As with most gemstones, it was thought in antiquity that they possessed special powers. While that may not be true, emeralds were no exception at the time and were thought to cure a number of ailments, as well as calm the wearer.