May Birthstone

May Birthstone, Emerald

Nature springs to life with the arrival of May. The last month of spring gives us the freshest, the juiciest vegetation. Emerald meadows and sap-laden flora are what we love May for. It is not surprising that the greenest month of the year has the greenest minerals as its patron. Emerald, the May birthstone, is a symbol of the renewal of life and rebirth.

Emerald Birthstone Meaning and Value

Of all precious stones, only emeralds were worthy of Cleopatra’s beauty. The Queen of Egypt loved the green stone so much that every single emerald mine in Egypt was in her possession. At the same time, Egyptian emerald mines existed long before the birth of Cleopatra. Pharaohs valued emeralds as symbols of their power. After their death, pharaohs’ subjects lavishly embellished their tombs with the green gem.

The jewel is associated with Venus, the Roman goddess of love. The ancient Romans believed that emerald embodied the qualities of the goddess - beauty, abundance, and perfection. Likewise, the ancient Greeks attributed the green gem to Aphrodite, the deity who personified love, beauty, and happiness.

Emeralds played an important role in the culture of South America. The Muzo Indians, who inhabited the Eastern Colombian Andes, had owned well-hidden emerald mines since 500 AD. Later, these deposits became the source of the mineral for Europe. The crown of the Andes worn by Atahualpa, the last Inca (king) of Peru, contained about 450 emeralds with a total weight of 1,523 carats. Until now, some of the most beautiful and valuable emeralds are mined in South America.

May Birthstone is emerald, it is beautiful green color gemstone crystal

The Fragile Beauty of Emerald Gemstone

Emerald is a particularly valuable variety of beryl. In terms of its chemical composition, it is very similar to aquamarine and heliodor. The most valuable are clear stones displaying a rich green color.

May birthstone, Emerald is a particularly valuable variety of beryl

How to Choose the Best May Birthstone?

A few factors determine the value of emerald: color, weight, cut, clarity, and origin. If your emerald excels in all these categories, you can be sure that it won’t lose its value over time. On the contrary, it is likely to increase its worth provided you care for it properly. If you’re looking for a May birthstone as a gift for your Taurus or Gemini friend, make sure it checks the following boxes.

Weight/Size

Large emeralds are extremely rare. A 10-carat stone is typically 50 times more expensive than a one-carat counterpart. Moreover, fine clear emeralds which weight exceeds 5 carats are often more expensive than diamonds.

Color

Emerald’s color is by far the most important aspect to consider since it has the biggest impact on the value. Unlike diamonds, emerald does not have an international color grading scale. However, many jewelers use a five-level ICL system to grade colored gemstones. The most sought-after are bluish-green emeralds with a deep intense tone. Less expensive are yellowish-green specimens, pale or vice versa, dark gems, as well as those that aren’t able to provide exceptional brilliance.

Purity

Absolute purity can be a sign of the artificial or synthetic origin. More often than not, emerald features some kind of impurity that occurred during the period of its formation. Most of these inclusions look mossy or garden-like. They are termed jardin, which means garden in French. The most precious emeralds are eye-clean, i.e. you won’t see any imperfections with a naked eye. That being said, if a specimen provides a beautiful inclusion able to enhance its brilliance and visual impact, it is going to be as valuable as pure specimens.

Cut and Shape

The most common cut for an emerald carries the same name. It is a tiered rectangular cut with truncated corners and an octagonal outline. The emerald cut is designed specifically for this mineral since it enhances its radiance and reduces the risk of corner damage. Other popular cuts are ovals and pears.

May birthstone for jewelry making

Emerald Birthstone Healing Properties

Legends have it that the blood of Christ was collected into an emerald bowl. Everyone who was given the honor to drink from the bowl was awarded with good health and deliverance of all diseases. This vessel is now known as the Holy Grail.

May Brithstone is emerald, this is for jewelry

May Birthstone, Emeralds for Sale

Russia,Colombia, and Zambia, you can get the exclusive quality that won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Opaque with beautiful internal patterns and absolutely clear, our emeralds display lustrous cabochon and faceted cuts. Whether you choose strands, sets, or individual one-of-a-kind stones, you’ll be struck by their allure. Your Taurus and Gemini friends will surely appreciate a meaningful and mesmerizing gift that is one of our emeralds.

May birthstone, Emerald gemstone bracelet

Wide variety of our May Birthstone collection

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