The Emerald It is known throughout the world as one of the four most beautiful and most valued gemstones in jewelry, along with diamond, ruby and sapphire. But what some people probably don’t know about her is that she is also the may birthstone. So, if you were born in this month, you will surely want to know a little more about it, because, whether you wear it in a ring, necklace, bracelet or earrings, this stone will not only bring you beauty, but will also give you protection. those who use them.
Join us to learn a little more about this precious stone and what is the meaning it has for those who were born in May.
The etymology of its name has its origin in the old French word «esmeraude», which in turn came from the Greek «smaragdos» which means green stone.. Therefore, we could say then that the emerald is by definition a light or dark green stone, specifically it is a variety of the mineral beryl, whose color has been acquired by it, thanks to chrome and/or vanadium, present in its composition.
Although, previously, green beryls colored only by vanadium were not considered emeralds, thanks to the changes promoted in the 1960s by the jewelry industry in the United States, they were included in the definition, but in Europe they were not yet considered. recognize as such.
If we talk about the oldest emeralds, the oldest specimens of the May birthstone are estimated to be over 2.97 billion years old. But, it is said that the first emerald stones were found in Egypt in the year 330 BC, and it would be the Egyptians who would develop a great predilection for the emerald, to the point where, in addition to being used as a jewel, they were placed in the tombs of people from high society as a symbol of protection for the moment they meet the god of death.
On the other hand, an ancient belief suggests that this stone has regenerative powers, perhaps that was why Cleopatra became so obsessed with them that all her clothes and palaces were decorated with emeralds. and he often used to give them away to foreign dignitaries, and even ensured that he had a monopoly on all the emerald mines in the kingdom.
Regarding its use in the ancient world, May’s birthstone was worn as a talisman for protection against evil enchantments and spells. Likewise, it is said that he could reveal the truth about an oath and likewise, it was believed that by using them as talismans they granted power, riches and eloquence. For their part, the ancient Hindus offered emeralds to the Lord Krishna hoping to be rewarded with knowledge of the soul and the eternal.
When it comes to astrology, the Romans associated the emerald with Venus, who was their goddess of love and beauty, and the Hindus with the planet Mercury.. That is why, in current astrology, the two planets are considered as rulers for those born in May. On the one hand, we have Taurus from May 1 to 20, which is ruled by Venus, and Gemini from May 21 to 31, which is ruled by Mercury.
Another fact that we need to know in this regard is that It is a positive color that balances emotions and is related to the heart chakra. or «Anahata» which has green color. In the zodiac it has affinity with the signs of Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius and Libra. While on a religious level the emerald green color is associated with the angel of healing that is the Archangel Michael.
Regarding the symbolism of this gem, we can mention that for the ancient Egyptians it symbolized fertility and rebirth. Though also symbolizes abundance, youth and good fortune.
Among the mystical powers attributed to the emerald, it is said to help fertility, improve eyesight, intuition and increase psychic abilities: and it is also reputed to cure illnesses and protect the health of its wearer and equally It is believed to help cure insomnia and depression.
In gemological terms, the May birthstone has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale, but it is still a very shock-sensitive stone. Also, Due to the fact that they have inclusions and fissures inside that make it difficult to cut, a special type of cut has had to be developed, which is currently called emerald cut. or octagonal cut, which is characterized by being rectangular and normally having 48 or 50 facets in a row.
In jewelry it is also the official anniversary stone to commemorate 20 and 35 years of marriage.and it is worth mentioning that its colors range from a bluish green tone to a deep green tone with a lot of saturation, being the most valuable, most beautiful and scarcest emeralds, those of deep green color.
Regarding its value, it depends on the evaluation of four characteristics that are: color, brightness, size and purity. Therefore, depending on these characteristics, the price of an emerald stone can range from 10 to 4 million dollarsbut, it is not very common to get such a valuable stone.
Deposits of the May birthstone exist throughout the world, but the three main emerald producing countries are Colombia, Brazil and Zambia respectively. Although the best and most valued in the world due to their rarity are Colombian emeralds, since they have special characteristics that are not found anywhere else on the emerald planet.
However, the largest emerald in the world did not come from Colombia, but was extracted from Brazil. It is a stone weighing more than 11 kilos and a size of 57,500 carats, named Teodorawhich is owned by Canadian rare gem dealer, Regan Reaney.
Without a doubt, as can be seen, the emerald has well deserved its place of honor in the world of jewelry, due to its meaning, beauty and everything it represents, but it will always be the best gift for those born in May.