May Birthstone: Quick Guide to Emerald

The May birthstone is Emerald. Those born in May seem to exhibit more joy. Perhaps they are more joyful because it is spring. Things are turning green, flowers are blooming, and the weather is getting warmer. The Emerald is one of the four precious stones; Ruby, Diamond, Emerald and Sapphire. The Emerald is lush and gorgeous.

“Emerald…

Lively, Radiant, Lush…

A color of Excellence and Beauty

That enhances our sense of Wellbeing, Balance and Harmony.”

By Pantone

Emeralds were mined in Egypt as early as 330 BC. Cleopatra is the most famous person to treasure Emeralds. She claimed ownership of all Emerald mines in Egypt during her reign. Today, Angelina Jolie may be the most ardent defender of Emeralds. She shocked the celebrity world by wearing a pair of 115 carat Emerald drop earrings on the Academy Awards red carpet in 2009.Emeralds had gone out of favor until then and now have resurfaced, popular with celebrities like Halle Berry, Zoe Saldana, and Olivia Wilde.

5 Things Jewelry Lovers Want to Know About the Birthstone:

• Elizabeth Taylor owned a famous Emerald pendant that sold for $6.5 million in 2011.

• First Lady Jackie Kennedy wore an Emerald and Diamond engagement ring.

• Research from the University of Columbia shows that people born in May have the lowest disease risk
• There are many famous people born in May who can claim Emerald as their birthstone: Queen Victoria, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Audrey Hepburn, Miles Davis, Cate Blanchett, Patti LaBelle, George Clooney and Janet Jackson.
• It is thought that the oldest Emeralds are 2.97 billion years old.  

What Are the Two Birthstones for May?

According to the American Gem Society, Emerald is the birthstone for May. Agate is the traditional gemstone for May. Both symbolize harmony and balance. Because Emeralds are becoming rarer, people are looking for alternatives to Emeralds. Fortunately, because of the modern, traditional, and zodiac stones, there are at least 12 options: Emerald, Agate, Coral, Turquoise, Aventurine, Garnet, Amber, Rose Quartz, Tiger’s Eye, Chrysoprase, Citrine, White Sapphire, and Pearl.

What is the Official Birthstone of May?

The official birthstone of May is Emerald. It dates back to the breastplate of Israel’s high priest in the bible. A Roman scholar studied the breastplate and used it as a guide to develop the first list of birthstones. Emeralds were the first gemstones traded in the markets of Babylon around 4000B.C.

Emerald is one of the four precious stones: Emerald, Ruby, Diamond, and Sapphire.  It is also given for the 20th and 35th wedding anniversary.

What is the Meaning of the May Birthstone?

The name Emerald comes from the Greek word smaragdus, meaning “green gem.” It is the symbol of rebirth and thought to bring foresight, good fortune, and youth.  Because Greeks offered Emeralds to Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, it is associated with true love.  It was also associated with the goddess Venus, so it became the purveyor of romance.

Today, the Emerald symbolizes loyalty, new beginnings, peace, and security.

As the gem of Venus, it also aids in fertility. Cleopatra, Egypt’s passionate female monarch, was as famous for wearing Emeralds as Liz Taylor is for wearing diamonds. Ancient Egyptian mummies were often buried wearing an Emerald carved with the symbol of verdure on their necks to symbolize eternal youth.

What Color is the May Birthstone?

Emeralds come in many shades of green with the darker the gemstone being the more valuable. The deepest colors come from Columbia. These stones are a medium or darker green to blue-green color. The color of Emeralds is distinctive from other greens. It is more bluish than yellowish and has a particular shimmer.

What is the Gemini Birthstone?

There are six stones associated with the Zodiac sign Gemini ( May 22 – June 20) agate, chrysoprase, citrine, moonstone, pearl, and white sapphire. The main birthstone associated with Gemini is Agate. Agate is thought to enhance balance and stability. Agate comes in many colors including brown, reddish, black, green, pink, gray, blue and yellow.

Agates have been found with stone-age man in France as far back as 20,000-16,000 B.C.

What are Typical May Birthstone Bracelets?

What are Typical May Birthstone Necklaces?

What are Typical May Birthstone Rings?

Colombia produces the most significant number of Emeralds

Today, Columbia produces the majority of Emeralds; producing 50 to 95 % of the world’s Emeralds.  Zambia is the second-largest producer.  Emeralds can also be found in Afghanistan, Madagascar, Ethiopia, China, India, Spain, and even the United States.

In 2018, Zoe Kravitz wore Emerald earrings to the Golden Globe awards in support of the #MeToo movement. Emeralds signify hope, renewal, and growth, which ties them to the women’s suffrage movement in the 1900’s and the women’s rights movement of today.

Emeralds carry a score of 7 for hardness on the Mohs scale. It is always a good idea to keep your gems wrapped in something soft to store, and the same goes for Emeralds.

Care For Emeralds

Only use mild soap and warm water, no steam, or heat.

Famous Emeralds

There are many famous emeralds, including some worn by royalty and the most expensive piece of jewelry ever sold at auction.

The Chalk Emerald

The Chalk Emerald weighs 37.8 carats ranking among the finest Emeralds for clarity and velvety rich green color. It is surrounded by 60 pear-shaped diamonds weighing 15 carats. It resides in the Gem Gallery of the Museum of Natural History at the Smithsonian.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Bulgari Emerald and Diamond Pendant Brooch

The romance of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton was a spectacle watched by all the world. Richard Burton bought the 23.46-carat brooch for Ms. Taylor during the filming of Cleopatra in Rome. Elizabeth Taylor wore it in their wedding in 1964. It sold in 2011 for $6.6 million, the most expensive piece of jewelry ever sold at auction.

Queen Elizabeth II’s Vladimir Tiara

Thought to be Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite Tiara. It was made for Grand Duchess Vladimir of Russia in 1874. It was hidden during the Russian Revolution and smuggled out of Russia after the assassination of Tsar Nicholas and his family. It was later bought by Queen Mary (the present queen’s grandmother).

The original tiara was a series of diamond loops that held pearl pendants within the loops. When Queen Mary purchased the tiara, some of the pearls were missing, and the diamonds were loose. During the repair of the tiara, she had 15 emeralds that had belonged to her mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, set as pendants. Part of the rework included a mechanism to let the pendants be changed. Queen Elizabeth II is frequently seen wearing the emeralds within the tiara and has also worn the pearls for many occasions.

The Emerald carries an illustrious history, full of love, intrigue, and beautiful green hues. Let Joseph’s Jewelry help you continue your own family history with magnificent Emeralds of your own.

How to Identify the Value of the Birthstone Emerald?

A deeper and more vivid color of green signifies a more valuable Emerald. The most valuable and beautiful Emeralds exhibit an intense bluish hue in addition to their bold green color. Emeralds are among the rarest of gems, are almost always are found with birthmarks, known as inclusions. Some inclusions are expected and do not diminish the value of the stone such as with a diamond.

Here are Joseph’s Jewelry, we specialize in custom pieces with inherited Emeralds. With statement ring, bracelets, and statement necklaces we are able to cater to everyone’s desired look. We carry numerous elegant pieces catering to every budget, and desired style.

We are here to help residents in Stuart, Palm City, Hobe Sound, Jensen Beach, Jupiter and Port St. Lucie to find your perfect jewelry piece, complete a jewelry set, or make a custom jewelry design as unique as you are! 

We will also repair and restore your jewelry pieces and watches whether or not they were purchased through us. Come in anytime to check out our unique diamond rings, pendants, bracelets, earrings, and Citizen Eco Drive watches in stock for a celebration, last-minute gift, or spontaneous surprise.