May Birthstone | About Emeralds and Jewellery

About the Stone

For centuries, emeralds have been one of the most precious stones. We often associate it with wealth, fortune, and status. The great Egyptian queen Cleopatra cherished the stone, famously claiming ownership over all emeralds in Egypt during her reign. Elizabeth Taylor's iconic emerald pendant sold for $6.5 million in 2011. If you’re lucky enough to be born in May, emerald is your birthstone! 

It’s rich green colour turns almost any piece of jewellery into a statement piece. Emeralds come in a range of green hues reminiscent of spring and nature. Emeralds represent rebirth, good fortune, peace, and insight. 

If you’re born in May or know someone born in May, you should learn a few things about emeralds before purchasing one as a birthday gift.    

Purchasing Emeralds

Similar to diamonds and other precious gemstones, emeralds are rated and judged by the 4C’s: colour, cut, clarity, and carat. Most experts believe that when it comes to emeralds, you should focus on colour more than the other C’s because emeralds can have such distinct colour depending on the cut.

Emeralds come in a range of green hues from light green to deep blue-green. Lighter-coloured emeralds are more common than darker emeralds. The price of emeralds can drastically range based on colour alone.  

Emeralds are beryl stones and are often mined in South America or Africa similar to other beryl stones like aquamarine. Emeralds can be synthetically made by combining beryllium, chromium, and vanadium in a lab. However, synthetically-made emeralds don’t hold the same value as mined emeralds and should have a lower price that reflects this.

Also Read: April Birthstone | How To Buy Diamonds

Emerald Alternatives

Emeralds can get quite expensive costing almost $100,000 per carat in some stones! If you’re hoping to gift a May baby with birthstone jewellery, you may want to consider other stones that are more affordable. Other stones with similar colour and metaphysical properties include peridot and nephrite jade. 

Peridot is known as the stone of compassion. It can calm the soul and offer new beginnings to the wearer. Other metaphysical properties peridot can offer include harmony, rest, good health, and peace.

Jade is known as the stone of serenity and purity across many cultures. In BC, we’re fortunate enough to source all our jade within our own province. It symbolizes wisdom formed in peace. This is also a protective stone said to bring good luck and attract nurturing friendships. In Chinese cultures, jade is also representative of status and wealth.  

For both these gems, we recommend cleaning using our preferred cleaning method or bringing it into the store.

Also Read: How To Clean Your Jewellery At Home

Spiritual Connections

Across many cultures, emeralds have been said to foretell the future, reveal the truth, bring balance to partnerships, and protect against evil spells. In some legends, emeralds were even said to make the wearer a more eloquent speaker. Emeralds are often associated with the planet Venus.  

For those with Taurus placements, the natural elegance, luxury, and colour make the stone highly appealing. For the star-sign ruled by the planet Venus, emeralds are the most obvious choice of birthstone. As a Taurus, you value strength and honesty. The emerald can protect and enhance the values you hold so close to you.   

If you’re a Gemini born in May, emeralds can help keep your wit even sharper than before. Communication is highly valuable to a Gemini. Emeralds can help the Gemini differentiate between true wisdom and cleverness. More importantly, when a Gemini is plagued with chaotic thoughts and emotions, wearing emerald stones can bring the inner peace a Gemini seeks. 

How to Care for Emerald Jewellery

Emeralds are a relatively hard stone ranging from 7.5 to 8.0 on the Mohs scale. Emerald jewellery can be worn relatively often. Since emeralds often have nature inclusions, they are still prone to damage if worn daily. However, with proper care and maintenance, emerald jewellery can last a lifetime. 

If you wear emeralds daily, it may lose it shine over time. To maintain the best look of your emeralds, clean the stones with warm water, mild soap, and a soft brush. Never soak jewellery for more than five minuets and always dry thoroughly with a microfiber cloth. Always store your jewellery in a covered box with a soft cushion. If your jewellery still looks dingy, bring it into your local jewellery store to have an expert asses it. 

Also Read: The Difference Between Gold-Filled Vs. Gold-Plated Jewellery