This month, I'm focusing on emeralds, which are the *birthstone for May. Emeralds are one of my favorite gemstones. Not only because of their properties and quality, but simply because I find them infinitely beautiful.
If you're interested in birthstones, or just want a refresher on what birthstones are, you can read more about the general aspects at the bottom of the article.
Background
There is a lot of history surrounding emeralds, as they date back a long time. Emeralds were known, among other things, from ancient Egypt up to today's royalty, where the green gemstone attracts great attention. Emeralds are quite rare, about 20 times rarer than diamonds. Emeralds are mainly found in countries such as Colombia and Zambia. 50% of the gemstone's value is determined by the stone's depth, tone, and saturation, while the remaining 50% is assessed by clarity, cut, and weight. The most important thing, then, is which color is the most beautiful.
Facts
- Emeralds are the best known in the beryl family. The beryl family includes emerald, aquamarine, and morganite.
- Emeralds can be found in nature with a faceted appearance, as if they have been cut, this is due to the beryl crystal's internal atomic structure.
- The color ranges from light to dark green, the most sought after have a deep intense velvety green hue (grass green, slightly bluish-green, satin green).
- Hardness on the Mohs scale: 7.5-8, which is a very good hardness for jewelry.
Super powers: connection to nature, love, hope and spring, success and victory in honorable pursuits.
My advice
- I think birthstones in jewelry are a wonderful way to add meaning to a piece of jewelry, whether it's a gift for yourself or for someone you love.
- Before investing in a piece of jewelry with an emerald, you need to decide what green hue, clarity, and cut you want, as well as what your budget is. Emeralds come in a very wide price range.
Send me a message if you have any questions about emeralds, and/or wish for me to design a unique ring or piece of jewelry for you - you can read more about the process here.
Best regards, Michell
*Birthstones is a term that covers various precious and semi-precious stones, one to several for each month. These stones symbolize those born in those months. They are typically used for jewelry given as maternity gifts, christenings or other special occasions. Read more about them in, for example, the January post here.