May Birthstone-Emerald!

May babies are gifted the emerald as their birthstone. Emeralds as with many gemstones have been admired and mined for thousands of years. Emerald’s green color has been the envy of many for centuries. Emerald is in the beryl family which means it is closely related to other stones such as morganite and aquamarine.

Color is the most important factor in emerald price. If the color is too light, it is then called “green beryl” and not emerald. Due to emeralds many inclusions and internal fractures, treatments such as oiling or introducing a resin into the stone to make it more eye-clean (inclusion free to the naked eye) are very common. Because treating emeralds is very, very common emeralds free of treatment command a very high price almost 50% higher than a treated stone.

Columbia is the biggest producer of emeralds, with Zambia being the second. The Brazilian mines have the ability to produce fine quality stones, but are more so known for producing commercial-quality stones. Many other countries produce emerald such as Australia, Russia, and the United States.

The basics:

• Mohs Scale: 7.5-8

• Mineral: Beryl

• 20th and 35th wedding anniversary

Fun Facts:

• Chromium, vanadium, and iron are the elements that cause emerald’s color

• Most emerald’s are mined in metamorphic-rock environments, but they can also be mined in sedimentary-rock environments, like Columbia.

• It is widely accepted that emeralds will have eye-visible inclusions

• The US and Japan account for about 75% of all emerald purchases worldwide

• It was thought that if you placed an emerald under your tongue you would be able to foresee the future, as well as be protected against evil spells

• Wearing an emerald was also thought to bring about truth or reveal falseness of a lover’s oath