MAY BIRTHSTONE: EMERALDS

It carries the rich green color of Spring and radiates a beautiful vivid tone. They are most frequently found inside a form of shale — a fine-grained sedimentary rock. Emerald-bearing shale has undergone recrystallization caused by changes in the physical environment such as pressure and temperature.

The history of emeralds can be traced back to antiquity. They were worn by royalty in Babylon and Egypt. Queen Cleopatra’s emeralds were believed to originate from mines in Southern Egypt, near the Red Sea. Another popular emerald artifact is the Crown of the Andes, said to be worn by Atahualpa, the last Inca (king) of Peru. The crown is set with about 450 emeralds, collectively weighing 10 ounces (1,523 carats).

The green color of the gemstone symbolizes rebirth and is believed to give the owner good fortune, foresight and youth — all desirable traits. Emeralds are believed to be one of the most valuable gemstones in the world as the availability of high quality emeralds is extremely limited.