May Birthstone—All About Emeralds

We’re halfway through May and quickly approaching Gemini season, so hopefully, you’ve been harnessing the growth, reflection, peace, and balance symbolized by May’s birthstone, the Emerald. If not, it’s not too late to learn about all the positivity and tranquility the beautiful stone can bring into your life.

The emerald is derived from the word “smaragdus,” which means “green” in Greek. It’s a variety of the mineral beryl, which grows with six sides and up to a foot in length. Emeralds are synonymous with the verdant, deep green that they express, though they come in a variety of shades, from light green to a rich green-blue. Emeralds with hints of blue are the rarest and most expensive.

History of the Emerald

Emeralds are often known as the jewel that Cleopatra draped herself in during the era of the Ancient Egyptians. Today, her collection of emeralds is one of the most famous, and she loved the jewel so much that she would gift large emeralds carved with her likeness to dignitaries leaving Egypt. She claimed ownership over all emerald mines in Egypt, taking the earliest known location for Emerald mining, which was close to the Red Sea, from the Greeks.

The Ancient Egyptians used emerald jewelry and in the burials of monarchs to provide protection, but they weren’t the only historical civilization to fall in love with these gems. The Muzo tribe of Colombia kept secret emerald mines that they hid so well that it took Spanish conquistadors nearly twenty years to find them. Legend has it the Legend that the emerald was one of the four stones that God gave King Solomon, endowing him with power over all creation.

Though we’ve advanced 2000 years, people today still revere emeralds as some of the most valuable gems in the world. Elizabeth Taylor’s famous emerald pendant sold for $6.5 million in 2011.

The Symbolism of the Emerald

The emerald is extremely rare, though it can be found all over the world, most notably Colombia, Brazil, Afghanistan, and Zambia. Like all precious gems, the emerald comes with intricate symbolism. Unlike the ruby, which represents fiery passion, the emerald has more steadfast and stable connotations.

The emerald is supposed to bring good fortune to its wearer, and much of its symbolism revolves around transformation and restoring youth. It’s often linked to rebirth and eternity, showing a secure connection over time.

Emerald is also renowned as a healing stone, especially when it comes to relationships. It’s a great stone to employ when you and your partner are entering a new stage of your life, embarking on an exciting adventure, or going through a rough patch. It has been said to work as a helpful remedy for depression and other mental disorders as well as balancing the nervous, digestive, and respiratory systems.