May Birthstone: Emerald

May babies, it’s your month! Your birthstone is the stunning emerald, a luxurious green gemstone prized by royals and celebrities. Some of the most well-known emerald jewelry belonged to actress Elizabeth Taylor—a platinum Bulgari necklace with 60.50 carats of emeralds (plus all those sparkling diamonds), and a platinum Bulgari ring with a 7.40 carat octagonal emerald and a whopping 5.30 carats of diamonds. Talk about glamour!      

Image credit: Bulgari

 About Emerald

            Emerald is part of the beryl family, which also consists of aquamarine and morganite. Emerald is typically found in Colombia, as well as other countries in South America and around the globe. Its name comes from the Greek word “smaragdus”, which translates to “green”. No fancy hidden meanings here! It’s fitting that emerald is May’s birthstone, as its green color suits the spring season—May is the time when we really see a drastic change in greenery outdoors.

             An emerald’s green color can range from pale to more rich and vibrant greens. Emeralds are “included” stones, meaning that their internal marks are visible. The clearer the stone is (like glass) and the deeper green the color, the better the quality is.

There is no doubt that many people associate emerald with royalty. When you think of historic rulers, kings and queens, it’s common for exquisite gems like emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds to come to mind. According to the American Gem Society, it is said that Cleopatra cherished emeralds, and that during her reign in Egypt, she owned all of the emerald mines. Lucky girl! (Read more from the AGS here: http://bit.ly/2p0OqGa)

            Did you know that many gemstones are thought to hold special powers? Emerald is no exception—it was initially thought that wearing emerald could help aid various health problems, and that its soothing green color could keep its wearer calm. Whether or not that is really true, we’re not sure...but we do know that emeralds make us feel a bit glamorous whenever we wear them!

 You can find stunning emerald birthstone jewelry at Becker’s—check out our stores, website, and eBay and Etsy shops for all of your emerald needs!

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West Hartford  - 65 LaSalle Rd
(860) 521 - 3202

Old Saybrook – 105 Elm St (Near Stop and Shop)
(860) 391 - 8281