May birthdays fall right in the heart of spring, and the emerald is the perfect gem to symbolise and celebrate this month. Prized for its brilliant and beautiful green colour, the emerald is often favoured by the rich and famous to wear as statement pieces for big events.
But this beautiful gem is just at home in an unassuming pendant, as it is in an ornate tiara. As the birthstone for May, the emerald, a symbol of rebirth, is believed to grant the owner foresight, good fortune, and youth. Emerald, derived from the word “smaragdus,” means, quite literally, “green” in Greek.
Like aquamarine, emerald is a variety of beryl, a mineral that grows with six sides and up to a foot in length. Emerald colour can range from light green (though there is some argument whether these very light beryls are truly emeralds) to a deep, rich green. Emeralds are also like aquamarine in that the way the colour presents itself in jewellery depends on a good cut by a skilled gemologist.
Most emeralds end up being heat treated to deepen or enhance the colour. The deeper or more green an emerald, the more valuable it is. The rarest emeralds will appear to be an intense green-blue.
