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【May Birthstone - The History and Legend of Emerald】

【May Birthstone - The History and Legend of Emerald】


        Emerald is one of the four internationally recognized gemstones (the four major gemstones include rubies, sapphires and diamonds in addition to emeralds). However, the geological conditions for the formation of emeralds are more complex and special than rubies and sapphires, so the output is also higher. Rarely, high-quality emeralds can be more valuable than diamonds and are truly the king of emeralds. Such a noble emerald has naturally become the birthstone of May. It contains rich kindness, kindness, luck and happiness, and will always protect the lucky ones born in May with its gentle magnetic field. At the same time, emerald is also a commemorative stone for the 55th wedding anniversary, and is an eternal and firm witness of romance.

        The history of emerald: Emerald itself is a very ancient gemstone. It is called Emerald in English and is derived from the Persian word Zumurud (emerald). It has been used as jewelry in ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians, ancient Greeks and nobles in the Persian Gulf were particularly fond of emerald jewelry. The famous Cleopatra loved emeralds during her lifetime. At that time, there was a famous "Cleopatra" emerald mine named after Cleopatra.

Portrait of Cleopatra [Internet image]

        The Chinese are equally enthusiastic about emeralds. The emperor of the Ming Dynasty regarded it as precious as a golden-green cat's eye. There is a saying that "ceremonial crowns require cat's eyes and emeralds." The jade belt of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty was inlaid with an extra-large emerald, which is now stored in the Dingling Museum of the Ming Tombs. The gold brocade quilt that Empress Dowager Cixi covered after her death was inlaid with a large number of pearls and other precious stones, as well as two emeralds weighing about 5 yuan each. In history, emerald has always been a treasure that can only be owned by princes and nobles. Today, it is also a noble gem that only a few people can own.

The 'Great Loop Belt' of Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty [Internet picture]


        The legend of emerald: Emerald has the magical power to exorcise ghosts and ward off evil spirits. Ever since humans discovered emerald, it has been used as an amulet and ward off evil spirits. Wearing it can resist the invasion of poisonous snakes and beasts. Also because emerald is the favorite gemstone of Venus, the goddess of love, the ancient Babylonians dedicated it to the goddess to pray for love and happiness.

A little knowledge about natural emerald green:
Emerald is the most noble member of the six pillar stones. It belongs to the hexagonal crystal system, is emerald green, and is transparent to translucent. Most emeralds contain inclusions, and pure ones are extremely rare. The inclusions are also the best evidence of their natural nature. Generally, emerald crystals are not large, and it is difficult to obtain more than 2ct after cutting and polishing. Because emeralds are so precious, emeralds are usually cut into "emerald cuts" (the name of this cut comes from emeralds), in order to protect the emerald from damage to the greatest extent and to show its elegance to the greatest extent. green.

Grandmother green type cutting [Image source: GIA]

Further reading - Emerald Knowledge:

Emerald (Green Beryl) Selection Knowledge and Gemstone Grading

Is emerald (green jade) good or not, beautiful or not, in fact, can be judged by the color first...
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The three major origins of emeralds

Many customers pay great attention to the origin when choosing emeralds, especially from Colombia and Zambia...
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How can Shaflei stone be a substitute? Distinguish between 'Shaflei stone' and 'emerald' in 1 minute.

Many people mistakenly believe that shafarite can be used as a substitute for emerald, but this ...
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