Birthstone: May
Variety: Beryl
Chemical Composition:
Hardness: 7.5-8
Specific Gravity: 2.72(_.05), +.12)
Refractive Index: 1.57-1.59
Color: yellow-Green to blue-Green
Where Found: mined in Egypt, Pakistan, Austria, and Columbia. In US; in Connecticut, Montana, Nevada, North and South Carolina.

Emerald Folklore

The emerald is used as the 20th and 35th anniversary stone. Emeralds are worn to promote healing and to enhance love and commitment.

Ellie's Take On Emeralds

Now, I have to say, for the most part, Emeralds are not my favorite gemstone- not by a long shot. They are not readily available in fine qualities at reasonable prices- Emeralds form in the ground through a hydrothermic process- this underground crystallization process combined with the nature of its chemical composition and structure create a stone that is more often than not full of cracks, and fissures and other features that make it less stable, and more prone to breaking. So, for a few thousand dollars, I would be much more interested in other green gemstones such as Green Tourmalines, of Tsavorite Garnets. But that said, a really fine Emerald, clear of inclusions and flaws, deep, rich and bright color can be magnificent- and more costly and rare than a comparable size fine quality diamond. A fine gem emerald has a color and quality to it that is hard to describe in words, but it is an experience to be sure- you could look at that stone all day- The story goes that, Roman Emperor Cesar had a pair of emerald glasses that he wore when viewing the gladiators in the colosseum.