May Birthstone: Emerald

I love this gemstone so much I don’t even know where to begin! I think it’s the colour that does it for me. Emerald green is by far my favourite colour. Maybe that’s why I’m so drawn to it. 

However, it is a nightmare to set small emeralds. They are 7.5-8 on the mohs scale, which can make them incredibly brittle and therefore can crumble under the pressure if you get the angle wrong! I generally try and set them first within a design, so if I f*** it up I can replace it without too much hassle. You can imagine how careful you need to be to make the ring above! A clear emerald is a rare find - they are extremely expensive and have even got their very own way of being cut. Known as the emerald cut, this rectangular shape has beveled corners to help stabilise the gem and prevent damage. This cut also helps guide the light to capture the amazing deep green of the stone.

The emerald is a member of the beryl family along with aquamarine and a few others. The green colour in emeralds comes from chromium. When gemologists decide the green is too pale this stone is then known as a green beryl and carries a lesser value, unlike the emerald and aquamarine which are either end of the ‘green spectrum’.

Emeralds were originally mined by the ancient Egyptians, but now interestingly more than 50% of the worlds emeralds are now found in Columbia! The oldest emeralds are around 2.97 billion years old, but the first known emeralds were mined in Egypt in about 1500 BC. The gemstones were famously favoured by Cleopatra and featured in many of her royal adornments. Mummies were often buried with emeralds, although some of these stones have been analysed in recent years and were found to be examples of peridot.

Emerald, Diamond, White gold - Remodel

In early mythology the emerald was associated with Mercury, god of pathways and roads, and of sleep and dreams. Due to this, the emerald was seen as the stone of divine inspiration. They used it for healing the eyes, and it was seen as a stone that could conquer the fragility and sickness in mankind.

Emerald is a stone of beauty. It helps to enable harmony and justice, therefore enhancing friendships and love! (Which is what we are all about here at CMJ.) It can aid the loving bond between partners and keeps our brain functioning in a youthful fashion. They are especially good for aiding recovery. Be it from a fateful blow or general hardships, the emerald helps with openness, putting us on a path of regeneration, helping us to enjoy life and to live it to the full. The clarity it brings helps us to see the bigger picture and live in harmony with others.

Emeralds have a detoxifying effect which can be focused on inflammations of the upper respiratory tract and rheumatic complaints. It can strengthen the liver, heart and immune system, while aiding recovery from infection (illnesses specifically).

To use the emerald as a healing stone it can be worn or laid on the body when used in meditation practice. If you are looking for a noticeable effect, using it as an essence may be the best way to use it.