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What Is The Birthstone For May?
Firstly the gemstone that represents May’s birthstone is the beautiful Emerald.
It is also the Gem of Springtime with its green hues and the gem of the twentieth and thirty-fifth wedding anniversaries.
These gemstones are green to a greenish-blue variety of beryl. The gemstone itself has to have a particular dark hue to be named an Emerald. If the shade is too light, then the gemstone is graded as a Beryl instead.
History And Origin
Roman author Pliny the Elder – Vesuvius wrote in his encyclopedic that “nothing greens greener.” He also stated that the May birthstone had therapeutic properties that helped gem cutters: “(they) have no better method of restoring their eyes than by looking at the emerald, its soft, green colour comforting and removing their weariness and lassitude.” Science now proves this belief: The colour green relieves stress and eye strain.
The oldest Emeralds date back to 2.97 Billion years ago in South Africa. The first known mines were in Egypt, dating from at least 330 BC into the 1700s. Cleopatra was known to have a passion for Emerald and used it in her royal adornments.
In ancient Greek Mythology, it is said that Hermes gifted the goddess of love Aphrodite a giant Emerald. Additionally, both Greeks and Romans believed the emerald possessed great powers. In fact, the ancient Romans associated the emerald with Venus the goddess.

Emerald Healing Properties
This beautiful gemstone has both physical healing properties and mental healing properties. To improve ones healing from negative thoughts and heal both emotional love and the physical heart. Including improving the liver, infections from illness, the sinuses, and the lungs. In addition to generally being a sign of good fortune.
An Emerald is said to be a bridge between two people when the gem is given in unconditional love.

Emerald Birthstone Gift Inspiration
With a wide range of jewellery designs, Emeralds can be set in most items on our website.
Emerald Engagement Rings
Emerald gemstones are available in a range of shapes. Contrary to the traditional shape, we can also supply them in most fancy shapes such as Oval or Round. To create an Emerald engagement ring, we can initially look into providing a range of qualities and particular shades of green.

In particular, an emerald engagement ring set with a brilliant white halo of diamonds creates an unusual striking finished effect.
US Mother’s Day Rings
US citizens celebrate Mother’s Day in May each year. What better occasion than to commission a Mothers Ring for her—set with your birthstone and a personal message.
May Birthstone Necklaces

Alternative styles include a pendant with a brilliant white diamond halo.

Emerald Cluster Ring Designs
This green gemstone benefits from a cluster ring design. Set alongside brilliant white diamonds, all matching perfectly prior to setting creates a classical look as well as a modern statement. Example shows our client’s incredible yellow-gold cluster ring design.

Qualities
Emeralds typically contain inclusions that are visible to the unaided eye. Because of this, trade members and some consumers understand and accept the presence of inclusions. Eye-clean emeralds are precious because they’re so rare.
Interestingly, mines are based in Columbia in northern South America that are producing emeralds for the majority of the world.
The inclusions look mossy or garden-like. They’re sometimes called “Jardin,” which is French for garden.

Colour
Firstly, and most importantly the most desirable colours are bluish-green to pure green, with vivid colour saturation and tone that’s not too dark. The most-prized emeralds are highly transparent. If the hue is too yellowish or too bluish, the stone is not emerald, but a different variety of beryl, and its value drops accordingly.
Carat Weight
Available in a wide range of carat weights. The Sandawana mine in Zimbabwe – known for its tiny yet vividly coloured stones. Its emeralds are as small as 1 mm square, but they’re still intensely green. The mine’s cut stones average about 0.05 to 0.25 carat and rarely weigh more than 1.50 carats.
The smallest sizes range from 1 mm to 5 mm, with weights from 0.02 to 0.50 carat, while 1 to 5-carat stones are popular as centre stones. Prestigious pieces of jewellery can include emeralds that weigh over 20 carats.
Emerald Bespoke Design
Although most of our designs are available with the option of an alternative gemstone, it may be that you have envisioned the perfect design, whether this is a ring design, pendant, or even earrings. Therefore, our bespoke design is the ideal option for bringing your amazing emerald piece to life.

With a showroom based in Ryde on the Isle of Wight, appointments are available from Mondays – Saturdays. In comfortable surroundings, most importantly, we can discuss the design and ensure we have some gemstones here for your appointment to view and select the perfect green!
Clover Ring
Celebrate St Patrick’s Day with a ‘shamrock’ or clover ring, featuring this vibrant green gem.
The Meaning of the Shamrock, the symbol of Ireland. The word shamrock comes from the Old Irish “seamróg”, translated as little clover. The shamrock is the most common 3-leaf clover native to the Emerald Isle.

Caring For Your Gemstone
How to clean and care for your gemstone. Ultrasonic vibrations can weaken already-fractured stones, and hot steam can cause oil or unhardened resin to sweat out of fractures. Moreover, using warm, soapy water coupled with gentle scrubbing is the safest way to clean the gemstone. Take special care while cleaning this gemstone.
Heart Chakra – meaning this gemstone opens the heart and calms emotions. It is said to enhance friendship, peace, harmony, and domestic bliss by enabling the wearer to give and receive unconditional love.
The post A Guide To May Birthstone – The Emerald appeared first on Serendipity Diamonds Blog.