By the month of May we are well into spring, and the viridescence of emeralds make them the perfect birthstone for May babies! Their rich, green hues embody nature's favorite season.
These first emerald mining took place in ancient Egypt; Cleopatra's affinity for emeralds is well documented. Today, the finest emeralds come primarily from Colombia, but are also mined in Brazil, Russia and Africa. Emeralds rich history dates back to the Ancient Romans, who associated emeralds with the goddess Venus. Some religious lore has said that an emerald was one of the stones given by God to King Solomon. By the time Francisco Pizarro invaded the Incan Empire in 1532, the Incas had already been using emeralds in their jewelry for hundreds of years.
Emerald gemstones are a green variety of the beryl mineral, which also includes aquamarine. Some gemstone dealers refer to the inclusions of emeralds as the jardin, or garden; despite a 7.5 to 8 hardness on the MOHs scale, said jardin inclusions are what make emeralds more delicate then aquamarines.
Shop Hannah Blount Jewelry's emerald pieces here.
