Emerald: The May Birthstone
Enlarge Image Emerald gems have fascinated mankind since they were discovered. Green in color, these stones are a composition of the mineral Beryl. Emerald gemstones are also the May birthstone, that is, people who are born in the month of May can wear an emerald. Emerald gemstones can be worn in rings, in pendants, in brooches, and so on. That list is endless.
There are many stories and qualities linked to the emerald stone. A few of them are given below.
Many royal people are said to have worn the emerald stone in the form of a ring or as a decoration in their crowns. The most famous royal personality who swore by emeralds was Cleopatra. Since then, several ancient mines of emerald gemstones near the Red Sea were called Cleopatras mines. She would wear emeralds all the time and would even gift visitors to her court with emeralds which had her likeness carved onto them.
Emerald gemstones are also said to give its wearer the gift of good eyesight and intellect. Some also say that emerald gems can be used to treat poison. It can also be used as treatment for dysentery as it has laxative properties.
Due to its green color, an emerald stone is quite pleasant to look at and provides relief to those who spend their time with a lot of precision work that may be taxing on the eyes. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why several artisans and craftsmen keep an emerald close by while they are working and stare at it to soothe their eyes.
Emerald stones are also said to cure headaches, soothing fears and irritations and preventing attacks of epilepsy. Just place the emerald stone on the forehead for a few minutes and see the effect.
Emerald gems were part of many famous treasures all across the world. They were considered to be a sign of wealth by many.
Nowadays, most emerald gems go through a process called oiling. In this procedure, the emerald gems are immersed in oil to preserve their clarity. However, due to its basic mineral composition, emerald gemstones over one carat are rarely very clear. Therefore, if you do find a stone that is over one carat and extremely clear, beware! It just might be a fake.
Among all the gems to be copied and faked, the emerald is at the top of the list. Therefore it makes sense to buy an emerald from a genuine jeweler.
Among other things, it is also beneficial to have a look at ones astrological or natal chart before one embarks on buying an emerald stone. Sometimes, it may just not be the stone for you.
While cleaning an emerald, wash it in plain, running water, but not too often and not for too long. Dont dry it with a cloth. Rather, put the emerald in the sun for an hour or two to re-charge it after washing.
