If you were born in the month of May, like me, then the Emerald is your birthstone.
Green is the colour of Spring and has long symbolised love and rebirth. As the gem of Venus, it was also considered to aid in fertility.
Emeralds were first mined in Egypt, and have been a symbol of wealth and prosperity since the time of Cleopatra, Egypt’s tempestuous female monarch who was as famous for wearing Emeralds in her time as Liz Taylor is for wearing diamonds in our time.
Emeralds have also been thought to strengthen the heart, liver and kidneys, as well as quieten the mind.
The deeper and more vivid the colour of green, the more valuable the gemstone. The most valuable and beautiful Emeralds exhibit an intense bluish hue in addition to their basic bold green colour. Emeralds, among the rarest of gems, are almost always found with birthmarks, known as inclusions.
Gem quality emeralds are incredibly rare, and therefore very expensive. The vast majority of emeralds found contain a lot of natural inclusions, and therefore buying them can be a complicated process as a huge variety of quality levels varying in colour and clarity are available.
This is a beautiful skinny baguette ring I made as a special order with a wonderful high quality emerald. The colour really is extraordinary the pictures don't really show the vibrancy when the light hits it.
I can produce most of my standard designs with an emerald via special order, and would love to hear from you if you would like to discuss a specific piece.
nikki@nikkistarkjewellery.co.uk