Emerald Key Facts
- 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness
- May’s birthstone
- A beautiful but brittle green stone
- Flawless emeralds are very valuable indeed
- Mined in Australia and Columbia
- Symbolize serenity and peace of mind
General Information on Emeralds
Emeralds are a glorious green colour and a member of the beryl family. The presence of chromium in beryl is what classifies a gemstone as an emeralds and the amounts of other impurities such as iron will affect the exact shade. Emeralds are one of the most valuable stones in nature but are very brittle indeed. A flawless emerald is a very rare occurrence as its brittle nature means that most stones are included.
Emeralds were first mined in Egypt at Cleopatra’s mine several thousand years ago, treasured then and now for their colour. Nowadays, emeralds are found all over the world including Australia and Columbia
Emeralds have a hardness of around 7 out of 10 (10 being the hardest stone, diamond).
Emeralds are said to bring luck to its wearer during the month of May and symbolizes serenity and peace of mind. Emerald is not only the birthstone for May and also the anniversary gemstone for the 20th and 35th years of marriage. Some people believe wearing an emerald brings wisdom, growth and patience. It is perhaps this last attribute that may explain why a gift of emerald for an anniversary and is also a symbol of love and sincerity.
The word ’emerald’ is a variation of the Greek word ‘smaragdos’ which means ‘green stone’ – perfectly appropriate for a gemstone that is, in fact, the green variety of the mineral beryl.