Happy May and Belated Mother's Day!

May 16, 2018

I do love the month of May. It's Mother’s Day month and because I am a mom and because of my mom. I do think I am the mom I am because of my mom and for that I will be forever grateful. My kids have brought me more joy than words can ever describe. But, you don’t tune in to hear all about me and my kids but because of jewelry. If you ever want me to go on and on about my kids, please do let me know because I certainly get an A+ in that department!

May also brings us the lovely Birthstone of Emerald.

An Emerald is a precious gemstone. I had often wondered, what the heck is the difference between a Precious gemstone and a semi-precious gemstone. Here goes…

The traditional list of gemstones that are considered precious stones are:

Diamond
Ruby
Sapphire
Emerald

Okay, so what is a gemstone? It is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. Rarity is another characteristic that lends value to a gemstone. * (reference Gemstone-Wikipedia) Any gemstones that aren’t one of the 4 above are considered semi-precious gemstones.

Emeralds are one of the oldest well-known gemstones available. The emerald stone has been mined, cut and worn by powerful rulers for centuries. Even the Egyptians had an Emerald mine that later became known as Cleopatra’s Mine.

The main source for Emerald has been South America with the best quality gems from Columbia. In recent years, thanks to the mining efforts of Gemfields, the Zambian Emeralds are increasing in popularity. You will find that other major sources of rough and loose Emeralds include Afghanistan and China. ** (Gem Rock Auctions)

Many people are interested in the benefits of stones. The Emerald is known for Chakra Healing (in Indian lore each of the centers of spiritual power in the human body, usually considered to be seven in number) and Balancing Energy. It is also thought that the Emerald should be set in a Gold or Silver ring, worn on the little finger of your working hand. The stone itself should touch the skin on your finger and is said to be worn on Wednesday. It brings loyalty and provides for domestic bliss. It enhances unconditional love, unity and promotes friendship. Green, the color of life, renewal, nature and energy is associated with meanings of growth, harmony, freshness, safety, fertility, and environment. Green is also traditionally associated with money, finances, banking, ambition, greed, jealousy and wall street.***(Charms of Life)

A very fine Emerald can be priced higher per carat than a diamond. The Hardness of this gem is measured at a 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale. This scale is used to measure the relative hardness of a mineral to resistance to scratching. The Emerald is part of the beryl family which includes the Aquamarine, Morganite and Heliodor. Care must be taken with Emeralds as they are brittle and easily fracture under the shock of being hit against a hard surface.

Below are examples of the other stones mentioned here.