May - Emerald
Emerald is the traditional birthstone for May but is also associated with the Cancer zodiac.
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​ANNIVERSARY
Emerald is the 20th and 35th wedding anniversary gift.
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​ATTRIBUTES
Wisdom, Inspiration, Inner Richness
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​HISTORY
The name emerald comes from the Sanskrit word “marakata," which means spring green. Many legends and stories surround this magnificent and powerful stone. The Chaldeans, a kingdom of Biblical times, believed emeralds contained Ishtar, their goddess of love and war. In the Middle East, an emerald amulet would often be engraved with a verse from sacred religious texts. Ancient Egyptians believed the green color of emerald represented fertility and rebirth. They would commonly carve emerald scarabs and place them at the heart of a mummy to make the deceased's health flourish in the afterlife. In some legends, the Holy Grail used by Christ at the last supper was made from a giant emerald. Later, the emerald grail was used to collect his blood dripping from the cross, imbuing the grail with fantastic and holy powers. Mystical or Tibetan birthstone charts place emerald as the January stone, Polish and Russian birthstones say emerald is the May stone while according to ancient Hebrew birthstones, the emerald belongs to June.
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​GEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES
Emeralds can be found all over the world, including countries in South America, Africa, the Middle East and Russia. Emerald gemstones are a variety of beryl, which is the same mineral grouping as aquamarine. Genuine emeralds may include inclusions--referred to as "Jardin," a French word that means garden--which can cloud the stone. These inclusions are not considered flaws and indicate an emerald is genuine, not created in a lab.
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​METAPHYSICAL PROPERTIES
This mesmerizing stone's velvety green color is unmistakable. The rich color is renowned as the color of spring and has long been a symbol of romance, hope and rebirth. As the precious gem associated with the goddess Venus, emerald is also commonly believed to aid in fertility. Throughout history, emeralds have often been associated with various goddesses of love and beauty, such as Venus. Emeralds were commonly believed to protect lovers from unfaithfulness. If the heart remained loyal, the gem would glow a beautiful green color, but it was thought that if a lover's heart went astray, the green color would lose its luster and rich color. It was believed that wearing an emerald would improve memory and increase intuitive intelligence, enabling you to think clearly about the past, present, and future. Emeralds are believed to be encouraging, calming, and balancing because of their color. They are also thought to promote creativity and restore optimistic hope in dreams and visions. They are thought to bring good fortune and are often seen in the cash boxes of business owners who seek to prosper in their endeavors.
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​Note: All properties listed have been collected from various sources. This information is not meant to treat medical conditions. You should always follow the advice of medical professionals per their diagnoses. Tracey’s Treasures LLC does not guarantee the validity of any of the information collected.