Emerald
This mineral from the family Beryl, gets its name is from Latin word ‘esmaraldus’ & Greek word ‘smaragdos’ meaning ‘green gem’. Emerald, one of the 4 privileged gemstones, has been an all time favorite amongst the rich & famous. Its popularity hasn't faded one bit right from Mughal era till date.
It denotes love and positive change and is a birthstone for the ones born in May. Emeralds also make for an ideal gift for couples celebrating their 20th or 55th wedding anniversary.
Many other gems like, peridot and tourmaline are green in color, but emerald has a special status because of its blue-tinted green shades. Emeralds are quite expensive because they are fragile and can be cracked pretty easily, which increases the risk factor. These precious gemstones are believed to be billions of years old, and hence many folklore are associated with its significance. Legends believed that putting emerald under your tongue will help you know your future. They are still worn as a protective stone against issues such as memory loss and are believed to help build one's intuition and other such senses.
The value of an emerald is detected generally by four main factors, clarity, cut, color, and carat weight. Interestingly unlike other gemstones the flawed, unclear, mossy look are an indication that mineral is natural & more valuable. Highly valued emeralds are, at times, costlier than diamonds. Also this is the only gemstone which has a specific cut named after itself “Emerald cut”, that is also the most appropriate cut for the best look & color of this stone for Emerald jewelry.
The finest emeralds come from Brazil, Colombia & Zambia.
