Emerald

Emerald’s lush hue mesmerizes — a vision of abundant life and growth. One of the most famous emerald devotees, Cleopatra, had a robe encrusted with her favourite jewel. The gemstone’s colour, including its finest hue, a dazzling dark green, results from rare conditions that create tiny cracks and cavities in the stone, so inclusions are acceptable even in top-quality stones. And AAAA quality emeralds of significant size can command higher prices than diamond.

Ancient history shows that rulers from many cultures coveted this gem. Egyptian pharaohs gathered emeralds from mines near the Red Sea, later named Cleopatra’s Mines. The Incas and Aztecs of the Americas worshipped emerald as a holy stone. The Maharajas of India believed the gem brought luck and restored health. And in ancient Rome, emerald symbolized Venus, the goddess of love.

Emerald is May’s birthstone and the gift of choice for the 35th wedding anniversary.