Birthstone For May: Emerald
Only one stone, the Emerald, is associated with the month of May. It is
one of the many varieties of beryl, and the most expensive one of the
species due to the rarity of quality stones suitable for gem purposes.
Emeralds vary from a deep velvety green to a light, grass green. The
beautiful green color characteristic of the gem is probably due to the
presence of a small quantity of chromium.
The hardness of the varieties of beryl differs little from quartz, being
7.5 to 8 in the Moh scale, while quartz is 7. They are inferior to such
gems as topaz, sapphire and ruby in wearing qualities, but are hard enough
and of such beautiful coloring to still make a satisfactory gem.
Emeralds have been known and prized from the earliest times. They are
mentioned in the Bible in several places. The earliest is in Exodus, where
they are described as one of the stones in the breastplate worn with the
ephod of the high priest. The use of emeralds as ornaments dates back to
ancient Egypt, and are frequently found upon mummies. Roman history also
mentions their use.
Emeralds were used lavishly for adornment and as offerings among the Incas,
Aztecs, and other highly civilized peoples of South America. Many of the
emeralds wrested from the Incas by Cortez were marvels of lapidary art.
One was carved in the form of a rose, another as a fish with golden eyes,
and a third was in the shape of a bell with a pearl for a clapper.
Major sources of emeralds for commercial purposes are the Ural Mountains
in Russia, Columbia and Brazil in South America, and South Africa. Some
also are found in South Rhodesia, India, Australia, Norway, and occasionally
in North Carolina, Maine and New Hampshire in the United States.
"In medieval days, the emerald was used in divination. The alphabet was
placed around a bowl, and an emerald suspended in it was supposed to spell
out a message. It was also believed to render its wearer invisible if he
were unmarried. Powdered and taken internally, it was believed to allay
fever and other ailments. A serpent facing the gleam of an emerald was said
to be blinded by it, while to man's eye it was restful and beneficial.
"It was the custom of gem engravers to keep beside them an emerald of which
the 'soft green luster' could relieve their tired eyes. Heliodorus, in the
fourth century, described these as 'gems green as a meadow in spring', and
we are sure that no other precious stone is so well fitted to be the
birthstone for May."
Reference:
"The Romance of Your Birthstone"
by Hope Swengel. 1928