BIRTHSTONE OF THE MONTH
May Birthstone: Emerald

Sherrie Rabellino, Owner, Designer, Graduate Gemologist, GIA
1 May 2017
The birthstone for May is the beautiful green emerald. The first known emerald mines were in Egypt, dating from at least 330 BC into the 1700s. Cleopatra was known to have a passion for emerald, and used it in her royal adornments.
Emeralds from what is now Colombia were part of the plunder when sixteenth-century Spanish explorers invaded the New World. The Incas had already been using emeralds in their jewelry and religious ceremonies for 500 years. The Spanish, who treasured gold and silver far more than gems, traded emeralds for precious metals. Their trades opened the eyes of European and Asian royalty to emerald’s majesty.

Its color reflects new spring growth, which makes it the perfect choice of a birthstone for the month of May.
Legends endowed the wearer with the ability to foresee the future, as well as to reveal truth and be protected against evil spells.