Birthstones: May is for Emeralds
10/05/2007
The word "emerald" comes from the Persian Smaragos meaning "green gem".
Green is associated with spring, new life, love, hope and healing. Many beliefs surrounding emeralds reflect this healing potential, including
the benefits of emeralds for poor eyesight, dysentery, epilepsy and even infidelity.
In fact the Romans considered emeralds to be one of Venus’ stones and believed that the stone would change colour if the wearer had been unfaithful. However, one of the properties of emerald is that unlike other green stones it doesn’t alter colour - so a dubious emerald could have had unfortunate consequences. They also believed that emeralds would refresh weary eyes and that a fine emerald could improve the wearer’s memory.
In 1346 the medieval poet Guillaume de Machaut wrote of May’s
birthstone: "Emeralds make every heart rejoice". How very true. But
emeralds have been mined for their beauty and healing powers long
before the 14th century. The Egyptians, one of the earliest
civilisations, mined these gems 4000 years ago near the Red Sea in
what became known as Cleopatra’s mines. Cleopatra herself adored
emeralds, adorning herself with emerald jewellery and even offering
visiting dignitaries gifts of emeralds carved with her likeness. These
mines have long been exhausted but at one time they were so large that
400 men could work there at one time.
By the 16th century in Europe, the division between science and
superstition was still so blurred that it was accepted practice to hang
an emerald round a child's neck to prevent epilepsy, whilst those
suffering from dysentery were urged to suck on one emerald whilst
another having another placed on his abdomen. Both cures were only for
the wealthy - for obvious reasons.
On the other side of the world, the Aztecs and Incas prized
emeralds for their huge spiritual significance, and of course, they
were the great attraction for the Spanish Conquistadors in the 1500s.
Some of these stones were as big as ostrich eggs, and so many were
stolen that it was said that priests, in revenge, put about the story
that the test of a true emerald was that it would withstand the blow of
a heavy hammer. As a result, many valuable stones were destroyed.
Cortes, however, was still able to present the King of Spain with a
hundred weight of emeralds - many of which were bought by Indian
Moghuls who had the biggest stones carved into Hindu gods, whilst the
smaller ones were worn to protect the wearer from snake bites.
Today emeralds are found in many parts of the world, with the best
still coming from mines in Columbia. But they are not tough stones.
They are only 7.5 on the Mohs scale which measures stones’ hardness
(diamond, the hardest stone, measures 10). In the past emeralds could
often be found in huge crystals and stones of 1000 carat, but today's
stones have many flaws and inclusions, so are frequently oiled to
enhance their colour.
If you do own emeralds, be gentle with them. Wipe them with a warm (not
hot) damp cloth, or rub them with an old soft toothbrush. Don‘t use
anything abrasive like toothpaste and don‘t soak the stones as the
water can seep into the fissures and damage the stone.
If emeralds are not your birthstone, perhaps it might be worthwhile to
point out that emeralds are also given on 20th, 35th and 55th wedding
anniversaries.