May’s Birthstone: Emerald

Emerald is known as the “stone of successful love”. It is said to provide for domestic bliss and to instil both sensitivity and loyalty. It is also said that emerald can enhance the memory.
Emeralds are a variety of the mineral beryl. When beryl is blue it is called Aquamarine, and it can also be found in shades of yellow (golden beryl), red (bixbite), and pink(morganite).
While emerald has a hardness of 7.5 to 8 out of 10 on the Mohs scale, which measures resistance to scratching, they are very brittle and prone to breaking. If you are going to invest in emerald jewelry, look for earrings and necklaces rather than abuse prone rings.
Most natural emeralds are treated, usually by soaking them in oil. The oil fills surface fissures and make the stone look more uniform. Never put your emeralds in an ultrasonic cleaner or use jewelry cleaner, as both can remove the oil and change the appearance of your stone. Clean your emeralds with lukewarm water and a soft toothbrush.
Synthetic emeralds have been available since 1964. They are the same chemical compound as a natural emerald, but have been created in a lab. They have fantastic color and are an affordable alternative to the natural stone.
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