The name Emerald came from the Latin term “smaragdus” which directly translates to “green gem”. It belongs to the Beryl family of minerals where it is also considered its premium gemstone among all its other members. The tinge of green in the stone comes from small quantities of the trace mineral chromium. The gem has colors that range from light to deep green; but this gemstone has a beautiful rarity in the Red Emerald, the composition of its color comes from the trace mineral Bixbyite and is only found and mined in the United States. It is so rare it is prohibitively expensive!
The Emerald has been mined since 3,000 B.C in ancient Egypt and India. It was mainly used as a talisman in India but it was a different story in how greatly it was treasured in Egypt, particularly during the reign of Cleopatra. For a Queen who was known in history as a lover of anything and everything that sparkles, the Emerald was Cleopatra’s most prized and therefore, her most valued gem. She admired it so much that she took ownership of all the quarries that mined Emerald in Egypt.
On the other hand, the ancient Romans associated the gemstone with the goddess of faith, fertility and goodness; while the Greeks equate the same gemstone to associate with their very own Aphrodite. They wore emerald jewelry to honor these goddesses. An ancient belief also circulated about the healing benefits of the gemstone. It was believed that the stone can help calm the spirit, reduce fever and prevent epileptic seizures, as well help restore peace and clarity of the mental state and enhance clairvoyance.
Apples of Gold Jewelry has added new emerald rings, emerald pendants, and emerald earrings to its line of unique, quality gemstone jewelry. Check out their selection of quality gems, which are priced at an average of 50% below retail.
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Category: Jewelry History