Emerald:

If you were born in May, consider yourself fortunate. The May Birthstone, Emeralds are known to bring fortune to its owners and have been revered for thousands of years. Queen Cleopatra of Egypt used Emerald in her royal adornments, as her favorite color was the lush green you find in gem-quality emeralds. The Inca people also traded emeralds for over 500 years before Spanish conquests in the 1600’s, when Kong Cortez fell in love with the vivid green gemstones and brought them to Medieval Europe, where they were sent across Europe and continued to gain admiration and reverence. 

Emeralds are the most popular type of Beryl Gemstone, outpacing Aquamarines and Morganite. Emeralds are found naturally in various locales, such as Brazil and Zambia, but Colombian Emeralds have always commanded the majority of buyer attention, as Colombian emeralds are regarded as the finest quality on the planet. While emeralds are often included, their color hue is the primary measure of beauty– and therefore, value. Emeralds have reached highs of $5 million per carat at auction and it remains uncommon to find ANY natural emeralds at under $1,000 per carat, making the value a big draw for buyers who understand that their stone has resale value and they can store funds in a jewel that they hope to wear and enjoy. 

While they are an ancient gem, the story of Emeralds is far from written. Globalization in the 21st-century has led to Emerald demand increasing in China and India, among other Asian countries, as they expand their wealth– and subsequently, their tastes.