The word "emerald" sounds rich and beautiful just rolling off the tongue, but still only begins to describe the exquisite, mesmerizing gemstone.
Emerald is a grass-green variety of beryl whose name is derived from the French esmeraude, which in turn goes back via Latin to the Greek root smaragdos, meaning simply "green gemstone."
Emerald's precious green color is caused by small amounts of chromium and enhanced by traces of iron. Unlike other beryls, emeralds often contain inclusions and other flaws. These flaws are not considered negative aspects, as they would be for other gemstones, but are instead considered part of the character of the stone. They also come in handy by assuring the purchaser of a natural gemstone. Our emerald beads are cut in India, so irregularities in shape, size or other qualities should be expected.
Properly caring for such a valuable gemstone is important. Avoid sudden temperature changes, as emeralds lose their color when strongly heated. Clean your emeralds with a soft, dry cloth. Oil is used during the stone treatment, so you should never clean an emerald with an ultrasonic cleaner because this oil could be removed or damaged. In addition, do not clean emerald in hot soapy water, since it too can remove this oil.
Most of the world's emeralds are mined in Colombia, Brazil and Zambia.
The most ancient emerald seekers appear to have obtained the gemstone from upper Egypt, as early as 2000 B.C. Greek workers were mining the area in the time of Alexander the Great, and later the mines yielded their gems to Cleopatra. The queen was an avid emerald collector, and remains of Cleopatras mines were discovered around 1817 on the Red Sea coast.
In addition, the Veda, the ancient sacred writings of Hinduism, contains information on the valuable green gemstones and their healing power. Consequently, the treasure chests of Indian Maharajas and Maharanis contained gorgeous emeralds.
South Americas rich bounty of emeralds was discovered by 16th-century Spanish explorers, who found large emeralds in the possession of the Aztecs and Incas.
Many virtues are ascribed to the emerald, including driving away evil spirits, preserving the chastity of the wearer, and bringing wisdom, faith, success in love. It also is said to help one discover false friends. When worn, the gemstone is supposed to prevent epilepsy attack, and when held in the mouth it is believed to be a cure for dysentery. It is also said to assist women in childbirth. Legend says emeralds strengthen the owners memory, quicken the intelligence and assist in predicting the future.
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