03 May, 2018
8 Green Facts
1. Emeralds were mined in Egypt as early as 330 BC, but some estimate that the oldest emeralds are 2.97 billion years old.
2. Emeralds are symbol of loyalty, new beginnings, peace and security.
3. The cut is very important on an emerald because it helps to maximize that desirable green color. Many emeralds are cut into an emerald shape, which helps to make a bright stone with sparkle while minimizing inclusions or fissures.
4. In the middle ages, emeralds were believed to hold the power to foretell the future.
5. Colombia typically has the best and most expensive emeralds. Colombian emeralds get their color primarily from the trace amounts of the element chromium, which is responsible for some of the purest greens in gemstones.
6. The deeper and more vivid the color of green, the more valuable the emerald is.
7. The origin of the name is the Greek word of smargados, which means green gem, which later developed into the French word esmeraude before the modern English version emerald.
8. The emerald is the birthstone for May.
