Emeralds are fascinating gemstones. They have the most beautiful, most intense and most radiant green that can possibly be imagined: emerald green. Inclusions are tolerated. In top quality, fine emeralds are even more valuable than diamonds. Governing the fourth chakra (heart), astrological signs Taurus & Gemini, and the birthstone of May, as a power stone, it offers physical, emotional and spiritual balance.
The name emerald comes from the Greek 'smaragdos' via the Old French 'esmeralde', and really just means 'green gemstone'. Innumerable fantastic stories have grown up around this magnificent gem. The Incas and Aztecs of South America, where the best emeralds are still found today, regarded the emerald as a holy gemstone. However, probably the oldest known finds were once made near the Red Sea in Egypt. Having said that, these gemstone mines, already exploited by Egyptian pharaohs between 3000 and 1500 B.C. and later referred to as 'Cleopatra's Mines', had already been exhausted by the time they were rediscovered in the early 19th century.
The green of the emerald is the colour of life and of the springtime, which comes round again and again. In ancient Rome, ancients associated Emerald with the Greek goddess Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. In addition, it was believed that wearing an Emerald would improve one’s memory and intelligence, enabling one to think clearly about the past, present, and future. Today, this colour still occupies a special position in many cultures and religions. In every language, there were reports of the emerald helping eyesight. The Sumerians said that if an emerald was worn in a ring on the little finger of the left hand, it would cure inflammation of the eyes. During the time of Hippocrates, emeralds were crushed into a fine powder and made into an eye lotion.
Emerald helps ease emotional upsets & assists understanding changes and new directions taken. It can also be used as a cleanser to rid yourself of any lingering negative energies & offers bliss and loyalty to its owner during transitional times in life. They bring truthfulness and are symbols of love. Today, they represent the balance between Perfect Love and Perfect Trust while carrying the virtue of Protection.