Emerald Stone
The emerald stone is a stone of piece and it symbolizes power, immortality and, through the color green, eternal youth.
Emeralds were and are valued by many cultures around the world as particularly valuable jewelery and precious stones. Emeralds from Brazil in particular can sometimes achieve higher prices than a diamond of the same size due to their strong green.
The preferred type of cut in clear emerald crystals is the eponymous “emerald cut”, an octagonal step cut, which was developed with regard to the impact sensitivity of the stone.
Emerald is a two-sided gemstone, it can bring good luck if given auspiciously. Like the opal, it is reputed to acquire the qualities but also all the faults of the person who wears it, it requires loyalty. If you buy an emerald already worn, you risk inheriting the best but also the worst.
Ideal stone for the signs of Cancer, Pisces, Taurus.
What is the story of an emerald stone?
Centuries before our time, people already wore emerald amulets and jewelry. They were also given to the pharaohs in the burial chambers. The first emeralds appearing in the writings would have been extracted around 1500 BC. J.-C.
Illustration of Cleopatra who was a great follower of emerald jewelry.
The ancient emerald mines are located in Egypt where they were mined by the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Turkish Ottomans. These mines are called the mines of Cleopatra after the Egyptian queen of the same name. She had indeed a great fondness for emerald stone.
The Incas also appreciated the green color of emeralds and made jewelry out of them. When the Spanish conquistadors arrived in South America in the 16th century, they established a South American emerald trade with Europe and Asia. They exchanged the stones for precious metal.
The symbolism and meaning of the emerald
The emerald symbolizes power, immortality and, through the color green, eternal youth. Just like ruby, emerald is also found to be a healing stone. Particularly in ancient times, the healing forces of the emerald were applied to skin problems.
Emeralds are 20 times rarer than diamonds!
For the Ancient Greeks, the green gemstone was associated with veracity and eloquence. The Aztecs decorated statues of gods with emeralds and in the Middle Ages it was believed that they helped to live a virtuous life. Heroes used it to make themselves invisible or to look into the future.
According to alternative medicine, the emerald would also protect you from memory loss and sharpens your intuition. It would also be relaxing and fight eye strain. This is not scientifically proven.
Mineralogical characteristics
Emerald is one of the most prestigious forms of the beryl family, like aquamarine and morganite, a species of the silicate group and subgroup of the cyclosilicates. In other words, its shades of green come from traces of vanadium, chromium and sometimes iron. In light, its color varies from deep green to pale green. Translucent to transparent, inclusions of crystals or carbon draw a starry pattern. Along with diamonds, rubies and sapphires, it is one of the four precious stones, even if this name has been erroneous since 2002.
The main deposits
Emeralds are formed as a result of the interaction of magmatic or hydrothermal veins with metamorphic rocks. As in Antiquity, it is in Colombia, in the famous mines of Muzo, Chivor, Coscuez or Pita, that the largest volume of emeralds of incomparable quality is mined. The rarest stones are found there, called the “trapiches”, which are highly concentrated in chrome.
Other places of extraction are in Brazil, where the quality is excellent, the United States, South Africa, Afghanistan, India, Australia, Pakistan and Russia.
Gemstones and Healing Stones Meanings
Meaning of Stone | The Healing Stones and Crystals | Healing Properties, Benefits and Powers
Sources: PinterPandai, Charms of Light, My Crystals
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons
