May Birthstone

May's birthstone is the emerald.Emerald is the green version of the mineral Beryl. It was considered to be the talisman of the goddess Venus, and to represent faith, goodness and kindness.The emerald's name is indirectly derived from the Greek word "smaragdos," a term ambiguously applied to several kinds of green stones. The history of emeralds can be traced back to antiquity. They were worn by royalty in Babylon and Egypt. Tools dating back to 1300 B.C., during the reign of Rameses II, have been found in emerald mines in Egypt. Queen Cleopatra's emeralds were believed to originate from mines in Southern Egypt, near the Red Sea.Emerald jewelry is often set in distinctive styles. Emeralds are normally cut in the style of stone cutting that takes its name from the stone – the emerald cut. This is a rectangular style. It is possible with a little perseverance, however, to find emeralds cut in any shape.