Birthstone of the Month: May

For those people lucky enough to be born in May their birthstone is the beautiful emerald. Emerald (beryllium aluminum silicate) is part of the Beryl family of gemstones, and is related to the blue aquamarine and the gorgeous golden yellow heliodor. Emerald is the most precious stone out of all its relatives, prized for its incomparable green colour caused by the trace presence of chromium and/or vanadium.

A selection of emerald jewellery available at Buck & Co, Bodmin

Famously loved in antiquity by Cleopatra (who had emerald mines in Egypt), the emerald was believed to sharpen the memory and wits, to give the gift of foresight, reveal the truth and protect again evil spells. The green was believed to be soothing to tired eyes, and to protect against malaria and cholera.

Emerald is rarely flawless and inclusions are an accepted part of a beautiful natural stone, and are sometimes referred to as the 'jardin' (garden) of the stone, encouraging you to look into its depths and enjoy the uniqueness of each stone. Emeralds grow in prismatic hexagonal crystals in areas of tectonic activity including locations such as Columbia, India, Zimbabwe and Siberia.

Gemstone care is paramount with this stone as it is brittle and can easily fracture. The octagonal 'emerald cut' (without corners) was devised for this stone to help prevent damage from accidental knocks and bumps. Avoid chemicals, solvents and detergents, and never put in an ultrasonic cleaner! Not only are emeralds prone to breakage in an ultrasonic due to the vibrations, but the chemicals can adversely effect treatments that the stone may have received.

Pictured is a selection of beautiful emeralds available in our shop in Bodmin, including a 1.00ct Zambian emerald as selected by our Gemmologist and set into an 18ct gold ring by our own in-house Goldsmith. Drop in for a viewing at our shop in Bodmin or pm for more details.