Emeralds for May

This month’s (and Kingsley’s) birthstone is emerald. The King of green gems, emerald is part of the beryllium family (like its blue cousin, aquamarine) but derives its magnificent colour from the presence of chromium and vanadium in its mineral composition.

Emeralds are very rarely flawless and are characterised by the presence of veil or wisp-like, liquid-filled inclusions. It is an age old and accepted practice to immerse emeralds in bleached cedar oil to enhance clarity. We assume that all emeralds have been oiled. The best emerald is found in Colombia, but other sources exist in Brazil and India. With a hardness rating of 7.5-8, only diamond, ruby and sapphire are harder gems. Emerald has been used in jewellery since ancient times, but it is still susceptible to damage if knocked against hard objects.

This is a bespoke engagement ring we did a little while ago, one of our favourites