May

Those born in May are lucky enough to have the dazzling emerald as the May Birthstone. Emeralds have the most intense color of all green gemstones, and the finest emeralds are even more valuable than diamonds. The gorgeous May birthstone is a part of the beryl family and ranks from 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness. Traces of chromium and vanadium are responsible for the emerald’s amazing color. The name of the May birthstone comes from the Old French 'esmeralde', which simply means green gemstone. The entrancing color of the May birthstone has inspired many fantastical stories throughout the ages. The Aztecs and Incas saw the May birthstone as a holy gemstone, and the best emeralds are still found in South America today. The oldest known emerald mines finds were near the Red Sea in Egypt, but these mines, exploited by the pharaohs and later known as Cleopatra's Mines, were already exhausted when they were rediscovered in the early 19th century. The stunning green color of the May birthstone evokes spring and life, and it was known as the color of Venus in ancient Rome. Show your love for someone born in May with this stunning gemstone!