Capture the freshness of spring with May birthstone jewelry and engagement rings!

Emerald, the May birthstone, is one of the rarest gemstones out there. Literally meaning “green” in Greek, emerald mining has existed, as we know it, for well over three thousand years. Throughout the ages, cultures across the globe have delighted in this green gem: Cleopatra regularly flaunted emeralds and gave them away as diplomatic gifts, Spanish conquerors plundered emeralds from the Incas, and legend has it that an emerald was one of the 4 sacred stones given to King Solomon. Nowadays, nearly half of the world’s emeralds are mined in Colombia. 

Emerald is a form of the mineral beryl, which has been tinged green by trace amounts of chromium and/or vanadium. Ooooh, and how green it can be! From light- to deep-colored, emerald’s verdant hues span the green spectrum. The better the emerald gemstone’s cut, the richer it’s color.

Fun fact: another popular version of the mineral beryl, tinged blue by trace amounts of iron, is aquamarine!

The emerald cut is one with particularly few facets, and as such doesn’t give a stone’s imperfections anywhere to hide. This is why it suits stones with excellent clarity! Although any stone can be cut into an emerald cut, this particular cut originated with emeralds. It suits them perfectly! Two features are most important in an emerald: the hue and the clarity. Emeralds can contain various imperfections, which can be hidden by other multi-faceted cuts. But if you want your emerald to shine incredibly, and its green color to somehow appear brighter, then choose a stone with a high grade of clarity.

Emeralds can be the affordable gemstone choice! A 1-carat emerald actually appears larger than a 1-carat diamond. Why? Emeralds are less dense, and thus take up more space. Plus, at the same carat weight as diamonds, emeralds have much lower price points.

How to Wear Emeralds

• Emeralds are durable (7.5-8 on the Moh’s Hardness Scale), but they’re not nearly as hard as diamonds (a maximum 10 on the Moh’s Scale). This means that they can be chipped or damaged, particularly if you wear them often. You can prevent this by choosing a sturdy setting for your emerald that properly encases it: strong prongs or an all-around bezel setting.
• If you’ve got red hair or freckles, emeralds will look particularly fabulous on you! Red and green are complementary colors, so pair them as much as you can. Does it matter what type of jewelry in which you choose to showcase your emerald? No! Go wild, it’ll all look incredible.
• Blue eyes? Dark green emerald earrings are your thing. The cool hue of the emeralds will complement your icy irises!
• Because emeralds can be quite dark in color, it’s best to opt for larger carats, which allow more light to strike the stone and reveal its features.

Emerald Jewelry: May Birthstone Gifts

Shopping for a May birthday? Go emerald. Not only are they beautiful on their own, but emeralds also represent youthful vitality, which makes them meaningful birthday presents. Gift a necklace, bracelet, ring, or earrings with May’s vivid green stone!

Infinity Emerald Ring

Emerald Diamond Tennis Bracelet

Emerald Stud Earrings

Oval Halo Emerald Necklace

Milgrain Emerald Ring

Famous Emerald Jewelry

Cleopatra famously obsessed over emeralds – she laid claim over every single emerald mine in Egypt while she was queen. Though they’ve refrained from buying any mines, modern-day royalty and celebs like Kate Middleton, Elizabeth Taylor, Angelina Jolie have also rocked emeralds in their red carpet jewelry.

Kate Middleton

Round Halo Emerald And Diamond Earrings

Elizabeth Taylor

Petite Drop Oval Halo Emerald And Diamond Earrings

Emerald Engagement Rings

Did you know that your engagement ring’s center stone doesn’t necessarily need to be a diamond? If you want to feature a stunning emerald instead, your stone of choice can be set in any of our engagement ring designs. This is even more perfect if the ring recipient was born in May.

The May birthstone is the perfect green light to “Will you marry me?” Choose a ring with emerald side stones or a vibrant center.

Pavé Halo Emerald Engagement Ring

Pear-Shaped Emerald Engagement Ring

Oval Halo Emerald And Diamond Ring 

Customized Emerald Engagement Rings

For a bit of emerald inspiration, have a look at our gallery of custom-designed emerald engagement rings, created and purchased by our real customers. Browse the gallery, find one you love, and go create it for yourself!

Twisted Pavé Emerald Engagement Ring

Pear-Shaped Emerald Engagement Ring

Baguette Side-Stone Emerald Engagement Ring

Famous Emerald Engagement Rings

Bold emerald engagement rings aren’t uncommon among the celeb crowd. A few of the most gorgeous are Halle Berry’s brilliant combo of emerald and yellow gold, Olivia Wilde’s emerald halo, and Zoe Saldana’s emerald center stone. Shop below for lookalikes!

Zoe Saldana

Emerald And Diamond Cluster Ring

Olivia Wilde

Marquise Emerald And Diamond Ring

Halle Berry

Cross Prong Diamond Accent Solitaire Ring (Emerald Center)

Final Thoughts

Emeralds truly are one of the most versatile gemstones. From engagement rings to pendant necklaces, they can be worn with nearly everything for a rich pop of color. And they’ve got an undeniable glamour – celebs are positively obsessed with them. 

Emeralds are said to bring their wearers foresight and good luck. So, do you see an emerald in your future?

Check out our birthstone guides: January Garnets * February Amethysts * March Aquamarines * April Diamonds * May Emeralds * July Rubies * August Peridots * September Sapphires * November Citrines * December Blue Topaz.

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Tova Kamioner and Rachel Hoar

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