It’s May! We are right in the middle of spring, so it only makes sense that May’s birthstone is a gorgeous green gem that is absolutely brimming with life. May’s birthstone is the emerald, and today we’d like to take some time to discuss this beautiful gem (and how you can find some emerald jewelry online right here at The Pink Pigs)!

Where Are Emeralds From?

The emerald has been a cherished gem for thousands of years, with the earliest emerald mines dating back to at least 2000 BC. Early emerald mining primarily occurred in Egypt, as the green gem was a personal favorite of Cleopatra. Emeralds can be found throughout the world, but these days most natural emeralds come from Colombia, Brazil, and Zambia.

What Makes A Good Emerald?

Every precious gem has factors that determine its worth. When it comes to emeralds, the most important element is the color. The finest emeralds are a bluish-green or pure green. The stone should also have great clarity and evenly distributed color.

Gems Of Fashion And Luxury

While diamonds might be a girl’s best friend, emeralds are another luxury gem associated with class and sophistication. As we mentioned, Cleopatra was one of emerald’s earliest fans and, at one point, claimed ownership of all emeralds in Egypt!  

Other notable emerald lovers include Elizabeth Taylor who was acquainted with the gem while depicting Cleopatra in a movie and Jackie Kennedy, who famously wore an engagement ring that had both a large diamond as well as an emerald.

King Edward VIII, who famously abdicated the throne of England in 1936 for love, proposed to Wallis Simpson with a nearly 20-carat emerald! Emeralds have played such a large role in so many lives that it’s no surprise they are one of the few gems chosen to represent a month.

More Than Just Good Looks

While emeralds are no doubt gorgeous, throughout history they have played a very important role in many different cultures. Many believed that the green color of emeralds was soothing to the eyes and stonecutters would spend hours staring at the gem after a hard day of work. Ancient Egyptians used the calming green color to ease the pain of childbirth and mummies were buried with emeralds in hopes that it would grant eternal youth. Other cultures used emeralds to ward off evil spirits or to grant them the protection of God.

Buy Emerald Jewelry From The Pink Pigs

Here at the Pink Pigs, we have plenty of emerald jewelry so you can celebrate your birth month or simply rock a piece of jewelry you love! We offer authentic emeralds as well as emerald-like jewels and created emeralds that are more budget-friendly.

Make sure to check out our emerald jewelry online, including our affordable created emerald heart jewelry set, our gorgeous vintage-style emerald engagement ring, our genuine emerald earrings, and the rest of our fine emerald jewelry! Celebrate your birth month in style or simply show off your love for these little green gems!

Best of all, sales of our jewelry go to supporting Rooterville, our pig and animal sanctuary! With your purchase, you not only get an amazing piece of jewelry. You also get to feel good knowing that your purchase is helping to feed hundreds of hungry mouths at our sanctuary.

 For the bride who dares to be kind

When you shop for engagement rings at The Pink Pigs, you’re helping us care for over 400 rescued animals who are fortunate enough to call Rooterville Animal Sanctuary "Home”. All proceeds go to giving these amazing animals all the love and support they need to enjoy their best possible lives. When you shop our unique selection of engagement rings to give your loved one you’re not just buying a beautiful thing, you’re also doing a beautiful thing. Including your passion for animals in your expression of love for each other is about as sweet and precious as can be, and it helps build a relationship completely devoted to and built on compassion.

Aquamarine is the gem that represents those born in the month of March. The gem is renowned for being as calming, soothing, and cleansing as the sea, and also for inspiring truth, trust, and letting go. Aquamarine was often carried by sailors as good luck charms during long adventures and was told of being one of the most prized possession amongst mermaids.

The name Aquamarine comes from the Latin meaning "water of the sea," and refers to its sparkling ocean-like color. The pale blue color transparent crystal is a member of the Beryl family. Its color, sometimes bluish green, is caused by iron oxides within the chemical makeup of the stone. In ancient history, it was believed that aquamarine was tied to the moon like the current of the ocean.

When it comes to healing properties, Aquamarine is the throat chakra which helps those that have lost their voice to speak once more. It is known for inspiring courage and positive change and emitting compassionate energy to those that possess it. Aquamarine inspires judgmental people to be more tolerant, and those who are feeling overwhelmed to find order. This gem is ideal to have when sailing the roughest of seas, and the most stressful of situations.

Caring For Your Aquamarine

To care for Aquamarine jewelry is quite easy. While they are not as tough as diamonds, they are a rather hardy stone and can brave most situations. Yet, make sure you keep them away from harsh chemicals and alcohol in order to make sure they live well into the future. Clean your aquamarine at least once a year in a warm soap bath. Use lukewarm water and dish soap in a bowl and place the aquamarine at the bottom of the bowl. Let the aquamarine sit in the bowl for several minutes before removing it. Once removed rinse off the aquamarine in lukewarm water and then pat dry. When cleaning your aquamarine stay away from scrubbing clothes and brushes. Also, avoid any cleaner with ammonia or alcohol has it can harm the aquamarine. 

History Making Aquamarine Gems

Aquamarine has had its time in the spotlight and can be seen on display in museums to preserve its history. The Dom Pedro Aquamarine masterpiece is the largest faced aquamarine gemstone in the world which is almost 36cm in length & a staggering 10363 carats. This stone was cut by the so-call “Picasso of Gems” Bernd Munsteiner and can be seen on display next to the Hope Diamond in the Smithsonian National Gem & Mineral Collection in Washington. 

Mrs. Eleonore Rossevelt was gifted an absolutely show-stopping piece of aquamarine during her and her husband, President Roosevelts’ trip to Brazil in the time following the second presidential election in 1936. The stone was the largest cut aquamarine piece at the time and part of the Brazilian President Getúlio Vargas private collection. It is a whopping 1298 carats & was part of a larger rough stone weighing over 1,3kg which was cut in Amsterdam.

A Compassionate Way To Shop For Aquamarine

For those looking for their own piece the sea, we have a beautiful selection of aquamarine jewelry here at The Pink Pigs. Much like aquamarine, our store emits compassion to all things living. All proceeds from The Pink Pigs goes right to the amazing rescued animals at Rooterville Animal Sanctuary. When heroes like you purchase from us we are able to help these animals live the life they deserve.