The Emerald is also considered the perfect stone for the 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries.

Emerald is a rich green mineral in the beryl family deriving its color from  chromium and other elements.  It is considered acceptable for emeralds to contain inclusions although the fewer, the more valuable the stone.  Though elatively hard, the emerald commonly has fissures making it susceptible to breakage from hard blows.

Because of the fissures and fractures, emeralds are often oiled to fill the cracks and enhance the gems  beauty.  For that reason, emeralds should not be exposed to hot soapy water, sudden changes in temperature, household cleaners or ultrasonic jewelry cleaners. 

Clean your emeralds with a soft, dry cloth.

The emerald is the Official State Precious Stone of North Carolina where emeralds can be found.  The largest ever discovered  in the state was almost 1,500 carats. Tiffany and Company owns the Carolina Emerald which was cut to a little over 14 carats.

Emerald is considered the gem of eternal spring. It is also a symbol of harmony and joy of live.  The green is reminiscent of the color of spring and nature so the emerald is also thought to convey a love of nature.

In folklore, emeralds are believed to have healing properties for mental, circularity and neurological disorders and to promote balance and patience.  They are also reported to enhance intelligence, memory  and psychic abilities.

Emeralds have been revered by many cultures.  Egyptians engraved them with the symbol for eternal youth and buried them with their dead.  The Indians inscribed them with sacred text and wore them as talisman for good fortune.

The best emeralds are thought to come from South America.  The conquering Spanish were amazed at the size of the emeralds worn by the native people and fought for many years to gain control of the mines.