Emerald is a Precious Stone

A true, deep green color, the emerald is a striking stone alleged to give its wearer a quicker wit and a higher IQ. Emeralds are the precious stones that stand out with their rich green shades. Also a popular piece of jewelry for thousands of years, emerald has Sanskrit origins, meaning the green of growing things (Marakata).
Emerald grading is based on color, cut, clarity and carat weight parameters (commonly known as the 4 Cs of Connoisseurship), in order to determine how valuable the piece is.

Derivations/Origins:

Originally mined in Egypt and now more frequently in Colombia, the emerald name comes from the Greek word "smaragdus" meaning green. Cleopatra fancied the emerald and often wore it.

Color/Style/Uniqueness:

A deep green, these rare gems are often carved into a rectangular step cut, which is known as the emerald cut. You can find smaller stones carved into other shapes such as round, oval or marquise. Emeralds usually have inclusions. Unlike diamonds, inclusions do not detract from the emerald's value.

Size/Budget:

The emerald is rare; thus stones under five carats are generally more expensive than some other gems of comparative sizes.

Care:

- Warm, soapy water is a safe way to clean emerald. Do not scrub too hard.
- Never steam clean emerald and Never use ultrasonic cleaning on emerald.

Final Application:

For those appreciating a striking and less common gemstone, the emerald makes its mark.

The May birthstone can nowadays be found in Columbia, Zambia, and Brazil, the first country being the worlds greatest supplier of emeralds. As far as names go, the precious green stones that are lighter in color are known as green beryls rather than emeralds. A fun fact regarding emeralds is that they are known as being one of Cleopatras favorite precious stones.