If you were born in the month of May the birthstone for this month is the
emerald. This gemstone is a deep green that is caused by amounts of
chromium in the gemstone. The colour of emeralds is also enhanced by traces
of iron. Emeralds are classed as gemstones as they are beautiful and
vibrant with a unique rarity and durability.

Your Birthstone for May comes from the mineral, Beryl. This mineral is an
important gem and in its natural state is near colourless, the very many
impurities and inclusions give beryl its vibrant array of colours. The
emerald colour is the green beryl stone and the aquamarine is the blue beryl
stone.
Nearly all emeralds, even many "natural" stones, have been treated to
improve clarity, generally by immersing them in oil. For gemstones, a green
coloured oil is often used,
"improving" the colour as well. Unfortunately,
this oil may evaporate over the years, making flaws appear where none were
visible. A high-grade mineral oil may be used to improve the appearance
again. This beryl stone also has colours ranging from greenish yellow to
pink and red.

The emerald gemstone is a highly prized gemstone in the manufacture of
jewellery. The colour of the stone is intense and this contributes to its
high price. Buying a piece of birthstone jewellery can be a daunting
prospect as the market for birthstone jewellery has grown from the
traditional rings to the more modern pierced body jewellery. Emeralds look
stunning when set with gold and especially so when set with white gold. You
can expect to find a wide range of rings, earrings, pendants, necklaces,
bracelets and the list goes on. At least you can enjoy browsing the
possibilities!