Stone of the Month: Emerald

Emerald and Antique Copper Earrings
by Khalliah Design

People born in the month of May are awfully lucky - they have one of the most beautiful birthstones. The pure, deep green of emeralds is a wonder to behold. It’s no wonder that the mythical people of Oz used it to decorate their wondrous city.

Though emeralds play in important role in L. Frank Baum's tales, they were even more important in the film adaptations. In Return to Oz, the Nome King's captives are all emerald in color, instead of royal purple as in the original Ozma of Oz. Though this may have been an attempt to tie the film to it's predecessor, The Wizard of Oz, it was certainly good for aesthetics.

Emeralds are also the traditional gift for a 55th wedding anniversary. They are made up of beryl, and get their green coloring from trace amounts of chromium. The first known emerald deposits were mined in Egypt, and today’s stones are generally found in Columbia.

Finland Earrings in Green
by Dalim

The most prized emeralds are not only uniform in color, but transparency as well, making them easy to imitate with glass or crystal. Other alternatives to emeralds include the laboratory grown variety, or green garnets. Peridot and tourmaline could also be used, but they lack the same deep green color.

Jewelry and accessories decorated with emerald green make wonderful gifts for May birthdays. To find the perfect Canadian handmade gift any time, visit today's featured shops, or add the tag OhCanadaTeam to your searches on Etsy.com.

Elegance Beadwork Ring
by The Sage's Cupboard

Copyright 2010 Oh Canada Team
Text by Mortira