Emerald, is the traditional birthstone for May, as well as a sentimental token of love when celebrating 20 years or 55 years of marriage. A variety of the mineral beryl, emerald's color consists of brilliant deep hues of green making it one of the most sought-after gemstones on the market, and throughout history. Originally discovered by the Spanish in South America in the 16th-century, emeralds have since been very coveted ever since. Their stunning color and luster made emeralds a favorite gem of queen Cleopatra, who reportedly adorned herself with the bewitching green gemstones on a regular basis.

Besides their beauty, according to ancient folklore emeralds were believed to help one see into the future if you placed one under your tongue. They were also considered a healing agent where the wealthy would crush and boil emeralds and mix the resulting mixture with a lotion to cure cuts and other skin ailments. The soft calming color of green is still believed to relax and relieve eye strain--and a fine specimen of emerald is found at the workstation of most diamond cutters, to this day, as a result.