Emerald – green fire of life

When you admire the emerald, the question arises involuntarily: why is this gem so beautiful and how can we explain its unusually pleasant bright green color and radiant shine? And although for more than two centuries it is known that the noble green color of the gem is due to the chromium, still one wants to believe in a different version – the mineral absorbed the lush green of natural beauties. The name “emerald” comes from the Greek smaragdos – “green stone”.
A lot of emeralds are kept in museums in the USA, Germany, Austria, Iran, India and other countries of the world.
This gem gives the owner mental balance and creative inspiration, especially in literature. It is able to relieve stress, calm, improve the work of the heart and intestines.

In 1831, 18-centimeter-long emerald of dense green color appeared in the treasury of English kings. Its weight is 1383.95 carats. In all world catalogs it is called the Duke of Devonshire Emerald, although it should be called the Brazilian emerald. Fleeing from Brazil to England, King Don Pedro took with him the state treasury and a national relic. The Duke of Devonshire sheltered the disgraced king. This beautiful emerald is often exhibited at Buckingham Palace and at international gem exhibitions.
Several large emeralds are kept in the New York Museum of Natural History. This is the Pride of America (1470 carats), Stephenson Emerald (1438 carats), Hiddenite emerald (1270 carats) and very rich in deep green Patrician (632 carats).
In Russia, some of the enlightened people believed in the power of the green gem, considering it a prophetic stone.
The ancients called the emerald “the stone of the mysterious Isis”, believed that it was able to protect the person who wore it from anguish and hypochondria, to turn away from betrayal, and to drive away bad dreams and slightly open the veil of the future. The Greeks believed that the emerald brings its owner wisdom and composure, relieves mental angst and is an antidote to the snake bite.
Rings with emeralds were the favorite decorations of Queen Cleopatra. King Solomon gave his beloved emeralds. The Roman emperor Nero preferred to look at the world through the emerald glass.
The most beautiful, clean and transparent green stones at all times were mined in the mines of Colombia and Peru. The inhabitants of the present territory of Peru – the Incas – appreciated the emeralds unusually high. They were used mainly to decorate the golden statues of the gods.
According to legend, the Holy Grail (the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper) and the famous Emerald Tablet (the magic plate of the occultists) were made of the whole piece of the emerald.
Emerald always was a symbol of love and beauty. Its green color symbolizes the revival and arrival of spring. Modern lithotherapy claims that an emerald in a ring, an earring or a pendant, attracts happiness.