May

Who first beholds the light of day
In spring's sweet flow'ry month of May
And wears an emerald all her life
Shall be a loved and happy wife.

No happier wife and mother in the land
Than she with emerald shining on her hand.

Traditional Modern - Emerald

Hebrew - Carnelian/Agate

Roman - Agate

Arabic - Emerald

Russian - Emerald

Italian - Agate

Polish - Emerald

Your Guardian Angel is Amriel - His Talismanic Gem is Carbuncle

Your special apostle is Bartholomew - His Gem is Chrysolite

The Gemstone of Taurus (April 20 - May 21 is Sapphire
If on your hand this stone you bind,
You in Taurus born will find
'Twill cure diseases of the mind,
The Sapphire

The Gemstone of Gemini (May 21 - June 21 is Agate
Gemini's children health and wealth command,
And all the ills of age withstand,
Who wear their rings on either hand,
Of Agate

Emeralds are a member of the beryl family. They are rarely found as clean, clear crystals. Most have some inclusions. It has a hardness on the Mohs scale of 7.5. It has a refractive index of 1.57 - 1.58.

The tradition of birthstones arises from the knowledge that the ancient Hebrew high priests wore a breastplate with 12 stones. Each stone represented a tribe of Israel. An emerald was the first stone on the second row.
They were believed to foreshadow future events, strengthen memory, sharpen wits, increase intelligence and create eloquent speakers. Although Cardano stated that people who wore one were believed to be made more honest and economical and but he was sceptical that any men were ever made richer for wearing one. They were believed to be potent healing stones which cured a wide variety of ills. They were felt to be especially effective in protecting children from the scourges of leprosy and plague and in ensuring that pregnant women had an easy delivery

Jewelry