Emeralds have been a prized gemstone for more than 6,000 years. An ancient Egyptian emerald mine provided Cleopatra with emeralds, which were reportedly her favorite jewels.
Name
According to Indian tradition, the name "emerald" came from the ancient Sanskrit word "marakata," which translates to the "green of growing things."
Value
The clearest, most perfect emeralds are more valuable than diamonds, carat for carat.
Earliest Reference
Greek philosopher Aristotle was the first to write about emeralds, which he believed could prevent sickness when worn around the neck.
Lost Riches
After conquering Mexico, Hernando Cortes loaded one of his ships bound for Spain with hundreds of dollars worth of emeralds. The treasure was lost when the ship sunk.
Birthstone
The emerald is the birthstone for those born in May.
Famous Ties
Queen Elizabeth II, Marlene Dietrich, Jackie Kennedy and Elizabeth Taylor all favored emeralds.
0 comments:
Post a Comment