May birthstone: Color, Meaning & Gemstone Selection

What is may birthstone?

The birthstone of May, the “vitality” of life is condensed into a gemstone: it is a rich green, like the tips of sun-drenched grass blades, clear and hidden in the exuberant vitality.

Looking closely, you can occasionally see fine lines or small spots on it, like the “fingerprints” left by nature in the carving. The perfect stone is always the same, but the one with natural traces is more like the temperament of May: it does not hide, but reveals its “vitality” in a generous way.

Legend has it that the May birthstone is a symbol of good fortune, but now it is more like a “seasonal medal”. When a person born in May wears it, it is like wearing the most vitality of the spring, enriching his or her life value and making him or her healthier and more energetic.

May’s birthstone of choice: Emerald

If you were born in May, you can choose emerald as your guardian gemstone.

What is Emerald?

• As a precious gemstone, the meaning of emerald is rich and diverse, covering emotional, cultural, spiritual and feng shui aspects.
• In terms of emotional symbolism, it represents love, friendship and loyalty, and is often used as an anniversary or Valentine’s Day gift to convey love; at the same time, it carries the meaning of hope and youth, giving people a sense of freshness, as if infusing life with vitality.
• Culturally, emeralds have been endowed with positive symbols of good fortune, beauty and power, and have been regarded as tokens of love and hope throughout history, such as during the Roman period, when they were prized as precious jade.
• On a spiritual level, emeralds are traditionally believed to balance the mind and boost energy, helping to calm the mind, increase self-confidence and inner balance, and promote physical and mental health.
• In feng shui, emeralds are regarded as a stone of prosperity, attracting wealth and good fortune, and adding strength to your life and career.
• As the birthstone for May, it also symbolizes luck and happiness, and is believed to bring a lifetime of peace, carrying people’s hopes for a better life.

May Birthstone Color

• The green color of emeralds is not a common pigment, but is “tinted” by trace amounts of (Cr) or (V) in the mineral.
• Chromium gives the color a more bluish green (as in the top Colombian emeralds), while vanadium may give the green a slightly yellowish tint (as in some Zambian emeralds).
• The clever ratio of these two elements gives the emerald a more intense and layered green than the common beryl (such as the light green aquamarine).

Benefits of Wearing May Birthstone

• Symbolizing “loyalty and love,” wearing it is thought to instill trust in close relationships.
• Green color of gemstones comes from nature’s “power of growth”, and wearing them serves as a “recharge station” for the life force.
• Your bond with May is a sense of exclusivity that is uniquely yours. It enhances self-identity and brings you closer to nature.
• The rich green color contrasts with the light colors of spring and summer (white, beige, and light pink) and instantly enhances the sense of sophistication of the outfit.

How to choose right May birthstone?

• Color: the “soul” of an emerald, with preference given to a “rich, vibrant” green.
• Clarity: accepting “natural traces” without having to strive for “absolute perfection”
• Cut: affects the color of the fire and the wearer’s effect
• Origin: Preferred Colombia, Zambia, Brazil, Afghanistan