Description
Emerald is a variety of beryl and is considered the most precious stone in the beryl group. The colorant is chromium, sometimes vanadium. The chemical formula is Be3Al2(SiO3)6. Emerald forms through a combination of intrusive magma and metamorphic alteration of rocks. Deposits therefore occur in pegmatite channels or in their vicinity. Crystals are extracted almost exclusively from the host rock, where the emerald has grown in small channels or on the walls of cavities. Alluvial deposits are unlikely to form because the specific gravity of emerald is comparable to that of quartz. The name emerald likely originates from a Semitic language via Latin and Greek. The Greeks used the name not only for emerald, but also for various green stones. The emerald has always been considered the "king of gemstones." Thousands of years before Christ, it was already known and mined and used in jewelry, amulets, and artifacts. Emeralds have been found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, in Pompeii, and in Herculaneum. Emeralds are also mentioned in the Bible: in the Book of Revelation, there is a "rainbow like an emerald" surrounding the throne in heaven. Special emeralds are part of treasures and museum collections. Numerous emeralds lie in shipwrecks on the seabed between America and Europe. The unique and striking color of this gemstone became synonymous with the officially recognized color emerald green. The name is often used metaphorically for countries. For example, Ireland is also called the Emerald Isle in English because of its green color. Since Multatuli, the Dutch East Indies has been known as the Emerald Belt. In astrology, the emerald is associated with the month of May and the zodiac sign Taurus. In some cultures, the emerald is a traditional gift for a 55th wedding anniversary. The emerald is one of the "nine gemstones" in the Thai Order of the Nine Gems.
