Surely you’ll find the exact piece of may birthstone jewelry you’re seeking on 1stDibs — we’ve got a vast assortment for sale. Each design created in this style — which was crafted with great care and often made from
gold,
14k gold and
18k gold — can elevate any look. In our selection of items, you can find a vintage example as well as a contemporary version. Finding the perfect item from our selection of may birthstone jewelry may mean sifting through those created during different time periods — you can find an early version that dates to the 18th Century and a newer variation that were made as recently as the 21st Century. There have been many well-made iterations of the classic choice in our collection of may birthstone jewelry over the years, but those made by
ANGARA INC.,
Daizy Jewellery and
Suzy Levian are often thought to be among the most beautiful. An object in our assortment of may birthstone jewelry of any era or style can lend versatility to your look, but a version featuring
emerald, from our inventory of 1338, is particularly popular. See these pages for a
round cut iteration of this accessory, while there are also
oval cut cut and
emerald cut cut versions available here, too. Finding an option in this array of may birthstone jewelry for sale for
women should be easy, but there are 487 pieces available to browse for unisex as well as
men, too.
No one liked emeralds and emerald jewelry more than Elizabeth Taylor (or her alter ego, Cleopatra). Emeralds were first discovered in Egypt around 330 BC. The stone’s name originated from the ancient Greek word for green, “smaragdus.” According to the Gemological Institute of America, “Emeralds from what is now Colombia were part of the plunder when 16th-century Spanish explorers invaded the New World. The Incas had already been using emeralds in their jewelry and religious ceremonies for 500 years. The Spaniards, who treasured gold and silver far more than gems, traded emeralds for precious metals. Their trades opened the eyes of European and Asian royalty to emerald’s majesty.”
There are numerous myths attributed to the emerald’s spiritual powers, like placing an emerald under your tongue will allow you to see the future. But be careful not to swallow the birthstone for May, or that future won’t be so bright!
There are many important (read: large) emeralds in museum collections around the world. The Patricia Emerald, named after the miner’s daughter, is a 632-carat dihexagonal (or 12-sided) crystal that was discovered in Colombia in 1920 and now resides at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington has in its possession the Hooker Emerald, a 75.47-carat Colombian stone. That emerald had been acquired in the 16th or 17th century by Spanish conquistadores and shipped to Europe. It later belonged to Abdul Hamid II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1876–1909), who wore it on his belt buckle. Purchased at auction by Tiffany & Co. in 1911, the Hooker Emerald was set into a tiara and featured in the New York World’s Fair “House of Jewels” exhibit in 1940. Today, it is part of a brooch, also designed by the jewelry house.
On 1stDibs, find a range of antique and vintage emerald jewelry and watches that includes emerald rings, emerald necklaces and other accessories.
