May Birthstone: Emerald

Emerald is the May birthstone, and honestly — she’s not here to play small.

Born deep in the earth under pressure and fire, the emerald May birthstone carries the kind of strength that only comes from surviving a little chaos. She’s the color of wild forests and overgrown dreams. The birthstone of May isn’t about gloss — it’s about growth. Abundance. Learning to love the mess and still choosing to bloom. With that signature emerald green color, she whispers stories of second chances, resilience, and the kind of wisdom that comes from trying again. Wondering is emerald a birthstone? Yes. Is May birthstone emerald? Absolutely — and you’re about to find out why she’s one of the most legendary gems of all time.

Just like emeralds, you grow in the most unlikely places, a dandelion sprouting through the cracks. You show them how life always finds a way.  

This is the kind of survival skill emerald is so famous for. 

A stone for manifesting abundance, emerald gives you strength when handling nasty gossip, feeling misunderstood, and dealing with the painful process of beautiful growth. She convinces you there’s no way to circumvent problems. No shortcut. No ‘achieve success in 30 days’. 

Made in the warm belly of Mother Earth, emerald is born out of struggle. Why is that?

Instead of hiding her scars, emerald flaunts them. This is a gemstone that could easily play the victim, with all her fractures and inclusions laid bare. But she doesn’t. She owns every line, every crack, every mark of her becoming. You see, the same element that gives emerald her vivid green color also creates those very imperfections. The greener the stone, the more included it is. 

So think about all those times you were drowning and drunk in love, swept away to the shore of insanity. Or when your passion is so intense, your to-do list swells like a gluten belly. Or when you find yourself living out your darkest demons.

Emerald has the courage to stand up and say: that’s enough, my friend. No other gem turns her weaknesses into her power source quite like emerald does. 

Emerald doesn’t ask for permission. She doesn’t play by the rules; she writes her own. She sets a new class, a new standard, where truth matters more than perfection, resilience is the real luxury and abundance starts from within. So you do you, babe. Let your battle scars shine. Let your heartbreaks, your detours, your not-so-pretty parts become proof that you’re still here. Still growing, still glowing, still unapologetically you.

Just like a dense forest, emerald attracts life in all its forms. And she orchestrates everything with a motherly expertise, letting your most challenging ideas travel earthside.

So if you ever wonder how to turn meltdowns into creative musings, think about how emerald - even with its deeply buried scars - remains the most potent stone to ground you for even more abundance. 

Birthstone for: May

Emerald zodiac sign: Taurus (20 April-20 May)

Emerald chakra: 

How emerald fits into your life: 

Emerald meaning & healing vibes

Use emerald for:

Tough Love level: 

7.5-8 Mohs scale of hardness - yes, emerald is good at keeping scratches at bay, but it tends to be highly included, which means it’s not as strong when it comes to breakage and chipping. Use a bezel setting to hold the stone firmly and protect its edges. Find out more about hardness vs toughness here. 

Common emerald treatments: 

Oil/resin infusion - virtually all emeralds are oiled. This is because emerald is heavily included. Oil or resin penetrates the cracks, making the stone looks better than it actually is. This treatment isn’t permanent, so over time you’ll find your emerald looks more included. Since this treatment is so common, we assume all emeralds we stock are treated. Find more about common gemstone treatments here. 

Cleaning, care, and cauton: 

Emerald should be treated with extra care. Avoid ultrasonic or steam cleaner since the ultrasonic wave and heat can damage the gemstone. Chemicals can also bring the oil, which is to keep the fractures filled, to the surface and causing its appearance to change. The safest way to clean emerald is by using warm, soapy water, preferably made from natural ingredients, like our lerak jewelry wash.

Ever wondered, what is my birthstone color if I was born in May? Green, and not just any green. Think deep jungle, fresh shoots, rainy season kind of green. The emerald May birthstone comes in a whole palette of shades, from soft light green beryl to vivid emerald green color so rich it almost glows. 

Some stones lean blue, others flash a hint of yellow. You’ll find lush greens from Colombia, cool blue-green tones from Zambia and Nigeria, and joyful, bright greens from Brazil. 

There are even rare types like trapiche, cat’s eye, and star emeralds, each with their own weird and wonderful charm. 

Whatever your vibe, the birthstone of May has a shade of green that fits just right.

So who’s in the family with emerald? 

March’s birthstone, aquamarine, is one. Also the shy pink morganite, pale green beryl, and honey yellow heliodor are part of the beryl family. 

Beryl which is a type of mineral commonly found in igneous and metamorphic rock. 

Pure beryl crystals are colorless and, just like other gemstones, trace elements are their source of colors. 

Green beryl and emerald are siblings from the same gem family, both colored by trace amounts of chromium or vanadium. But while emeralds belong to the beryl family, and green beryl includes emerald, emerald is not the same as green beryl. 

What sets them apart? Mostly, the shade. If the green is deep and vivid, it’s classified as an emerald. But if it’s a lighter, more pastel green, gemologists call it green beryl.

The difference is subtle, but it matters in terms of durability and wearability. Emeralds are known (and loved) for their inclusions, but those same inclusions also make them more prone to chips and breaks. Green beryl, on the other hand, tends to be cleaner. Fewer inclusions means a tougher stone. So while it might not have the same intensity as a classic emerald, green beryl makes a beautiful, more durable alternative, especially for rings or jewelry you’ll wear often.

So if you’re drawn to that lush emerald look, but want something a little more low-maintenance, green beryl might just be your quiet luxury. Same mineral. Same trace elements. Just a little gentler, and a lot more affordable.

Thinking of saying yes with an emerald? We get it. A May birthstone engagement ring is full of symbolism: rebirth, deep love, growth, abundance. An emerald engagement ring carries the hope of springtime and the wish for a long, joyful marriage.

But emeralds need a little extra love. They rate 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, which means they’re not as hard as diamonds or sapphires, and definitely more prone to chips and scratches. Emeralds are also more brittle, especially when they’re rich in inclusions (which, ironically, is part of what makes them so beautiful). That lush green glow? It comes at a price.

So if you work with your hands a lot or aren’t into regular upkeep, this might not be your everyday, decades-of-wear kind of ring. But if you’re drawn to something meaningful, rare, and wildly beautiful - and you’re willing to show it some care - an emerald engagement ring could be perfect for you. Choose a stone with minimal surface-reaching inclusions and go for a protective setting, like a bezel or halo. Treat it gently, clean it with warm soapy water (not ultrasonic or steam), and have it checked now and then by a jeweler.