Known
for its brilliant green color, emerald can also have blue or yellow undertones
and loses all color when subjected to high heat. Their brittle exterior makes
emeralds difficult to shape.The earliest emeralds were mined in Upper Egypt as
early as 2,000 B.C. They were mined throughout the reign of Alexander the Great
and were well-loved and collected by Cleopatra. The Aztecs and Incas also
coveted emeralds, and the Moguls of India revered them so much they inscribed
the gems with sacred text to be used to ward off evil. Historically, emeralds
have been mined from Russia, Austria, Australia, and Norway. Today, the
majority of emeralds are found in Brazil, Zambia, and Columbia. The emerald is
the birthstone for May.