About EmeraldsLove and fertility The ancient Egyptians believed that emeralds symbolized fertility. Romans dedicated emeralds to Venus, the goddess of love. Emeralds are the birthstone for May. Color and pedigreeEmeralds range from light to dark green, often with a bit of blue. Colombia, Brazil and Zambia are major sources. Another source for emeralds is the laboratory. Many beautiful emeralds are lab-created, producing beautiful stones with the same optical, physical and chemical properties as a natural emerald. Taking it homeEmerald rates a 7 1/2 to 8 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. Emeralds need more gentle care. They can resist scratches, but not chipping and breaking. Clean emerald jewelry with cotton swabs or a lint-free cloth. An occasional dip in mild soapy detergent and water is OK, but don’t soak or scrub them. Avoid liquid cleaners and never use ultrasonic cleaners. Visit the Learning Guide for more information on emeralds. About GoldGold is more than just a pretty facePeople don’t just love gold because it sparkles; for centuries, it’s been cherished for being strong. Gold is also malleable enough to suit endless designs, so it’s an excellent foundation for all types of jewelry. And because it’s resistant to corrosion, tarnish and rust, your gold jewelry will look new for a long time. Gold is very malleable making it ideal for jewelry designs, but to give it the strength needed for it to withstand wear it must be alloyed with other metals such as copper, silver, zinc or nickel. The percentage of pure gold to alloys is expressed in karatage. 24k would represent pure gold. 14k represents 14 parts gold and 10 parts alloy. In the United States fine jewelry is generally created using 18k, 14k or 10k gold. Yellow GoldThe shade of yellow gold can vary based on the alloy. As the amount of gold increases, so does the brightness of the yellow color. Visit the Learning Guide for more information on yellow gold. White GoldWhen yellow gold is mixed with nickel and zinc, it becomes white gold, which looks similar to platinum. White gold is often finished by plating it with rhodium, which will give it an even whiter, more brilliant appearance. Visit the Learning Guide for more information on white gold. | 
