The Ancient History of Emerald Engagement Rings

Emerald engagement rings have a rich and ancient history, revered by such famous figures as Cleopatra and Aristotle. However, aside from the emerald’s undeniable beauty, this popularity can, in part, be said to be the result of the special and often magical properties attributed to this ancient gemstone.

Many cultures throughout the centuries have believed the emerald to be a very powerful stone; the ancients associated the stone with Venus, the Greek goddess of love and beauty. It was also said that the stone would prevent lovers from being unfaithful – though, naturally, this was mainly in the context of women, not men. It was said that the gem would glow a beautiful, rich green colour if the heart was loyal, but if the heart were unfaithful, then the stone would turn a dull, lifeless colour--clearly a useful quality for emerald engagement rings to have.

Emeralds were believed to be capable of bestowing goodness in one’s life. The ancient Egyptians believed emeralds to stand for fertility and rebirth, and it was also widely believed that emeralds could enable people to foretell future events, but only if placed under the tongue. This talented green gem was also said to be able to reveal what was true or false and to act as an antidote for enchantments and spells. Virtues believed to be bestowed on owners of emeralds included improved eloquence in speech, intelligence, honesty and creativity. It was also believed that a special emerald could change colour in order to alert the wearer to impending danger.

Perhaps, most famously, emeralds were largely believed to have medicinal properties. In particular, the admired green colour was believed to relieve stress and eye strain. In almost every culture, it was claimed that emeralds improved eyesight. During the time of Hippocrates, emeralds were often crushed into a fine powder in order to be used in an eye lotion. Perhaps this is why the emperor Nero used an emerald to watch the renowned gladiator matches. Other ailments believed to be cured by emeralds include colic, burns, syphilis, influenza, epilepsy, cancer, heart disorders and many others. Even today, the powder of cheaper, lower quality emeralds apparently is still used in folk remedies in China.

In other words, as well as being beautiful, emerald engagement rings appear to have many useful skills and virtues. It certainly appears that there are many advantages for couples to consider emerald engagement rings over the traditional diamond engagement rings.