Sparkling Kagem Emeralds Rock
As May Birthstone featuring Gemfields’
responsibly sourced Zambian emeralds!
For centuries people have linked the month of their birth with a particular gemstone, and May has traditionally been associated with emeralds. Highlighting the significance of emeralds this May are leading coloured gemstone supplier Gemfields, which operate the world's single largest producing emerald mine Kagem, in Lufwanyama, in partnership with the Zambian government.
“The emerald takes its name from the Greek word ‘smáragdos' meaning ‘green stone’, which symbolizes life and force of the cosmos, strength and inner bliss, in Central America it was a fertility token,” explains independent jewellery expert Joanna Hardy. “The colour green has always been associated with rebirth, renewal, youth, hope, nature and paradise and so emerald has been a revered stone for centuries.”
Emeralds have gained recognition as one of the rarest and therefore more valuable precious stones in the world, befitting for a gem that has been 500 million years in the making. This rarity comes from such precise geological conditions required for formation: the specific minerals, heat and pressure surrounding the meeting of circa 1.6 billion-year-old high-grade metamorphic rock with circa 500-million-year-old intruding pegmatite.
Known for their clarity – a rare trait in emeralds – and their bluish green hue, Zambian emeralds from Kagem Mine in Lufwanyama have been featured in some of Gemfields collaborations with the world’s top jewellery designers. Celebrities across the globe have been increasingly seen sporting these stunning green stones, both on and off the red carpet.
In celebration of emeralds and May birthdays, we bring to you a selection of striking jewellery pieces, all featuring Gemfields’ responsibly sourced Zambian emeralds.
Gemfields adheres to values of legitimacy, transparency and integrity, aiming to create long-term positive impact in the communities surrounding its mines through on-going social and environmental initiatives. In Zambia, Gemfields, through Kagem, has invested US$2million in community initiatives such as three new schools, a health centre, farming associations and contributions to wildlife conservation efforts, amongst other projects.
