Select shape Round Princess Emerald Oval Marquise Local Jeweler Search Search for: Your ZIP Code:   Emerald Emerald conjures up associations with intrigue, beauty, and richness than any other gemstone. Its soothing green color represents spring. That's why it's the birthstone of May. Emerald has long been a lover's emblem and dreaming of emerald is said to signify a bright future and a renewing of old friendships. Inside any emerald are inclusions. Colombians called them 'El Jardin' referring to a garden within the gem. Emerald inclusions are nearly always present and considered part of its beauty and uniqueness. To lessen the visual effect of these inclusions the gems are routinely filled with a colorless oil or resin. Most of the world's emeralds now come from Brazil and Columbia, while some small deposits are found in various African nations. Locality Terms Where the stone originates from is often used as a reference for emeralds as well as many precious stones and this can be confusing. A locality assigned to the gemstone should only indicate its origin and say nothing about its physical quality. When purchasing an emerald the description of quality (not the locality) are needed since each locality produces varying qualities. When buying an emerald you have to decide what is most important to you; a larger emerald with lighter color and more inclusions, or a smaller emerald with finer color and lesser inclusions. Prices for fine 3-carat emeralds can easily exceed $20,000 per carat. On a side note, extra caution in wearing emerald is needed as it is a very soft stone.