There’s a unique power in the color green. It instantly invokes feelings of calm, perhaps by reminding us of lush green pastures and paradisaic flora. Green is also a highly visible color, distinctly noticeable even from far away. We surround ourselves, even subconsciously, in the shade when possible, and we cherish occurrences of the hue in nature. Those born in May have the privilege of claiming the evergreen emerald as their birthstone, a gem that embodies everything we adore in the color green.

Have you ever wondered why emeralds are so prized and have been so for nearly 4 billion years? Here are three reasons why we will forever be devoted to emerald gemstones.

It’s Easy Being Green

Partially, emerald’s permanent place in Vogue is due to our almost obsessive devotion to green, as mentioned above. The more saturated the gem is with the color of envy, the more valuable the emerald. Just looking down on the finger fortunate enough to be decorated with the hue, can produce within a person an instant sense of peace and happiness — color therapy at its finest!

Wear What’s Rare

A diamond may spend centuries buried beneath the surface of the earth, waiting to become a part of a love story that will last for generations. However, even rarer than this widely loved gem is the emerald. For its rarity, emeralds have secured a place in the crowns, and even gowns, of royalty — from pharaohs to queens. It is also the only gem to share the official status as a precious gem with the diamond, ruby, and sapphire.

Appearances Are Everything

Emeralds also boast a low density for a precious stone. A one-carat emerald is larger than a one-carat diamond, for example. If bigger means better, May’s birthstone wins this round too. It is also easy to gauge its quality and clarity without the use of magnifying tools. By comparison, a diamond’s clarity must be distinguished at 10x magnification. Clearly, emeralds have nothing to hide!

It’s easy to see why we love May’s birthstone year round!

Featured image: Model wears an oval emerald ring with a split emerald band.