The Sun enters the sign of Taurus between April 21 and May 21. Taurus is a very stable sign, in which stubbornness and possessiveness emerge; detests changes and has the gift of knowing how to administer money. His greatest virtue is patience, accompanied by constancy. Taurus moves slowly, but inexorably, towards a goal, and when situations are adverse, it knows how to wait with resolute calm for the right moment to reach it. The dominant planet is Venus and being green the color of Venus, the lucky stones for the sign of the Taurus are the green ones. In particular the emerald, capable of creating alchemy with the wearer.

The composition

The name emerald comes from the Greek "smaragdos" and means "green gem". Emerald is a member of the beryl mineral family (in ancient Greek, "beryllos" means "blue-green stone"), which is commonly known as the "mother of gems" by virtue of its highly prized varieties. It owes its color to traces of chromium, vanadium and iron, whose various concentrations determine an extraordinary range of greens, from light pastel to deep dark with varying degrees of bluish, brown, greyish and yellowish shades. Since ancient Egypt, the emerald has been linked with fertility, immortality, rejuvenation and spring. Pliny attributed the power to rest and to relieve tired eyes to emeralds.

The characteristic

The characteristic "beauty spots" are due to the same formation of the gem within metamorphic rocks (rocks that have undergone a physical transformation due to extreme variations in heat and pressure), together with the presence of traces of chromium and vanadium. Inclusions and subtle fractures are called "jardin" (from the French "garden") by experts. A further characteristic of this precious stone is its unique brilliance. The sheen of an emerald is often described as "silky", "warm", "shining" and has a decisive influence on color, purity and cut. The quality of the cut plays a primary role: an expert cutter is in fact able to place the visible inclusions where they do not ruin the beauty of the gem. Through the typical "emerald cut" the famous equidistant steps are aimed at reducing the pressure of the cut and the shape and thus accentuating the silky brilliance of the gem.

The varieties

The Colombian emerald is synonymous with superior quality, much in demand on the market, but difficult to find. The emerald "Nova Era" is extracted from the Brazilian mine of Minas Gerais and closely resembles the Colombian one due to its classic beauty with shades ranging from pale green to a more intense green. The "Trapiche" emeralds are crystals with thin fibrous inclusions of dark carbon, which expand from a naturally formed central hexagon. Another variety is extracted in Russia, where the specimens are distinguished by their purity and a bluish green color. And then the precious emerald of Panjshir Valley, in Afghanistan. In the depths of the Valley of the Five Lions, carved in the Hindu Kush rock by the Panjshir river, these natural gems have only recently been found in Europe ... at Boite d’Or you can find them, transformed into dazzling creations.

It is time to discover the best creations with this precious gem from Boite d’Or, in the Alba and Cuneo locations, or to admire them on our website: www.shop.boitedor.com.