Emerald is known as May’s birthstone—but it’s always been more than a date on the calendar. For centuries, emeralds have symbolized renewal, growth, and a deep connection to the natural world. Their vivid green isn’t just beautiful, it feels alive, like something just beginning.
That feeling is especially familiar here in the Pacific Northwest.
May arrives quietly, but with unmistakable presence. The landscape shifts almost overnight—hills deepen into richer greens, moss brightens, and soft rain gives way to longer, lighter evenings. It’s not quite summer, but everything is on its way. There’s a sense of movement, of possibility—of something unfolding just beneath the surface.
Emerald captures that moment perfectly.
Its color mirrors what we see all around us this time of year: fresh growth, resilience, and the kind of beauty that only comes from time and transformation. It’s a gemstone that doesn’t shout—it draws you in. And like the season itself, it carries a sense of optimism. If you’d like to explore more about what makes emeralds so unique, the Gemological Institute of America offers a wonderful overview in their emerald guide.
More Than One Shade of Green
This time of year invites us to look a little closer—not just at emeralds, but at the many shades of green that feel right at home in May. Each gemstone carries its own personality, its own kind of light.
Emerald
Deep, vibrant, and timeless—emerald holds the richness of spring at its peak.
Green Tourmaline
A spectrum of greens, from soft and earthy to bright and lively, offering incredible versatility.
Tsavorite Garnet
Crisp and vivid, with a brilliance that feels almost electric.
Peridot
Light-filled and fresh, with a glow that hints at the warmth of the coming summer.
Together, they create a palette that feels layered and alive—much like the season itself.
A Few of Our Favorite Greens
One of the things we love most about colored gemstones is just how many shades of green exist in the natural world. Some are deep and velvety, others bright and lively. Some lean earthy and understated, while others seem to glow from within.
Beyond emerald, tourmaline, tsavorite garnet, and peridot, there are so many other beautiful green gemstones to discover—green sapphires, chrome diopside, jade, green zircon, green spinel, sphene, chrysoberyl, and even other varieties of garnet and quartz. Each carries its own character, texture, and personality.
This month, we’ve filled parts of our windows with some of our favorite green gemstone jewelry as a celebration of the season. We even gathered a set of six different green gems together and thought it might be fun to see if anyone can identify them all.
Some may be familiar. Others might surprise you.
That’s part of what makes colored gemstones so fascinating—there’s always something new to notice once you start looking a little closer.
A Season for Something New
Whether you’re drawn to the depth of emerald or the brightness of another green gem, May is a reminder that beauty often begins in subtle ways. A shift in light. A change in color. The start of something new.
Sometimes, that beginning is already sitting quietly in a jewelry box—waiting to be worn again or transformed into something entirely different.
If you have a piece that no longer feels like you, we’re always happy to help you reimagine what it could become.