For thousands of years, emerald has been the green of queens, emperors and treasure hunters. It has been carved with prayers, lost at the bottom of the sea, and, in one famous case, carried through a hurricane right here in New Orleans. Here are our favorite legends and true stories of emerald. Follow the links to read each one as a full tale.
๐ Cleopatra's Green Fire
Egypt's ancient emerald mines lay hidden in the mountains of the Eastern Desert. Legend says Queen Cleopatra loved emeralds above all other gems, wore them in her hair and gowns, and gave important visitors emeralds carved with her own face.
๐ Read the full tale: The Queen's Green Fire
๐ The Emperor's Green Lens
The Roman writer Pliny the Elder said nothing was greener than emerald, and that it soothed tired eyes. He also wrote that the emperor Nero watched the gladiator fights in an emerald, and for centuries people have imagined Nero holding a green stone to his eye like a lens.
โฐ The Green Mountains of Colombia
Long before the Spanish arrived, the Muzo people of what is now Colombia mined emeralds of a green so pure that nothing in the Old World could match it. When Spanish conquerors found the mines in the 1500s, Colombian emeralds poured into Europe, India and the Middle East, and they are still considered the finest in the world.
๐ The Sunken Emeralds of the Atocha
In 1622 a Spanish treasure galleon loaded with Colombian emeralds sank in a hurricane off the Florida Keys. A treasure hunter searched for sixteen years, telling his crew every morning "Today's the day," until in 1985 they finally found it.
๐ Read the full story: Today's the Day
๐ The Mughal Emerald
The Mughal emperors of India adored Colombian emeralds and often carved them with flowers and prayers. One famous example, known as the Mughal Emerald, weighs over 200 carats and is engraved with prayers and dated to 1695. It shows how an emerald could be both a treasure and a prayer you could hold in your hand.
๐ The Emerald That Rode Out Katrina
Our own New Orleans legend. The giant Bahia Emerald, an 840-pound rock studded with emerald crystals, was locked in a New Orleans warehouse when Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005. It survived the storm, only to be stolen, fought over by around ten claimants, and called "cursed" by the press, until it was finally ordered home to Brazil in 2024.
๐ Read the full story: The Emerald That Rode Out Katrina
๐ What Emerald Means
Rebirth & renewal, the green of spring
Love & loyalty
Wisdom & foresight
Royalty, the stone of queens and emperors
Emerald is the birthstone of May and the traditional gift for the 20th and 35th anniversaries.
โจ Final Thoughts
Every antique emerald carries a little of this history: green fire from deep in the earth, prized by queens, sought by sailors, and handed down through families. When you wear one, you join a very old story.
Thinking of buying one? Read How to Choose an Emerald first.
๐๏ธ Find Your Own Emerald Story
Explore our vintage and antique emerald jewelry at 322 Royal Street or online.
๐ Shop Emerald Jewelry
