42 Gachala emerald
Emerald, the birthstone for May, is one of the world’s most valued gems.
Mined by the Egyptians more than 3,500 years ago for the Pharaohs, this precious green stone also has been worshipped by the ancient Incas and Aztecs, the Indian Maharajas and Maharanis, and kings, queens and other royals all over the world throughout history.
The stone is prized for its shades of green, which represent the color of life and the eternally returning spring.
For this reason, emerald has held a special religious position in many cultures.
The Gachala Emerald, an uncut 5-cm stone weight 858 carats, was found in Colombia in 1967.
It was given to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.
C.
, by famous New York jeweler Harry Winston.
Another huge, rare emerald is the Sacred Emerald Buddha.
It resides on the grounds of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand.
This venerable image was, according to historic legend, accidentally uncovered after a lightning strike on a Chedi in Northern Thailands Chiang Rai district in AD 1434.
The temples resident abbot discovered stucco flaking off the image exposing a hidden green colored Buddha statute.
The remaining stucco was duly removed reveling what the world now refers to as the Emerald Buddha.
