Emeralds are heralded as The Jewel of Kings. Adorned since the dawn of time, they have long been held as a symbol of wealth and power. Cleopatra was a known fan, even having acquired her own emerald mine from the Egyptians.
Emeralds are associated with the heart chakra, and in mythology, they are tied to the goddess Venus. They are the stones of love and success.
Since antiquity emeralds have been sought after for their healing properties. They were thought to reduce eye strain, and stone cutters would often keep them on their work bench and would focus on them when their eyes needed a break. The wealthy were known to have crushed them into powders and used them as elixirs. Aristotle was known to carry one as a talisman for it's thought to increase eloquence in public speaking, and they were even put in the mouth of those wishing to foretell the future.
Egyptians wore emeralds for fertility and immortality, and they were associated with rebirth. The Incas believed their lustrous green glow came from the fact that they were a living incarnation of a goddess.
No matter what magical or metaphysical properties one might attribute to these magnificently luminous, green stones, one thing is clear; emeralds are indeed regalia fit for even those with the most distinguished of tastes.