Emerald is one of the big three gemstones, making it a staple in any serious Jewelryholic! In this article we will discuss all about its story, characteristics, use, and price so you can start considering adding one or a few to your collection.
Story
The origin of the word Emerald comes from Ancient Greek “smaragdos”, which means “green gem”. It is said that it was Cleopatra’s favorite gemstone, as it has been mined in Egypt since ancient times. Emerald is the birthstone for the month of May.
While tanzanite holds the symbolic meaning for birth, emeralds hold the meaning for rebirth and fertility. It is to assume that its symbolic meaning comes from ancient Egypt, where Osiris guided the souls of the departed to be born again indefinitely. In South America, emeralds were first used by the Incas before the Spanish arrived.
Characteristics
Emerald is the green variety of the mineral beryl, which is also the mineral for morganite (in pink or salmon colors). Emerald gets its color from small traces of chromium and sometimes vanadium.
The most valued emeralds in the world are the ones mined in Colombia, in the Muzo, Coscuez and Chivor mines. They are valued highly because they come from sedimentary deposits (only in Colombia) rather than igneous deposits and thus were formed along with the Andes mountains and the inherent tectonic movement.
Emerald is less dense than diamonds; this translates to a bigger look when comparing similar weights, which is great!
Unlike diamonds, that lose about 50% of the rough in the cutting process, emeralds can lose up to 90% of the rough due to the large number of inclusions found in Type III stones.
Color
Besides their characteristic green hue, blue and yellow are secondary hues found in emeralds. To be considered an emerald, it must be a medium to dark tone beryl; otherwise it is just a green beryl.
Clarity
Emeralds are naturally included (heavily) and their clarity is measured with the naked eye rather than with 10X magnification which is the standard in diamonds. If an emerald has no visible inclusions to the naked eye, it is considered flawless.
Because of their natural inclusions and fissures reaching surface level, treatments such as “oiling”, or filling the cracks with a liquid with a similar refractive index, are accepted to enhance clarity.
It is mandatory to report if an emerald has been treated during a sale. Be wary that a treated emerald will cost less than an untreated one. Avoid stones treated with green-tinted oil and favor cedar oil treated ones instead.
Use
There are no written rules when it comes to wearing emeralds. However, because of its color, it is better to use it on white gold or platinum settings to enhance the focus on its beautiful color and to combine it with your favorite outfit.
Earthy tones work great with this stone; pair it with solid colors to enhance the color of the emerald and really make it pop.
Remember that an emerald is not as hard as a sapphire or a diamond, so it is not advisable to wear it every day. Save it for special occasions, and even then, try to avoid scratching it or applying any sort of oil or lotion on it. Some people use it on their non-dominant hand as a measure of protection. I do not think this is necessary as long as you take caution wearing it.
Price
Emeralds with a solid, medium-tone color (the most important aspect) and good transparency are the most sought after; avoid stones with uneven colors (color zoning) for the best value.
Inclusions are fine in emeralds, since most of them come with plenty of these, called jardin for the French word for garden. The less the inclusions in the stone, the higher the price, so take that into consideration.
Because there are so many variables in Emeralds, it is difficult to encompass all within one price. A one carat Emerald can go from 1,000 USD all the way to 7,000 USD depending on the quality; the higher the quality, the more it will reach the higher price point.
Emeralds have a similar price point to diamonds; however, emeralds of the highest quality cost more than diamonds of equal carat weight.
Emeralds that fetch higher price points should be accompanied by a lab report that states the quality of the stone, including if it has been treated and, in some cases, the place where it was mined.
Conclusion
Emeralds are considered as the one of the most precious stones in the world. Their beauty and origin dates to ancient times and if worn correctly can enhance your look and compliment your outfit.
Like diamonds, emeralds can be graded using the 4Cs. However, color is the most important aspect in the case of emeralds since most of them will have inclusions.
Many emerald vendors sell treated emeralds, which is an acceptable treatment in the industry. However, it is noteworthy that some treatments may affect the price more than others, so it is important to find out what kind of treatment the stone has gone through.
Emeralds can fetch high prices, but the average emerald is affordable and can look amazing with the right setting. Shop with your eyes and find the best stone for your needs.
Do you own any Emeralds? Did this article spike your curiosity about them? Let us know in the comment section!
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