Jewelry Emeralds
Jewelry emeralds are different to industrial emeralds which are used for such purposes as grinding, pivots for spindles and other uses so it is important to know everything you can about emeralds before embarking out to buy some.
The emerald is the birthstone for May and also the gemstone for the astrological signs of Cancer and Taurus.
It comes from the Hebrew word ‘Nofech’ which apparently means, ‘emerald’ but also may mean ‘garnet’
The emerald is a type of beryl, a mineral and is colored green as a result of trace elements such as chromium and iron.
The emerald is the most valuable gemstone in the world, more valuable even than diamonds. It has a hardness of 7-8 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, Just below rubies at 9 and diamonds at 10. However, as emeralds have inclusions or cracks in this can reduce the hardness, and also the value. So it is important to know what the qualities of the emerald are that you intend buying.
Most emeralds are oiled to reduce the chances of cracking and also to enhance the appearance of the emerald.
It is important to get a certificate with an emerald when you buy it. This certificate should come from an independent gemological laboratory and list out the characteristics of the emerald and with that you should get an independent appraisal to show the value.
This is important to ensure you are not paying too much for the gemstone, that the gemstone is what it is purported to be, so you can insure it for its true value and in the eventuality you might want to sell it at sometime in the future.
This applies whether you buy from a dealer, a jeweler, online or from an auction. Ensure the seller is bona fide and can be contacted easily in case you find the emerald is not genuine, as there are many artificial emeralds and even fake emeralds out there.
Some due diligence and a bit of common sense will go a long way to giving you peace of mind when buying a jewelery emerald or jewelery emeralds.