All About Emeralds

The emerald gemstone is a favorite with many people.

Some think it brings wisdom and spiritual growth. Others believe it is a sign for Love and devotion. It is the birthstone for the month of May and for being the 20th and 35th wedding anniversary gemstone.

Emeralds have been used by gemstone cutter on their bench tops as they believed the gemstone was restful for the eyes. They have also been prescribed for eye disease for the same reason.

Both the Incas and Egyptians mined and used Emeralds. The Incas worshiped the stone and the Egyptians mined and used them for decoration.
Some of the best emeralds come from Columbia and have a deep grass green color with a tinge of blue. They are considered extremely beautiful. Some emeralds of a striking color are considered more valuable than diamonds in fact and the larger stones can fetch much more and an equivalent diamond stone.

The word emerald is made up of the Greek word smaragdos which means green stone. Emeralds can vary from a deep blue-green to green hues and some have are a yellowish green. If the color is too yellow or blue then it loses its emerald title and becomes a different form of beryl.

The most exquisite emeralds are most commonly found in Colombia. They are known to have a deep grass green coloring with a highlighting of blue. Emeralds are certain to please anyone as a gift.

When searching for emeralds, always ensure you get a certificate from a gemstone laboratory. You want to ensure that the stone you are buying is of good quality and does not just look nice.

An emerald diamond jewelry ring can look very striking on the finger. Especially when you have high quality emeralds and diamonds in a tasteful setting.

Some important things to know about and emerald diamond jewelry ring include:

Understanding something about the stones. Emeralds and Diamonds are quite different. A diamond is harder than an emerald and, although with diamonds the clarity is most important, with emeralds it is not the clarity so much as the color. A deeper green usually means a more valuable emerald and one that will keep its value. With diamonds the better the clarity the more valuable it will be, taking into consideration the cut and color also.

Any purchase of an emerald diamond jewelry ring should be accompanied by the right certificates for both the emerald as well as the diamond or diamonds. These should show the qualities of the stone including its, cut, color, clarity and carat weight. If not then it is best to go elsewhere.

The certificates should match the stones and, for the more expensive items, an independent appraisal should be undertaken by an independent gemological laboratory. They will c0mpare the stones to existing established quality stones and provide a proper assessment of the qualities of the stones.

One should always check the back and sides of the stones, preferable with a jewelers loupe (eyeglass) to check for any inclusions or cracks. The emerald would be expected to have inclusions, in fact this is what makes the emerald an emerald. But the diamond should have no more inclusions than the appraisal states.

The precious metal should also be checked, what is the karat weight, if gold, is it real gold or plate? If Platinum it should be no less than 95 percent platinum.

There is nothing so important as doing some due diligence and really understanding what it is you are buying, especially when you are buying emerald diamond jewelry ring

As well as diamonds, emeralds also have the 4Cs. However the important of them is a little different to diamonds, In emeralds, in order of importance, the 4Cs are Color, Clarity, Cut and Carat weight. Whereas with diamonds, you are primarily concerned with the clarity, with emeralds you are more interested in the color.

Color

Color is more important when considering emeralds than diamonds. For the most part the darker or richer the color the better looking and more valuable the emerald is considered to be. This does not mean that all dark emeralds are valuable. It has to be a fine green color and all other qualities being equal it should be worth more. There are some emeralds that are dark but not fine at all, instead rather opaque and these would be worth much less.

Clarity

Natural Inclusions in emeralds are often called ‘gardens’, possibly due to the green nature of the inclusions. These are what create the emerald green color. Since emeralds have so many inclusions a high percentage of emerald rough (normally 80 to 95%) must be cut away to create a gemstone. This high weight loss is one of the main reasons emeralds are so expensive. There is no set scale as with diamonds that describe the clarity (F, VVS, VS, etc) of an emerald.

Cut

The faceting, shape, width and depth of the emerald make up the cut. The ideal cut emerald should be symmetrical in shape and the facets should be uniform to give the maximum color and brilliance. A cut that is too shallow will lose light from the bottom of the stone and brilliance will therefore be lost. Similarly if the cut is too deep then light is lost out the sides and the emerald will appear darker than it should. If the cut is too shallow, light will be lost at the bottom of the stone and the emerald will not have maximum brilliance. If the cut is too deep, the light will escape out of the sides and the emerald will appear dark. This can happen if the cutter is more concerned with saving weight than in producing an excellently cut emerald.

Carat Weight

The actual carat weight is the least important factor in the value of an emerald. Although it does have a bearing on the price of course. Apples for apples, or in this case emeralds for emeralds and provided all the other factors are the same, then a larger gemstone will be worth more than a smaller one of course. But the weight does not take precedence over the qualities such as color, clarity and cut.<

Most gem stones are appraised using the above criteria as a base guide. As with any gemstone purchase always ensure you know what you are buying. Understanding something about the emeralds 4cs will help you do that.

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.

Emeralds are a rare green variety of the mineral beryl. The green comes from the chromium content.

Since early times emeralds have been highly valued and, indeed, a high quality emerald can even be worth or valued more than a diamond.

Although generally considered the green gem, emeralds actually come in a variety of other colors depending on the various impurities nature has imparted into the stone. The blue stone is known as aquamarine and the pink shades are known as morganite. You can get yellow and golden emeralds also and, even rarer, red.

Emeralds are quite hard being in the range of seven to eight on the Mohs hardness scale. Just below Rubies nine and diamonds at ten. Emerald is the May birthstone and traditionally given for the 55th wedding anniversary.

Some of the most beautiful emeralds come from Colombia and these are often a brilliant green yet tinged with a blue quality. Emeralds are also found in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Most emeralds are treated to enhance their appearance. This includes immersing in oils to fill cracks and prevent further cracks due to the stone drying out excessively. Also epoxy resin and resins are used to fill in cracks and improve transparency which is why cleaning of emeralds should be carefully done and not include ultra-sonic devices as they can remove the oils and coatings.

Two famous emeralds include the Gachala Emerald, which is an uncut emerald crystal weighing 858 carats or 172 grams. This stone was found in 1967 at Vega de San Juan mine in Colombia and is named after the mining district where it was discovered. It was donated to the Smithsonian Institution by the New York jeweler, Harry Winston.

The other one is the Chalk Emerald and this weighed in at37.82-carats. It originally weighed 38.40 carats, but was subsequently recut and set in a ring, where it is surrounded by sixty pear-shaped diamonds totaling 15 carats by Harry Winston Inc. The ring is housed in the National Gem and Mineral Collection at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and was donated to the museum by Mr. and Mrs. O. Roy Chalk in 1972.

Emeralds are used primarily in jewelery and look wonderful set in rings and necklaces. When looking for a good emerald always ask for a certificate to show its authenticity and value.

Antique emerald jewelry cleaning is very important if you want to ensure that your emerald jewelery is kept in good condition and retain its sparkle and value.

All emeralds have been especially treated by soaking them in oils to fill cracks and fissures that occur naturally in emeralds. The oil used ins usually green and used to also enhance the emerald. There are no exceptions so if you have an emerald it is guaranteed that it has been treated in this manner.

Over time the emerald can lose the oils, become brittle and tend to crack. You can get such emeralds retreated and back to their pristine condition again by going to a reputable jeweler who knows how to treat emeralds.

As a consequence special treatment is required to clean an emerald. Never use chlorine or detergents or even enzyme cleaners. These can react with the oils and cause problems as well as allergic reactions to the wearer. Also Emeralds to not like excessive heat either so putting an emerald in boiling water can also cause problems. Also using an ultra sonic machine is not recommended for emeralds. Emeralds are more delicate than people expect and can suffer from thermal shock and lose the oils contained therein.

Simple warm soapy water and brushed with an old tooth brush is the safest. Then rinsed really well and thoroughly dried is the best option.

Emeralds are valued on the quality of fissures and breaks present in the emerald. The a=mount of treatment an emerald has had also would affect the value.

Most commercial emeralds are valued anywhere from 600 to 2,000 US dollars per carat. Possibly more for larger emeralds. Some of the finest emeralds in the world have been known to fetch over 30,000 US dollars per carat.

When purchasing an emerald it is wise to insist upon a certificate that shows the quality of the emerald including the quality of fissures, cracks and inclusions the emerald has.

Provided the above information is kept in mind and your antique emerald jewelry cleaning is done properly you can expect many years of please from your emerald.

Cleaning your emerald jewelery is a very important activity if you want to ensure it stays in a pristine condition

Emeralds are usually set in rings, broaches, pendants and sometimes necklaces and they get subject to dust, grime and the results of oils and perfumes, chemicals, hairsprays and body sweat .

It is important to know how to regularly maintain and keep them clean therefore.

One needs to be careful of using chemicals to clean gemstones. While diamonds are generally unaffected by chemicals, emeralds may be, so knowing what one can and cannot use is vital to ensure you keep your emeralds in pristine condition and keep them sparkling.

Use a warm soapy solution in a large bowl (not over the sink as you don’t want to slip and lose your precious gemstone down the plug hole) and rub with a old toothbrush to get out any residue between the stone and the jewelery. Brushing underneath as well as the top and in between the crevasses is important. Ensure you brush gently as, although the gemstone may be quite hard, the precious metal it is set in may be soft and the claws that hold the gemstone may be easily snapped off. 24 karat gold is particularly soft so great care should be taken with that metal.

Make sure the piece is rinsed really well so that the is no soap caught between the ruby and the metal.

Pat dry with a soft cloth. And allow to dry completely before storing or wearing again. A hair dryer can also be used with the setting on low so you don’t blow the jewelery piece away off and onto the floor and have to spend hours frantically searching for it.

If your jewelery is pure gold an ammonia solution could be used. It is not advisable with other metals, such as silver or a lower carat gold of 14 or 10 karat, as they also contain other metals which can react with the ammonia and cause it to go black.

The same principles of clean as described above apply. Brushed well to get rid of grime, rinsed really well and completely dried.

Some people let their gems soak in the solution for a half hour or so. To loosen any grime wedged in.

Using the above tips for cleaning your emerald jewelery will help to keep them sparkling clean.

The emerald is a beautiful green gemstone that has delighted people for thousands of years. Much prized it has been traded as far back as babalonian times and it is said that even the Roman Emperor would watch the gladiators fight through an emerald.

Although emeralds are available in many countries the Columbian deposits are regarded as producing the finest top quality emeralds in the world and of course they are the most expensive. A top quality emerald can fetch, carat for carat more than a diamond due to its rarity and quality.

On a regular basis more information will be added and I hope this information will prove useful and interesting.