Being one of the most desirable and historical gemstones, emerald stone is a precious possession for anyone. This stone has been mined for more than 4000 years and is weaved into the human history. From Cleopatra to Mughals, it has symbolized and bewitched royalties for many centuries.
Even in the current context, emerald is a popular gemstone with an unmistakable aura and enigmatic charm. It makes the perfect gift to your loved one when it matters the most. No one can avoid the intensity of its vivid green color and fall under its spell. Here’s everything you need to know about this stone.
What Gives the Beautiful Green Color to Emerald?
Emerald belongs to the mineral beryl family that includes other gemstones like aquamarine as well. It has medium to dark green color derived from the vanadium or chromium impurities. Although emerald was a term used for beryl crystals with chromium before 1963, the definition changed when large deposits of emerald were found in Brazil. These stones contained traces of vanadium impurities in their composition. In some cases, you may also find varied degree of iron atoms in emerald green gems having a bluish tone.
What are the Gemological Properties of Emerald?
With a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on Moh’s scale, emerald is one of the softest precious gemstones. It has a hexagonal crystal system with transparent surface and vitreous luster. Most of the stones contain surface-reaching cracks or inclusions that may make the stone brittle. It is extremely rare to find emerald stones without any inclusions. The key is to find a stone that looks eye-clean, meaning the inclusions or flaws aren’t visible to the bare eyes.
What are the Main Sources of Emerald?
Most of the emerald production is presently done in Brazil, Colombia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. All these countries create commercial variety of emeralds. However, every region produces the stones with varying properties.
While some emeralds may have lesser inclusions and vivid color, others may be dull or flawed. Ethiopia has also emerged as a leading producer of emeralds since 2016. The mines in this country provide grass to blue green varieties of the stone.
What are the Main Quality Factors to Identify Pure Emeralds?
Like other precious gemstones, emerald is also identified according to some tested and proven quality factors. These include the cut, carat, color, and clarity of the stone. It requires an expert eye to recognize the variations that may cause differences in the quality and value of the stone. The main factors to consider in this respect are:
- Emerald Color
Bluish-green to pure emerald green hue is the most desirable attribute for gem lovers. Top it with vivid saturation of color and medium tone to find your perfect stone. The best types of emeralds have even color distribution with high transparency and no color zoning. If the hue of a stone is more on yellowish or bluish side, it is not an emerald but a different type of beryl mineral.
- Emerald Clarity
Typically, you may find three phases of inclusions in emerald stones. It includes liquid films, gaseous bubbles, and solid particles. While Zambia emeralds have black specks on their surface, Colombian stones come with needle-like tubes in them. However, you need to find the stones that have eye clean surface with no inclusions visible to unaided eyes.
Many gemologists refer to emerald inclusions as garden-like or mossy. That’s why it is sometimes also called Jardin which is a French term for garden. Since transparency and clarity are dependent on each other, they are important quality factors for any colored stone, including emerald. As a result, the value of a stone reduces if the inclusions have a negative impact on clarity and transparency of the stone.
- Emerald Cut
Emerald stone is relatively soft when compared to other precious stones like diamond and sapphire. Hence, the gem cutters have to consider many factors before cutting the stone. Any small mistake can result in the loss of weight or distorted facet of the stone. Here, the cutting is also difficult due to the fractures inherent to emeralds.
The cutter has to maximize the impact of color saturation, hue, and tone before giving the shape to the gem. Hence, emerald is usually cut in traditional shapes like cushion, rectangle, square, or simple cabochons.
- Emerald Uniqueness
Remember, a gemstone is valued at a much higher price if it is rare and precious. The same principle applies to emerald varieties that are unique and rare. Star or Trapiche emeralds found in Brazil and Colombia falls under this category. These stones are not only breathtakingly beautiful but also extremely rare.
They have a unique chatoyancy or cat’s eye effect that makes them more mesmerizing. Very few gemstone stores like Gempundit offer this variety of emerald to the interested buyers. Since the prices are pretty high, you should carefully analyze the seller before purchasing.
What are the Benefits of Buying Emerald?
Emerald is a prized possession not only for its beauty but also strong astrological benefits of wearing it. Apart from being the birthstone for May, it is also an anniversary stone for 55th, 35th, and 20th wedding anniversaries. It brings intelligence and fortunes to the life of its wearer. The gemstone is aligned with the planet of mercury which also relates to speech-related issues and lack of confidence. Hence, people having difficulties with communications can benefit a lot by wearing or carrying emerald.
As a strong stone for protection and love, emerald saves you from evil forces and mends the broken relationships. Couples having difficulties with their compatibility can wear this gemstone to renew their love and passion. Even in terms of crystal healing, emerald is a winner. This gemstone benefits people having skin, eyes, and ear-related infections of diseases. It can help to cure nervous disorders and allergies. On spiritual levels, emerald stone brings freshness to the mind and invigorates the spirit. You can easily align your conscious and sub-conscious minds with the help of this gem.
As a precious stone, emerald can change your life in many ways. However, it is equally crucial to find the gemstone that ticks all the right boxes in terms of quality. Hence, lay your trust in an established gemstone store with experience, variety, and stability. Remember, the prices of this stone can be high, depending on its origin, color, carat, or clarity. So, refrain from making purchases at a store that offers dirt-cheap prices for emeralds.
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