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Emerald
When discussing emeralds, there is always a touch of mystique. Emeralds date back thousands of years, even to ancient Egyptians. It is naturally a striking stone, with its light green to deep green color. But what else is there to say about this gemstone?
Emerald Through the Ages
Emerald belongs to the beryl group and is considered the most precious stone within this group. The word was used by the Greeks to refer to any green stone, not necessarily just emeralds. Because emeralds have been known and used for thousands of years, they are also called the king of gemstones. Emeralds were found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, in Pompeii and Herculaneum, and are also mentioned in the Bible. In ancient times, emeralds were also used in jewelry and made into art objects and amulets. Emerald was part of the breastplate of the Jewish high priest, in which the names of each of the twelve tribes of Israel were engraved.
Emerald: Locations and Physical Facts
For emerald, the clearer the stone, the more expensive it is. But what sets it apart from other gemstones is that emeralds can have inclusions. Gemologists can get very excited about these inclusions because they can tell a lot about how the stone was formed. For example, when there is a three-phase inclusion, it means the inclusion contains three elements: gas, a liquid, and a solid. The inclusions in emeralds are considered proof of authenticity.
Because most emeralds have many inclusions, they are very sensitive to shocks, heat, and pressure despite their hardness. If an emerald is strongly heated (think of a temperature above 700 degrees Celsius), it loses its color.
Molecular Formula of Emerald: Be3Al2(SiO3)6
Hardness of Emerald on the Mohs Scale: 7.5 / 8
Emerald can only be scratched by materials that are harder or have the same hardness. For example, ruby can scratch an emerald. The toughness of emerald is poor. Due to the poor toughness, the stone is sensitive to fractures when handled roughly. Depending on the amount of inclusions, the stone can break quickly.
The oldest known location of emerald is in the southern part of Egypt, the former Upper Egypt. These Cleopatra VII mines were forgotten in the Middle Ages but were rediscovered in the 19th century. Today, emeralds are mainly found in Brazil, the United States, Europe, and along the Tokovaya River in Russia. Other locations include Colombia (Colombian emerald, a variety that contains vanadium), India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Namibia.
Symbolism and Healing Properties of Emerald
The king of gemstones captures the imagination and, because of its characteristic color, everyone is familiar with the name emerald green. In some cultures, it is customary to give emerald as a traditional gift on a 55th wedding anniversary. Additionally, emerald is the birthstone of May and the stone of the Taurus and Gemini zodiac signs.
As a healing property, emerald is said to dispel negativity and attract healing and wisdom. It strengthens the memory and helps in making the right decisions. Furthermore, it is believed to facilitate breathing during meditation sessions and to have healing effects on eye diseases, muscle problems, and the immune system.
Care of Emerald
Almost all natural emeralds contain inclusions. Because of these inclusions, they are often treated with oil, which fills the cavities and prevents the stone from breaking quickly. This oil is not visible.
It is practically forbidden to place emerald in an ultrasonic cleaner. Besides the chemicals used in this bath that can affect the stone, the strong vibrations can cause the stone to break. The chemicals can dissolve the oil in the stone, making it more likely to break. We also recommend not wearing jewelry with emeralds, especially larger stones, during activities where the stone could be in danger.
Imitations
Common imitations for emerald include green tourmaline, glass, aventurine quartz, green-dyed quartz, and Soudé emerald. Glass is often used to imitate lower quality emerald.
Emerald Cut
The most used cut for emerald is the emerald cut. Only emerald can look so beautiful in this cut. This cut is rectangular with the corners trimmed, creating an octagonal shape. Even when the stone is full of inclusions, this gives a spectacular effect. Because emerald, like aquamarine, occurs naturally as long prismatic crystals, it is mostly cut in long shapes. By this, we mean the oval and rectangular cuts. These have one longer side. Besides the faceted cut, it is also possible to cut emerald in a cabochon shape. Many people do not expect this, but it can give a beautiful result.
Emeralds at DiamondsByMe
At DiamondsByMe, we work with emeralds of at least AA+ quality, up to AAA. As mentioned earlier, emerald can have inclusions. These can be hairline fractures that look like the stone is damaged. We often receive questions from our customers about this. They are convinced they have received a damaged stone, but the stone is not damaged at all; it has inclusions. Milky clouds in the stone are also part of the character of emerald. Below are some examples of our emeralds, set for customers. Most suppliers use opaque (non-transparent) emeralds. At DiamondsByMe, we work with emeralds that are semi-transparent, where you can see the inclusions.
In the far-left image, there is an emerald cut emerald, which is semi-transparent but has many inclusions. In the second image, there is an emerald cut emerald that is less transparent. Fewer inclusions are visible in this stone, but it is less clear. Both stones are of excellent AA+ quality. A good indication to determine whether a stone is damaged or not is to see if the surface, i.e., the table of the stone, and the facets on the sides are smooth. If this is the case, you can assume that the stone is not damaged.
We also get many questions about the color of emerald. Many people are convinced that an emerald should be deep green. We can be clear about that. An emerald can vary from light green to deep green. In the images below, you see different color variations of emerald. In the far-left image, there are three rings of the same design, with an emerald. It is clear that the middle stone is a darker variant of emerald than the top and bottom stones. In the images of the oval cut stones, you also see a clear color difference, and these have varying degrees of inclusions. All the green stones shown on this page are emerald, and they are of a quality ranging from AA+ to AAA. This is the quality you can expect when you order a piece of jewelry with emerald from DiamondsByMe. It can be exciting to order an emerald, not knowing what it will look like. But as you see, each natural stone is unique, with its own character.
Are you looking for an even better quality stone? Contact our customer service to discuss the possibilities. Most suppliers use opaque emeralds. At DiamondsByMe, we work with semi-transparent emeralds. These contain inclusions but have a beautiful luster. Our emeralds vary in color tone from light green to deep green.
Because emerald is a brittle stone, you will often see it in more closed settings at DiamondsByMe or in settings surrounded by smaller side stones. The edges of the stone are then shielded and will be less susceptible to damage. Especially in halo rings, this can give a spectacular result. Are you curious about which jewelry you can choose emerald for? Take a look at our various jewelry collections and see the options within the configurator. And who knows, you might soon be walking around with an emerald ring!
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