What is an emerald? Everyone knows that. But there are many nuances that make this stone so special. And hardly anyone can name the features of its structure, color and rich shade. Why is an emerald considered one of the three most beautiful and expensive stones in the world?
What is an emerald?
It is a gemstone of the beryl mineral family with a noble, distinct dark green color. They are found in igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks in only a few places around the world.
More than 5000 years ago, emeralds were one of the most coveted and valuable colored stones. Ancient civilizations in Africa, Asia and South America independently mined emeralds and considered it the most valuable stone. Today, emerald, together with ruby ​​and sapphire form the "Big Three" of colored stones. The Big Three generates more economic activity than all the other colored stones combined. In 2015, the cost of emeralds imported into the United States exceeded the value of all colored stones outside the Big Three.
Today, most emeralds are mined in four countries: Colombia, Zambia, Brazil and Zimbabwe. Small volumes of production come from Madagascar, Nigeria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Canada, Russia and some other countries. Since about 2015, significant quantities of emerald have been exported from Ethiopia with exceptional color and clarity.
Color
A bright green color that fluctuates between bluish green and slightly yellowish green. Stones with a light tone or low saturation should be called "green beryl" instead of emerald. Almost every natural emerald has visible features that can be inclusions, surface cracks, or healed fractures. The green color is caused by the content of chromium or vanadium.
When evaluating the color of an emerald, we must consider three main points: hue, tone, and saturation.
Hue
Hue refers to the primary and secondary tones of the gem, which in the case of emeralds will be green with possible secondary nuances of yellow or blue. More than 70% of emeralds come to the market from Colombia, where they usually produce bluish-green emeralds.
The tone determines how light or dark the emerald is. The best stones have a medium tone: not too light and not too dark. An emerald that is too light may look inexpensive, and one that is too dark will not have brightness and color.
Saturation plays a role in the intensity and strength of the hue. The higher the saturation, the brighter the color, which then correlates with higher prices. Recall that an ideal emerald will have a medium-light tone with high saturation and a bright green tint.
Origin
Beryl, a variety of which is emerald, has the chemical composition Be3Al2 (SiO3) 6. Pure beryl is colorless and is known as “scoop”. Traces of chromium or vanadium in a mineral cause its development in green. Traces of iron will shade the emerald with a bluish or yellowish tint, depending on its oxidation state. Emerald is determined precisely by its green color.
The stone sample should have a bright green tone that ranges from bluish to slightly yellowish. To be an emerald, the sample must also have a rich color. Stones with low saturation or light tone should be called "green beryl." It is important to remember that such stones should not be called emeralds. If the color of beryl is greenish blue, then it is aquamarine. If it is greenish yellow - this is heliodor.
Such a definition of colors has become a source of confusion. What combinations of shades, tones are the dividing lines between "green beryl" and "emerald"? What is an emerald, if not a different color of beryl? Jewelery professionals may not agree on where the separation should take place. Some believe that the name “emerald” should be used when chromium is the cause of the appearance of green, and stones painted with vanadium should be called “green beryl”. Be careful if you buy emerald. Make sure you get a richly colored gem instead of a slightly saturated green beryl.
The name "yellow emerald" is incorrect
By definition, emeralds are gems of the beryl mineral family with a rich bright green color. Because of this, it is not practical to use the name "emerald" in marketing when selling beryl of any other color.
The Federal Trade Commission publishes guidelines for jewelry, precious metals, and the tin industry. They use the “yellow emerald” as an example of a misnomer, which when used in marketing can be “unfair”, “misleading” and “deceiving” (the words are quoted here, directly from the FTC Jewelers Guide). Heliodor is a beautiful stone. But it is sold much cheaper than emerald.
Clarity, processing and durability
Emerald has good hardness for use in jewelry. However, most of them contain numerous inclusions or surface cracks. They can weaken the gem, cause its fragility and lead to breakage. It is rare to find such an emerald that does not have inclusions and surface cracks that can be seen with the naked eye.
Emeralds should be cleaned carefully. Steam and ultrasonic cleaning allows the removal of oils and other substances. There are special procedures for filling cracks. Easy washing in warm water with a mild soap is safer to clean and should only be done if necessary.
To improve the appearance, most emeralds are treated with oils, waxes, polymers or other substances that fall into fractures and make them less obvious. Although these procedures can improve the appearance, they often do not improve the longevity of the gem. Therefore, jewelry may become discolored or deteriorate over time. Based on these characteristics, an emerald is considered a very fragile stone. In addition, having a very decent cost. Therefore, it should not be worn daily; it is best suited for special occasions.
Synthetic
The first synthetic emeralds were released in the mid-1800s, but commercial production began only in the 1930s.
Synthetic emerald - what is it and how to distinguish it? Synthetic emeralds, also known as laboratory emeralds, have the same chemical composition and crystalline structure as natural stones. They are sold next to natural emeralds at most jewelry stores. Compared to natural products, synthetics usually have superior clarity and a more uniform appearance. There is nothing wrong with synthetic emeralds or synthetic stones of any kind.
What are hydrothermal emeralds or doublets? A doublet is a cheap version of a gem glued from two or more smaller parts. Many buyers purchase and use synthetic emeralds because they get an excellent appearance at a much lower cost.
Differences in stones
Two key tests allow you to determine what it is: emerald or nanocrystal, natural or synthetic material? For distinction, the refractive indices and magnifications should be determined. Natural emeralds typically have a refractive index that is slightly higher than most synthetic stones.
Magnification is the most accurate way to determine the authenticity of a stone. Synthetic emeralds can often be identified. They contain visible features that are the result of the methodology for their creation.
What is hydrothermal emerald? A stone created artificially by exposure to elevated temperatures and pressure. Hydrothermal synthetic emeralds can display characteristics that include chevron-type growth zoning, small gold inclusions. Artificial emeralds grown in a stream can display thin veil inclusions, tiny platinum crystals, or parallel growth planes. Many gemologists can quickly identify most synthetic emeralds by microscopic examination. This is how one can determine what it is: artificial emerald or real.
Color zoning and pleochroism
In emeralds, the color should be evenly distributed over the stone without significant zoning. The latter looks like a strip or section of stone having a color different from the main one. For example, a bright green emerald with one strip of blue will be a color-zoned emerald. This should not be confused with pleochroism. Pleochroism in emeralds is the appearance of different colors from different angles.
Emerald inclusions are often considered a good way to determine if a stone is natural or fake. Emeralds with bubble and unnaturally located inclusions are often fake stones. With the exception of such minor signs, it can be said that a hydrothermal emerald is the same kind of stone as a real emerald.
The size
As with most gemstones, size directly affects cost. The larger the emerald, the higher the cost. There are many private collectors and museums that own hundreds of carat emeralds. They are incredibly large and certainly not suitable for everyday wear or use. When it comes to emeralds, a smaller stone with better color will be considered more valuable than a larger stone with poor color. The size you choose will depend on your budget and the purpose of your emerald purchase.
Stone shape
In emeralds, the cut should highlight the color of the stone, and not its luster, which is the case with colorless diamonds. Symmetrical, open and even edges are ideal for creating a competent emphasis on the color and brilliance of emeralds. One of the most traditional cuts for emerald is the so-called emerald cut. It has large open edges, which visually adds volume to the color. It also reduces waste, leaving most of the stone unpolished.
Although this cut can be incredibly suitable for emeralds, there is another very popular shape - round. This is an ideal form for rings, especially wedding ones; it looks incredibly elegant in combination with diamonds. Some other popular forms for emeralds are oval, pear-shaped, diamond-shaped and heart-shaped. However, an important factor will be that such a faceted emerald will have a high cost. Facet faceting is distinguished by flat slices of regular geometric shape, during the creation of which a lot of stone is cut.
Jewelry
Jewelers believe that a stone like emerald is better suited for earrings and pendants. Such jewelry is usually less exposed to shock, all kinds of external influences and abrasion than rings and bracelets. Emeralds look good in all types of jewelry and fit into a huge number of styles. They have been used for more than 5000 years in the manufacture of jewelry and have come to represent prestige, luxury and wealth. They are often put on by stars to pass along the red carpet.
From large emerald pendants or brooches to miniature stud earrings, an emerald will accentuate the beauty of any wearer. It is often found paired with diamonds, yellow sapphires or other colored gemstones. Even today, this green gem is in high demand, and no jewelry collection will be truly complete without emeralds.