The color green isn’t for everyone, but emeralds are in a class of their own. The stone’s hue is unmatched, making it one of the most sought-after gemstones on the market. Emerald has consistently surpassed other green gems like peridot and tourmaline with its lush blueish-green tones. But what’s an emerald without some fanciful history and lore? These quick and to-the-point emerald facts will help enliven your passion for this rare specimen, regardless of what you think about its coloring.
Emerald know how
- Emerald is one of the four recognized precious gemstones. The others are ruby, sapphire, and diamond.
- Emerald is the birthstone of May and is the traditional gift for the 20th, 35th and 55th wedding anniversary in the US.
- Emerald is made from beryl just like the gemstone aquamarine.
- Emerald gets its green coloring from trace amounts of chromium and/or vanadium.
- A 1-carat emerald appears larger than a 1-carat diamond because of its lower density.
- Emerald measures between 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness. Though they are durable stones, emeralds are susceptible to chipping and cracking. This makes emeralds more expensive to set into jewelry due to the risk involved.
- Colombia yields the largest amount of emeralds, contributing to more than 50 percent of all emerald production worldwide.
Emerald symbolism and lore
- According to ancient folklore, putting an emerald under your tongue would help one see into the future.
- Emeralds were thought to guard against memory loss and enhance intuition.
- Want to be sure what your lover is saying is real? Emerald was believed to act as a type of truth potion, helping decipher whether the lover’s vows were true or false.
- The soft, calming color of the emerald helped early lapidaries rest their eyes after an extended period of concentration. Today, emerald is still thought to relax and relieve eye strain.
What is the difference between lab created emerald vs natural emerald – How to compare?
Natural Emeralds are in deep green color and are effervescent. Gemstones of lighter green hues are not natural. Most Emerald stones exhibit a blue-green tint or a yellow-green tint whereas the most valuable ones have little to no tint. Natural Emerald gemstones range from very little to very dark green color. The most valuable ones are mostly dark in color and have rich brilliance. Natural Emerald emits a rich green glow when light passes through it. This is seen because of the presence of natural impurities that developed in Emerald. In the case of lab-created or synthetic Emerald, then it will not emit a green glow.
Lab grown Emerald differs in color and contains no inclusions. However, some believe that inclusions in Emerald stones are basically flaws, but it is one of the characteristics of an Emerald which makes it authentic and pure. Generally, Panna stones undergo some kind of treatment or enhancement so one has to consider this as well. Synthetic Emerald is identical to natural Emerald in chemical composition and is similar in appearance, although color and variation in saturations may be detected by the naked eye.
Things you don’t know about Emerald
1. EMERALDS: HISTORY’S MOST ANCIENT TREASURES
The oldest emeralds date back almost three billion years. However, they were first mined in Egypt around 1500BC, where it was believed that emeralds stood for fertility and rebirth. Mummies were often buried with them to symbolise eternal youth. The Incas and Aztecs also valued these rich green gems, worshipping them as gods.
So perhaps not surprising, then, that the world’s best emeralds come from South America. Today, Colombia yields the largest number of emeralds, contributing to more than 50% of worldwide production.
2. WHAT MAKES EMERALDS GREEN
One of four gemstones globally recognised as ‘precious’ (the others being diamonds, sapphires and rubies), emeralds are made from beryl. They get their green colour from trace amounts of chromium and/or vanadium. Unlike the other precious stones, which can be found in a variety of colours, emeralds are only ever green, though their hues range from yellow-green to deep jade.
The palest stones are not actually emeralds, but rather known as green beryl. The most desirable emerald colours are bluish-green to green, with vivid saturation and medium to medium-dark tone.
3. EMERALDS ARE RARER AND OFTEN MORE EXPENSIVE THAN DIAMONDS
When it comes to rare and expensive gemstones, most of us immediately think of diamonds, but, in fact, emeralds are more than 20 times rarer than diamonds and, therefore, often command a higher price. That said, emeralds are an ideal option for those looking to maximise size of stone with budget, since they appear larger than a diamond of the same carat weight because they are less dense.
The Gachala emerald found in Colombia in 1967 weighs 858 carats and is among the world’s largest and most famous examples of the stone. At a mere 200 carats, the Mogul Mughal isn’t quite as hefty but is the world’s largest inscribed emerald, featuring the words of a Shi’a Muslim prayer in Naskh script. In 2001, it was sold at auction for $2.2 million.
4. NEARLY ALL EMERALDS HAVE INCLUSIONS
Unlike diamonds, where clarity plays a significant role in valuing a stone, inclusions are to be expected in emeralds. Indeed, they can be found in 99% of natural emeralds so if you find a stone without, chances are it’s synthetic. The inclusions are formed of gasses, other minerals and crystals, and liquids that emeralds take on during the crystallization process and are often viewed as desirable features. Known as ‘jardin’ (French for garden) in the trade, they can create attractive patterns, making no two stones the same, which actually increases the value of the gem. Emerald clarity refers to what the stone looks like on the inside and is usually assessed with the naked eye, rather than under magnification. Due to their inherent inclusions, emeralds are often treated with oils or resins to enhance their clarity and improve their quality and grade.
Basic ways to identify emerald
Determining if an emerald is real or not starts with what is visible in front of you. There are lots of imitation emeralds in the form of assembled gems. The most common ones are made with two pieces of colorless material glued together at the girdle, as illustrated on the right. The glue is where the color comes from, while the cut is what makes the rest of the gem show that color. The one place where the color does not show is through the girdle, which is completely colorless like the host material, and an obvious give-away.
Another type of assembled stone is a foil-back, with colored foil on the pavilion to give the color. There are some settings where this is obscured, but the foil scratches off very easily, and scratches and holes in this can show colorless spots in the gem material.
There are many other types of assembled stones, but many share problems with forming gas bubbles in the host material and having borderlines between pieces. Those features are difficult to see with the naked eye and usually require basic 10x magnification. Most jewelry stores will be able to offer this magnification as a loupe, a pocket-sized magnifier.
Note: Natural emeralds can have gas bubbles too, but very often they are weirdly shaped and much more difficult to identify. They frequently show up in natural cavities inside the emerald.
Why choose Khanna Gems?
Purchasing Emerald from authentic and trusted sources will never make you regret your choice. Khanna Gems is a leading provider of 100% real, authentic, unheated, and untreated gemstone and gemstone jewelry. We follow a rigorous procedure of selecting gemstones and provide original gem-lab certification with each gemstone. You can look at the wide collection of Panna gemstones available online at Khanna Gems
Also, one must consult an expert astrologer before wearing a gemstone as they exhibit strong and powerful astrological and healing properties. Our team of expert astrologers recommends gemstones according to your birth chart with proper analysis of the planets in your birth chart. Our expert gem consultants provide 24×7 customer support to cater to the needs of the customer and aim to provide the best service.