Learn about Emeralds

Emeralds, the May Birthstone

Prized since ancient times, a fine emerald can be more expensive than a high quality diamond of the same carat weight. Emerald is a form of Beryl, which occurs in many other colors depending on the impurities that Mother Nature has mixed into its otherwise clear formula. Blue beryl is known as aquamarine. Pink shades of beryl are known as Morganite. Yellows are often just called yellow beryl and golden beryl. The term bixbite refers to red beryl, a variation that's even more rare than emeralds.

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EMERALD

The name of the emerald comes from the Greek word "smaragdus," which means "green." Ancient Egyptians first mined emeralds more than 4,000 years ago, and Cleopatra was an avid collector. During the 16th Century, Spanish explorers discovered bountiful deposits of South American emeralds during their interactions with the Aztecs and Incas. The brightest and most colorful emeralds still come from South America, with those mined in Colombia considered the best quality.

Like other gems, the emerald has its own set of mystical powers. Emeralds have long symbolized fertility, rebirth and springtime. The birthstone for May, emerald is believed to be a good luck charm, bringing wearers sharpened wit, wealth, good health and the ability to see the future.

Almost all emeralds have inclusions; however, the fewer in number, the more valuable the stone. The inclusions can make emeralds brittle, so protect your emeralds from hard contact including ultrasonic cleaners, whose vibrations can damage heavily included stones. If your stone has been waxed or oiled to smooth or fill thin scratches and fissures commonly found in natural emeralds, you may need to have the stone re-oiled or waxed professionally every few years.

Emeralds are the May Birthstone

Prized since ancient times, a fine emerald can be more expensive than a high quality diamond of the same carat weight.
Emeralds are green members of the popular beryl family of minerals. The green color occurs when pure, clear beryl contains either chromium or vanadium.

Beryl occurs in many other colors, with shades dependent on the impurities that Mother Nature has mixed into its otherwise clear formula. Blue beryl is known as aquamarine. Pink shades of beryl are known as Morganite. Yellows are often simply called yellow beryl and golden beryl. The term bixbite refers to red beryl, a variation that's even more rare than emeralds.

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Emerald Facts

Emerald hardness on the Mohs scale ranges from 7.5 to 8. As a reference, turquoise ranges from 5 to 6; diamonds are the hardest substance, at 10. Even though emeralds are relatively hard stones, the presence of cracks and inclusions can affect their durability.

Emerald is the birthstone for May and is the traditional gift for the 55th wedding anniversary.

Colombian emeralds are among the world's most beautiful, with rich grass-green coloring that's often kissed with a touch of blue. Quality emeralds are also found in India, South Africa, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, and Zimbabwe. Recent finds in North Carolina may provide us with quality emeralds if the mine continues to produce stones.

Emerald History and Folklore

Emeralds are traditionally thought to enhance the clairvoyance of their wearers.

Egyptian emeralds were introduced to the world about 4,000 years ago, but the stones from those mines are a duller green and are not considered high quality by today's standards.

Mummies were often buried with emeralds and the gems were popular in ancient Rome, but some think that many of the stones called emeralds in ancient times were actually peridot.

Traditionally, emeralds are worn to promote healing and enhance love and contentment.

Common Emerald Treatments

Most emeralds are treated to enhance their appearance. Even though treatments are common and accepted, they should be disclosed.

Nearly all emeralds are treated with oils or epoxy resins to fill-in surface cracks, making the cracks less visible and improving transparency.

Some oils are clear, some are tinted green to make the gems more vivid.
Most jewelers tell us to avoid cleaning emeralds with ultra-sonic devices, because that process can remove coatings.

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When It's Too Good To Be True

When high-demand gemstones are scarce and costly, humans attempt to create products that look like the real thing. Emeralds can be lab-grown synthetics, which do have the same chemical composition as a stone grown in nature, or they can be genuine stones combined in ways that make a small sliver of gem look like a larger specimen. What you think is an emerald might even be a fake made of glass or another material.

Synthetic Emeralds. The way they are grown has changed, but synthetic emeralds have been produced for many years. Some of the stones even have inclusions that make them look natural. Some dealers may claim a synthetic is "real," and that is technically correct, since true synthetic gems have the same chemical characteristics as their natural counterparts, but a reputable jeweler will disclose that a gem is lab-grown. Always ask if gemstones are created or natural, and if you are buying an expensive stone, have it checked by a lab.

Composite Stones A composite is a smaller piece of a desirable, genuine stone that's been combined with a larger chunk of an inexpensive or imitation gemstone. It's often difficult to detect these stones without magnification... More About Composite Gems and Other Deceptions

Imitations. Glass or other materials are used to mimic a gemstone.

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