Emerald
Emerald, with its tranquil beauty and stunning colour, is one of the four primary valuable gemstones, along with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. This book examines the distinguishing properties of emerald, its history and cultural importance, as well as buying and caring for emerald jewellery.
What Makes an Emerald
Emeralds are members of the mineral family beryl. Colorless beryl is known as "goshenite" in its finest form. Emerald is only formed when chromium mineral deposits are added to beryl. The chromium impurity is responsible for the Emerald's green colour.
Beryl containing vanadium impurities turns the mineral green, much like an Emerald. However, there is a disagreement in the gemologist field and jewellery business about whether such stones can be termed Emeralds or just "green beryl".
To be named an Emerald, it is widely agreed that it must fall within a specific range of green. Because of the presence of iron deposits, it can contain blue or yellow tones, but if the green is too faint or pale, it is termed green beryl instead.
Emeralds have a Mohs hardness rating of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale. This makes their surface fairly resistant to scratches. Diamonds have a score of 10 out of 10, whereas rubies and sapphires get a value of 9.
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Emeralds are known to be brittle, despite their comparatively high hardness rating. This is due to intrinsic defects or "inclusions" in their design. Inclusions such as air bubbles and cracks within the gemstones are fairly frequent in Emeralds. Such impurities make Emeralds more prone to surface cracking.
Where Emeralds Are Mined
Emeralds were initially mined in Egypt, India, and Austria, but Colombia now produces the great majority of emeralds. The South American nation produces between 50% and 95% of the world's emeralds, with the figure varying year to year.
Colombia has three large mines that produce high-quality emeralds: Muzo, Coscuez, and Chivor. Muzo Emeralds are normally yellowish green in colour, whilst Chivor Emeralds are blue green in colour.
Colombian Emerald mines are also recognised for generating a unique type of Emerald called Trapiche Emerald. Carbon impurities lead these Emeralds to exhibit dark lines that radiate from a black centre in a star-like pattern. Such Emeralds can only be found in the Boyaca Emerald mining zone.
Other notable suppliers of Emeralds include Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Brazil.
The Historical Significance of Emeralds
The name "Emerald" traces its roots all the way back to the Ancient Greek word "smaragdos", which translates to "green gem". Around 1500 BC, these jewels were discovered on the slopes of Mount Smaragdus in Ancient Egypt.
Cleopatra was well-known for her affinity for emeralds. She wore emerald jewellery with pride and used the jewels to embellish her palace. Officials who came to her court were given emeralds. The Egyptian queen was so obsessed with emeralds that she created her own mine dedicated to obtaining these valuable stones.
Emeralds were regarded to be emblems of fertility and rebirth in Ancient Egypt. Emeralds were connected with the idea of endless youth in life after death, as certain mummies were interred with such stones.
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Nero, the Roman emperor, was claimed to have seen gladiatorial games through an emerald for its soothing effect. The gemstone was also thought to be a cure-all for mental and spiritual ailments.
Emeralds were sought after as emblems of riches and power by the Incas and Aztecs, who displayed them at religious rites. When the Spanish conquistadors went to South America, they learned about the jewels. The colonisation of these South American civilizations by Spain resulted in the global commerce of emeralds, as well as their appeal in European monarchy.
General Tips on Buying and Maintaining Emerald Jewellery
Colour
When analysing an emerald, the most significant factor is its colour. There are three things to think about: colour, tone, and saturation.
The tint should be either pure green or a bluish green mix. The perfect tone would be one that is neither too bright nor too dark. The better the Emerald, the deeper the saturation. Color zoning, which occurs when one section of the stone has a noticeably different colour, can be a problem.
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Clarity
Because inclusions are widespread in Emeralds, clarity is not as important as it is in other gemstones.
Emeralds are frequently oil-treated to reduce cracks. Make careful to ask the vendor if the emerald you're purchasing has been treated and how much.
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Cut
An emerald's cut should emphasise its colour.
A symmetrical faceted cut brings out the finest in an emerald's qualities. It's why the conventional cut for the gem is termed "the emerald cut".
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Carat Weight
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An emerald with a higher carat weight, like any other precious gem, is more valuable than a matching emerald with a lower carat weight. Remember that colour is more important than size, therefore a little but brilliantly green Emerald might attract a greater price than a large but light green Emerald.
A synthetic Emerald is an excellent alternative for those on a tight budget or who are concerned about the ecology. Natural Emeralds have the same physical makeup as lab-grown Emeralds, but with less inclusions. Synthetic Emeralds are nevertheless fairly expensive, even if they are not as pricey as genuine stones.
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Because emeralds are relatively delicate, avoid using chemical or high-heat cleaning procedures. Ultrasonic cleaners should also be avoided. Hand-clean your Emerald jewellery with warm water and a gentle soap. To avoid water damage, make sure the components are totally dry.