In the versatile world of gems and jewelry, there are exceptional varieties of gemstones that have been in existence for millions of years and are the most poised gift human beings are blessed with by Mother Nature. Some of the most desirable and valued gemstones of all time are the four precious gemstones namely, emerald, ruby, sapphire, and diamond. While the first two are found on the planet in their natural green and red colors only, the last two top the list of multi-color gemstones. So, in case you are interested in expanding your knowledge base about lush green emeralds, this article is exclusively for you.
Stepping into the World of Natural Green Emeralds
Recognized for its vibrant green shade, emerald is extracted from the mineral beryl with traces of chromium or vanadium present in it. Its name is derived from the ancient Greek term “smaragdus” which means “green”. The earliest discovery of emerald reserves could be dated back to 1500 BC in Mount Smaragdus, Egypt. These mines were exploited by several countries for centuries until reserves in Colombia were discovered which is the largest producer of natural emeralds throughout the world till date.
The most famous historic personality to popularize emeralds was Cleopatra who adored emeralds like nobody else. So, while there are several other green gemstones to cherish, emeralds leave an everlasting impression on everyone for their exceptional magnetic tones and saturation. Also, the stone is rated between 7.5 and 8 on the 10-point Mohs hardness scale which makes it durable for occasional wear.
4Cs Quality Parameters
It's only the degree of green color that differentiates an emerald from a green beryl crystal. Their colors can be graded on a color-grading scale to figure out the differences in their color tone and saturation. Let us analyze different quality check parameters for emeralds before purchasing them.
Color: An emerald crystal could be yellowish-green, bluish-green, or pure green in color where green is the primary and yellow & blue are the secondary colors. Hence, the crystals with pure green medium to dark tones and vivid saturation are considered ideal. The transparent crystals with no color zoning are highly prized for their availability of correct trace amounts of iron, vanadium, and chromium.
Clarity: You could easily find eye-visible included emeralds since the eye-clean varieties are too rare and valuable. But inclusions are accepted as high-quality emeralds only as long as they are highly clear with high transparency level otherwise these inclusions can reduce the stones' value drastically which are then heat-treated for clarity enhancement.
Cut: For an emerald, cut means a lot since most of the rough stones have fractures and are brittle to handle during all stages of jewelry manufacturing. This requires the stones to be cut in a way that could enhance their color and keep them safe from being destroyed due to mishandling.
Carat: Available in many sizes and carat weights, the price of an emerald tends to increase with every carat, though the natural and lab-grown variants are valued differently with the former being costlier than the latter.
Collage of the following emerald artifacts
Availability of Emerald Mines
In today's scenario, the biggest emeralds producer is Colombia with three mining sites located in Muzo, Chivor, and Coscuez respectively. After that, Zambia is the second largest emerald miner. Some of the other mining locations are in Cambodia, China, Australia, Brazil, France, India, Madagascar, Germany, Spain, Russia, Tanzania, and the United States among other countries.
Symbolic Meaning Behind Emeralds
In the past, people would believe that they could see the future or reveal the truth in love relationships with an emerald placed under a person's tongue. Many also asserted that emeralds could also protect people from evil energy and cure deadly diseases such as malaria and cholera.
Talking about the meaning of emeralds, their vivid green color is comprehended as a stress reliever and a soothing sight to strained eyes. It is synonymous with growth & regeneration as the season of spring and hence designated as the birthstone for those born in the month of May. Also, you could give your partner or your relatives a bunch of green emeralds on their 20th and 25th wedding anniversaries.
Conclusion
The emerald birthstone could be an apple of your eye if you celebrate your birthday in the fifth month of the year, that is, in May. While no other green gemstone variety could take over the position ruled by emeralds since their discovery, their huge market value is still an obstacle to many who wish to possess them for life. Having said that, you could still get hold of some exotic emerald jewelry pieces for yourself or your partner at GemsNY, a one-stop destination for precious and semi-precious emerald gemstones and jewelry.
