All about Emerald!

•What is emerald?
Emerald is a green, transparent form of the mineral beryl. Emerald is one of the beloved members of the “trinity” of precious gemstones (as opposed to semiprecious, i.e. amethyst, garnet, etc.,); the other two being ruby and sapphire. Emerald is the May birthstone and is used as the commemorative gemstone for the 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries.

•Where is emerald found?
The finest emeralds are mined in Colombia. Other important sources for gem grade emerald are Brazil (Brazilian emerald), Egypt (where there is evidence that emeralds were first mined in 3500 BC), South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Norway, Australia, and North Carolina in the United States.

•Color
Emeralds occur in all the shades of the color green, from a pale translucent green, to deep, vivid shades of “grass” green. Emeralds are so valuable that they are routinely oiled with cedarwood oil or palm oil to enhance their color, and sometimes epoxy filler is used to stabilize dangerous cracks or cleavage lines. This is common practice in the industry and it assures the consumer that the emerald he or she ultimately acquires will be as strong and durable as is possible with today’s modern gemological practices.

•Shape
Emerald is cut into all the faceted gemstone shapes: round brilliant, oval, pear, marquise, emerald, heart, square, trillion, and fantasy. Emerald is also cut into cabochons, carved into cameos, intaglios, and figurines, and fashioned into beads of varying shapes.

•Durability
Emerald is a very delicate stone. It has a hardness of 7 1/2 on the Mohs Scale, but is easily cracked, chipped, or even shattered. It must be set carefully and cannot withstand the heat of the jeweler’s torch. Emerald should also not be boiled or steamed. Excessive heat can cause an emerald to fade and in some cases, extreme temperature changes (hot water to a cold rinse) can cause the stone to shatter. I have personally examined emeralds that have broken due to this kind of treatment. One of my customers lay in the hot sun for hours while wearing a large emerald pendant and then jumped in the cold ocean. The stone cracked (it was irreparable) and my customer was heartbroken. (Also, it is unlikely that your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance would cover this kind of damage, so be careful with your emeralds.)

•Quality
The highest quality emeralds are an intense green color and have few or no internal inclusions (flaws). Larger emeralds of this quality are the rarest and, therefore, the most expensive. The quality of emeralds diminishes as the color becomes lighter and less brilliant, and the number of internal blemishes, feathers, black spots, and white spots become more numerous. Because of emerald’s rarity and exceptional appeal, some inclusions are acceptable in emerald stones. Some emeralds exist that are so large, so deeply green, and so internally clean that they are rarely if ever set into jewelry and worn. Stones of this caliber are essentially investments, not jewelry. The majority of jewelry grade emeralds, though, are pleasing to the eye, affordable, and a pleasure to wear.

•Legend and lore
Emerald has long been believed to bestow on its wearers fidelity and eternal love. Emerald is also reputed to endow the wearer with the psychic ability to foretell the future. Emeralds can also diminish arrogance in the wearer and some believe that wearing an emerald can make you more communicative and also bless you with the guidance needed to make important decisions about your life. The wearing of green can also instill hope when worn by men, and inspire personal change and unbounded ambition when worn by women.

•Care
Emeralds can be soaked in ammonia-based jewelry cleaner, but only briefly. In the trade, we will very often vigorously swish an emerald piece in the ultrasonic jewelry cleaning machine -- without turning it on -- and then gently scrub the piece with a soft toothbrush and plain soap and water or dishwashing detergent. At home you can do the same, or you can soak it in a warm soapy solution for several minutes. Always rinse the stone thoroughly under warm -- not hot, not cold -- water and dry thoroughly. Also, store your emerald jewelry away from the heat of direct sunlight.