Introduction
Revered and sought-after for their gaze-holding and exotic green hues, emeralds have held the fancy of everyone, since forever. The beautiful looking gemstones are widely known for their unique colour-clarity combination. In fact, their colour alone makes them so much more precious than diamonds. The mesmerizing beauty of emeralds makes them the perfect centre-stones in jewellery designs. Here, we’re telling you everything there is to know about this mysterious, beautiful, yet extremely popular gemstone.
Origin & Supply
The royal beauty of emeralds dates back several years. It is a gemstone that has been loved and sought since an incredibly long time now. The first mines that ever provided us this gem were traced back in 330 BC. In fact, the famed Queen Cleopatra of Egypt had a particular fascination with the stones. The name of this sparkling gemstone originates from the Old French word “esmeraude” and it means green gem. Known for its noticeable and rich hues, this one of a kind gemstone has earned high praise and cheers over the years.
The oldest mines of the said are known to have been found in Egypt, India, and Austria. However, as of present, the biggest supplier of the said gem is Colombia, which offers 50-95% of the world’s emeralds. Second largest producer of the world is Zambia, which is responsible for 20% of the world’s circulating emerald stone. Other places where you can find the traces of emerald gem are Afghanistan, China, France, Spain, Switzerland, Tanzanite, United States of America, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and several more.
How is emerald mined?
Mining of emeralds is a tricky thing. These are found close surface of the Earth, inside of less valuable rocks. Any kinds of heavy machinery or blasts may harm the gems, so the best ways of mining or extracting the stones.
- Open-Pit Mining: Where a pit-like gaping hole is set up, which is about 12 metres deep. There is then conducted a water blast, which reveals the sparkling rocks. However, you need to remove lots of unwanted rocks before finding what you’re looking for.
- Terrace Mining: This method is mostly used in Cambodia and is similar to Open-Pit Mining. However, bench-like space is formed placed parallel to the pit. There are called exploration pits, where they peek into new rocks.
- Tunnel Mining: When a vein with emeralds is placed, a tunnel is dug through the Earth. These tunnels are closer to the surface and can usually only fit in one person at a time.
What to Remember While Buying Emerald?
There are lots of things that you need to keep in mind when you’re shopping for an emerald. The stone has several rip-offs, too, which makes it extremely important for you to keep these tips in mind before going to pick your piece of perfect sparkler. Here are some of them:
The most important advice we have for you is – If it’s not green, it’s not emerald. Emerald is a stone from the beryl family that is only available in green colour. If someone is offering you any other colour, it’s not a real emerald crystal.
Another thing to remember about emerald is that its fissures and inclusions are valuable. The gem isn’t like diamond and its fissures make it unique. The stone is considered to be soft and will definitely have inclusions. If your stone is absolutely perfect, it probably isn’t emerald at all.
If you’re seeking the perfect emerald stone, you need enquire about its treatments, too. Every emerald is oiled after being cut and faceted, to fill the surface-reaching fissures and maintaining its stability and clarity. While oiling is acceptable, filling it with green-tinge oil isn’t. Find out what kind of treatment has your emerald gone through.
It is also extremely important to find out where your emerald is from. There are several mines spanned across the world that give us stone. But only a few of them offer a higher and intense grade. The best mines are found in Colombia and are called Muzo, Coscuez, and Chivor. Another thing you need to keep in mind is its rank on Mohs Scale, for strength. Emerald ranks 7.5 to 8 on the scale, making it a considerably tough stone. However, it is susceptible to break or scratch if it is handled poorly. Therefore, it’s important to understand the best setting for it, in your jewellery.
Also keep in mind that high-priced and rare emeralds will very rarely be on large discounts. No jeweller will sell them off for an extremely low price. Know and understand the value of your stone before buying it. Don’t let it be too good to be true.
It‘s not necessary that your emerald will be pricier if it is bigger. Carat weight doesn’t have a lot of effect on the price of this stone. In fact, if your stone is smaller but has a richer hue, it will be far more expensive than a bigger specimen with flaws.
There are several extremely cheaper green stones that are coloured glass or quartz. These aren’t real gemstones and are extremely fragile, too. Make sure you have certification with the gemstone that proves its authenticity.
Even though inclusions are beautiful in this stone, more of them will jeopardize its stability. More the inclusions, weaker the stone. Know the balance and shop for the correct piece.