Emeralds are a green shade of beryllium aluminum Silicate. These stones are hard with well defined crystal features that, when polished and cut are known the worldwide for their brilliance and clarity. From ancient Egypt and the reign of Cleopatra to the empires of the Inca and the Aztec, these stones have captured the imagination of collectors, jewelry buyers and anyone who appreciates the natural beauty of gemstones. Cleopatra is said to have seized the emerald mines and forced slaves to mine the stones for her pleasure and to give as impressive gifts and these stones have even been found in the tombs of ancient Egyptians royals. These beautiful stones can be found throughout the world, including areas of the Middle East, Africa and Russia. Today emeralds are mined principally in Columbia where some of the highest gem-quality stones are said to be found.
Gemstone buyers must beware of fake or synthetic stones which may be made from substances like cubic zirconia or even plain glass. Natural stones have imperfections where imitation stones may appear to be just a little too perfect.
Birthstone Information
This brilliant stone is used to represent the month of May. Spring is the time year when nature comes back to life after the harshness of winter and emerald is said to reflect the green of spring grasses. Astrological signs associated with this stone include Aries, Gemini and Taurus.
New Age Beliefs & Powers Through The Ages
For some six thousand years, emerald has represented a powerful force capable of protecting the bearer from a myriad of dangers to the point where the stone was once thought to impart immortality. As with many other crystal stones, emerald is said to enhance greatly intellectual abilities and improve ones general health and wellbeing. The stone is thought to have the ability to cure a number of physical maladies, including blindness and seizures. Many admirers of emerald believe that this stone can impart great feelings of love and inner peace to the bearer and is thought to make an appropriate gift on occasions such as anniversaries or as signs of friendship, love and respect.
General Scientific Information
Like many types of crystal rock, emerald is found in metamorphic rock structures and takes a very long time to grow. Though it is a hard crystal, its structure makes it more susceptible to cracking or breaking if struck so care must taken when wearing it as jewelry, having the stone cleaned or when having it re-oiled. As with many gemstones, there are artificial forms of enhancing the color and overall appearance including the practice of oiling the stones to diminish the affect of surface imperfections. It is also thought the practice of oiling can enhance the color of the stones. The color of these stones varies between different shades and depths of green and can be affected by varying levels of iron content.
The chemical name Be3Al2(SiO3)6 otherwise known as Beryllium Aluminium Silicate.
Hardness measures between 7.5 and 8.0 on the Mohs scale - the Mohs scale measures the hardness of metals, minerals, gemstones and crystals on a scale of 1 to 10. For example the hardness properties of most quartz crystals fall around 7 on the scale, as does steel and titanium. Diamond is the hardest known substance on the Mohs scale coming in at a hard 10. To most consumers hardness generally reflects the stones able to resist scratches and cracks.
There is no cleavage. Birefringence ranges between 0.005 and 0.009. The index of refraction is 1.560 - 1.565 to 1.587 to 1.593 The specific gravity is 2.65 to 2.76. The crystalline system is hexagonal. The optic sign is negative.
Emeralds were not only the "object of fascination" for Cleopatra. Since time immemorial men and women have equally been attracted to this birthstone of the month of May. A fine and real emerald is actually a breathtaking sight. No wonder it is one of the "big four" other than ruby, sapphire and diamond. An emerald is often used to commemorate 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries.
The major producers of Emerald are Colombia and Brazil along with the other countries in South America. A lot of Emerald mines can also be found in Nigeria, Madagascar, Zimbabwe and Zambia, all in Africa. Often a particular color of the stone, which is usually collected from different places, is named after the place from where it is most commonly found. So Columbian Emerald is the slightly bluish stone, whereas Brazilian Emerald is the lighter version.
From blue-green to yellow-green, a large range of the green color can be found in Emeralds. The most popular one is the grass green one, which has a hint of blue as well. The monetary value of the stone varies with the intensity of the color. The worth of an Emerald is also altered by its size. Almost all emeralds have internal flaws, which are filled up with oil or colored epoxies. Inclusions, which make the stone fragile, are more acceptable in Emeralds than in any other stone. Emeralds of top quality that are un-enhanced are much more expensive than the treated ones.
Glass, green cubic zirconia, YAG, spinal triplets and beryl triplets are the imitations of Emerald that can be found in the market. The stone is also produced synthetically via 2 major processes, for the last 50 years. However, there are signs that can help the appraisers and gemologists to differentiate the original from the synthetic ones.
Emeralds as solitaires can be commonly seen in earrings and rings. However, the color-range of the stone compliments one another and enables them to be clustered in necklaces, pendants, earrings and bracelets. Almost all the shades of the gemstone go well with gold. A very bright Emerald is more glamorous when set in white gold or platinum.
Diamonds are most commonly used as accent stones for Emerald jewelry. But the stone can be very well combined with other colorful gemstones like ruby and sapphire as well, as in the Tutti frutti collection of Cartier. If you are falling short of cash then you can also choose to combine it with semi precious stones like garnets, amethyst or citrines.
Emerald jewelry should never be cleaned with any ultrasonic cleaner. The internal flaws that occur in the stone due to this cleaning procedure can shatter actually it. Soapy water should also be avoided when cleaning Emerald jewelry because the liquid might erode away the oil fillings in the stone. Emerald is very hard but the inner flaws of the stone make it susceptible to breakage on impact.
There are many jewelers who sell Emerald jewelry. You can also purchase it online. You should, however, be careful before investing a fortune in purchasing Emerald jewelry. Always ask for a certificate of authentication if the jeweler claims the stone to be real, as it can be very expensive. If you are getting an artificial one, then you should enquire about the method in which the stone has been created and check the clarity as well. While buying Emerald jewelry online always look out if you are provided with a certificate and a money back guarantee.
Both Mitch Endick & Victor Epand are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Mitch Endick has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home, Puppies Dogs and Education. Mitch Endick is a short article writer for the popularjewelry site: