Emerald Nevada

You have entered the most thorough, concise and fun guide to understanding emeralds on the internet. In the next half-hour, you can know enough about these beautiful birthstones for the month of May to shop for and buy them with confidence and complete peace of min.

Emeralds of top quality don’t take a backseat to any stone in value. A large stone of exceptional beauty can sell for over $20,000 per carat!

Although emeralds are mined in several locations such as Zambia and Brazil, Colombia,South America has long been known as the capitol for mining the most beautiful of these unique stones. The rich bluish-green stones mined from Muzo have set the standard for judging top quality color in emeralds.

In the following chapters, you will learn how to judge top quality color, clarity, what treatments are acceptable, what deceptive practices to look out for, and we’ve even included a handy shopping checklist you can print out and take with you on your adventure into the wonderful world of emeralds.

Color Express Facts

Most gemologists agree that the darker, bluish-green emeralds are most valuable

Always examine emeralds under fluorescent lighting, looking for uniformity of color

Pick a stone that compliments your skin tone, hair color and wardrobe

Since emeralds are a member of the beryl family of gems along with aquamarine, morganite and goshenite, among others, one might thing that emerald is simply green beryl. Truth be told, the yellowish-green beryl is called green beryl, while lighter, bluish-green beryl is classified as aquamarine. Therefore the lofty distinction of emerald is reserved for a vaguely specific hue of green that is determined by gemologists with the following factors.

Hue: There is no precise green for emeralds. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA)considers anything in the darker bluish-green to vivid green stones emeralds, with bluish-green as most valuable. While many gem dealers will sell yellowish-green stones as emeralds. It is generally agreed, though, that the lightest of the green stones are considered green beryl.

Tone: Refers to the range of lightness to darkness of emeralds; from very light to very dark.

Purity: This factor looks for overtones of gray or brown. Presence of these tones greatly reduces the quality and value of emeralds. You want pure green, no matter what the tone or hue.

Coloring Agent: There is much controversy over exactly what chemical make-up qualifies a gem as emerald. All you really need to know is that the GIA and most gem dealers are far more concerned with the actual color than the chemical analysis of the stone. Think green. But if you want to know the composition, remember that the GIA considers any stone not colored by iron to be emerald.

Examining emeralds for color quality is tricky, but here’s a few tips you may find helpful:

1. Wipe the stone with a soft cloth. Look at the stone under a fluorescent light.

2. What is the dominant hue? Light green? Bluish-green? etc. If your overall impression is black, brown or gray, pick another stone

3. Think in terms of what color works best for you. Just because the GIA says bluish-green is the most valuable, doesn’t mean it’s right for you

4. Examine the emerald over a variety of colored backgrounds. Does the color wash out? Does the stone turn black? You are looking for a gem that retains the strength of its green under almost all circumstances

5. Look at the stone from the top, bottom and sides. You are looking for evenly distributed color.

The main thing to keep in mind is that there is no set standard for judging an emerald’s color. Although most experts agree that the darker bluish-green hues are the cream of the crop, it is still subjective and the final decision can be yours to play with. Isn’t that nice to know?

Clarity Express Facts

Examine all emeralds under both overhead lighting and diffused bottom lighting.

Always consider transparency and clarity together. They may cause a perfectly colored stone to lose it’s appeal.

Always compare stones of the same cut and hue together.

Just like any other natural gemstone, emeralds must be judged by the type and severity of flaws as well as the transparency present in each stone. Clarity refers to the internal flaws (inclusions) and external flaws (blemishes) while transparency is graded from highly transparent through opaque. In the simplest terms possible, here are the acceptable flaws and optimum transparency in determining emeralds value.

Clarity: There are many types of flaws in emeralds, most of which are acceptable. If, however, the flaw mars the purity and uniformity of color, or if the severity of inclusion is so severe as to endanger the stone’s durability, you should consider another stone. So, be on the lookout for cracks (feathers) that run deep into the stone. Also watch for "color-zoning" which detracts from a brilliant, uniform color. There are also "liquid inclusions" that are actually holes within the stone filled with fluid. These are okay as long as they don’t give the gem a milky appearance.

Transparency: The reason transparency and clarity are factored together is that flaws will affect the amount of light that passes through the stone. You are looking for a gem through which light passes easily without turning cloudy, milky or hazy.

To examine an emerald for clarity and transparency, follow these easy steps:

1. Wipe the stone with a soft cloth and view it under fluorescent, overhead lighting both with the naked eye and with the assistance of a 10X magnifying loupe.

2. Look at the stone from all angles making sure to let light reflect off the surface. Such reflection can reveal dangerous cracks

3. Remember that just because a particular emerald might exhibit perfect color, if it is less than semi-transparent bordering on opaque, the color factor is moot.

4. When shopping for top quality gemstones, it is always best to purchase loose stones and have them set yourself. Prongs and other settings can hide flaws and make close examination very difficult

5. Keep in mind, the cut of the stone effects clarity. Always compare similar cuts with one another

6. After observing the stone under overhead lighting, ask to see the stone under diffused lighting shining up diagonally through the bottom of the stone. This reveals some inclusions you may miss with overhead lighting.

7. Also remember that lighter stones will exhibit better clarity than darker stones. This does not mean the lighter stone is higher quality, so compare darker stones with darker stones.