Emeralds

Derived from the Greek word “smaragdos” meaning “green gemstone,” the emerald is a gemstone of the most fascinating and intense green color. Emeralds of good quality are extremely rare, which is why these gemstones can sometimes exceed the value of diamonds. What is different about emeralds is that the more inclusions and flaws that an emerald has, the higher its value becomes. These flaws only indicate that the gemstone is natural, since inclusions are considered as part of the emerald’s character.

The Emerald’s Four C’s Just like diamonds, there are also four C’s to follow when it comes to rating the quality of emeralds. These four C’s are color, cut, clarity, and carat. In grading an emerald, the color is a very important factor. There are three components in rating an emerald’s color–tone, hue, and saturation. In a scale of 1 to 10, emeralds are graded from poor (1-2) to exceptional (9-10). An exceptionally colored emerald is pure green. When it comes to color hues, the range starts from light yellow green to intense blue green. Therefore, the normal secondary hues found in an emerald are yellow and blue, while the primary hue is green. The tone measures the lightness or darkness of an emerald. A green gemstone that is too light in color is not considered an emerald; rather, it is called a green beryl. Medium to dark tones are the best tones for emeralds, although very dark tones may not be as brilliant as medium tone emeralds. Gray is the normal saturation of an emerald. Ideally, an emerald should not have a visible gray mask. The next C, cut, is essential for the overall appearance of an emerald. A well-cut emerald should be symmetrical and brilliant, with light reflecting evenly across its surface. Emeralds come in different shapes, such as round, oval, radiant, and square, among others. The most common emerald shape is the “emerald cut,” which is rectangular with its corners clipped-off. The polish, or the smoothness, of the emerald must also be considered, since this can affect its brilliance. The grading of an emerald’s clarity is interesting, since the emerald is the only gemstone that is expected to have inclusions. In fact, a flawless emerald is suspected to be synthetic. Also, the clarity of an emerald is graded by the naked eye or though a magnifying glass. The natural inclusions found in an emerald are called “jardin” or “gardens,” and no two emeralds have the same internal gardens. The emerald’s clarity is the most important factor when it comes to grading an emerald. The higher the clarity, the more brilliant and valuable an emerald is. To enhance an emerald’s clarity, cedar oil can be used. The carat is the weight of the gemstone. One carat is equivalent to 200 milligrams. Since larger emeralds are rarer than smaller emeralds, the heavier an emerald, the more costly it becomes. Crystal –The Fifth C The crystal is also another important factor in grading an emerald. This is also referred to as the diaphaneity or transparency of an emerald. Some people advocate that emerald buyers should pay more attention to the crystal rather than the clarity, since it is the crystal that gives the emerald a wonderful inner glow.