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Stone Lore
Emerald is a variety of the mineral
species beryl. Other members of the
beryl family include aquamarine,
morganite and heliodor (golden
beryl). The earliest recorded mines
were located in ancient Egypt.
Emeralds occur in light to dark
shades of yellowish green to green
to bluish green. Inclusions are
acceptable in emeralds, and stones
of intense green color with little or
no inclusions can command very
high prices. Emeralds are frequently
oiled to enhance their beauty. This
process is routinely performed on
stones with internal fractures that
reach the surface. Today emeralds
are found in Columbia, Zambia,
Brazil, Pakistan, Zimbabwe,
Afghanistan, Russia and Australia.
Emerald is the birthstone for the
month of May and is designated for
the 20th and 45th wedding
anniversaries.
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Emerald is the birthstone of May & anniversary
gemstone for the 20th and 35th years of
marriage.
Emerald - gem of eternal spring. We all are fascinated by
emeraild's rich history, lore and tradition. Emeralds have
been cherished for as long as there has been a written
history. Archaeologists have traced the origins of the use
of emerald to almost 3000 B.C. in both ancient Egypt
and India.
Cleopatra prized her emeralds more than any other gem.
The Romans also loved emeralds because, as ancient
scholar Pliny said, "nothing greens greener."
The Moguls of India loved emeralds so much they
inscribed them with sacred text and wore them as
talismans.
Whatever your reasons, you may be feeling somewhat
intimidated by emerald's reputation as an expensive
gemstone Well, here's an interesting fact. You car buy
an emerald for as little as $25 a carat Sound surprising?
Don't get us wrong.. emeralds can be very expensive;
some even reach the lofty heights of $10,000 or $15,000
per carat. But a very respectable emerald can be
purchased for a few hundred dollars per carat - thereby
making emeralds affordable for practically every one's
budget. And remember that though you can buy a $25
emerald, it probably won't look exceedingly good, either.
Why do prices vary so widely and what constitutes a good
emerald? What we're talking about are differences in the
quality of the emeralds. First, a small definition of emeralds:
This King of greens is a variety of the mineral beryl. It must
be primarily green, though it can be modified by small
amounts of yellow or blue. Some definitions go further,
demanding that beryls only be called emeralds if they are
green and colored primarily by chromium. If they are not
green enough, they are referred to as green beryls. If the
beryls are blue, they are aquamarines.
For Clarity's Sake
The most desirable emeralds are bright green and as close
as possible to being free from inclusions (internal growth
characteristics of the gem often seen as crystals and/or
whitish cloudy areas). These characteristics - color and
clarity - can begin to give you a clue as to the vast
differences in price. However, very very few emeralds are
ever completely "clean." In fact, since most emeralds are
included, these growth characteristics, which point as clues
to a gem's origin, have been romanced as '5ardins" (or
gardens). Most of history's most notable emeralds are laced
with inclusions. Size of the emerald also has an obvious
bearing on price.
Cut Counts
A few more factors go into determining price. Among them:
is the stone proportion ately and exactingly cut? This means
that the gem has been faceted to return more light and
color to the eye, that all of the facet junctions meet crisply,
and that the overall outline is proportional and pleasing.
Another question to ask: has the emerald been treated or
enhanced? For example, emeralds have long been treated
with color- less oils such as linseed or cedarwood oils to
soften the visible effect of the inclusions. A practice that has
not been accepted by the trade is that of treating emeralds
with epoxy resins such as Opticon. In a process similar to
oiling, an emerald's surface-reaching cracks and fissures
are filled with epoxy resins. But while the oils tend to soften
the effect of inclusions, epoxy properties are such that
inclusions tend to be hidden. This practice is considered
deceptive if it is not fully disclosed to you, the consumer,
since you might think you're getting something better than
the emerald actually is. Origin of the emerald has some
effect on price, though this aspect should be down-played.
You may have heard that emeralds from Colombia are the
very best (and often they are), but equally fine emeralds
have been mined from such locations as Sambia, Nigeria,
Brazil, Russia or other localities.
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