Rough Emerald

The name emerald derives from the ancient word “smaragdos,” meaning “green stone.” Its green color is incomparable and is therefore highly evaluated for its deep, bright green color, and transparency. Looking at an exquisite emerald is a truly breathtaking sight and deserves its place among other big gems diamond, ruby, and sapphire. Emerald is considered one of the most reputed gemstones in Vedic astrology worn for success in businesses & jobs, creative or intellectual pursuits, and knowledge-seeking ventures.

Rough Emerald Gemstone Description:

The name emerald derives from the ancient word “smaragdos,” meaning “green stone.” Its green color is incomparable and is therefore highly evaluated for its deep, bright green color, and transparency. Looking at an exquisite emerald is a truly breathtaking sight and deserves its place among other big gems diamond, ruby, and sapphire. Emerald is considered one of the most reputed gemstones in Vedic astrology worn for success in businesses & jobs, creative or intellectual pursuits, and knowledge-seeking ventures.

General Information:

A variety or types of: Beryl
Chemical Formula Al2 Be3 Si6 O18
Mohs Hardness 7.5 to 8
Specific Gravity 2.67 to 2.78
Fracture Uneven, Conchoidal
Emerald Treatments Fracture-filling with cedarwood oil is a traditional clarity treatment; it is not permanent. The filler material can discolor or become damaged. Impregnation of the crystal surfaces with oil is used to improve transparency and conceal minute fractures. Cedar resin, Canada balsam, kerosene, and other similar materials may be used instead of oil. In Israel, a technology was developed in which fractures were filled with a melt of bismuth and led under a vacuum at high temperatures to strengthen the raw emerald before cutting.
Inclusions in Emerald Emeralds without inclusions are rare and should be considered highly suspicious. Colombia: 3 phase inclusions, pyrite, calcite, albite crystals. Brazil: tube-like 2 phase inclusions, black chromite and dolomite crystals, mica platelets. Zambia: rectangular-shaped multi-phase inclusions, dot-like whitish to brown biotite platelets. Zimbabwe: long, straight, and curved amphibole needles. Afghanistan / Pakistan: 2-3 phase inclusions, black chromite inclusions. India: rectangular 2 phase inclusions with "comma" shaped corner. Madagascar: thin elongated growth tubes, elongated quartz crystals, isometric 2 phase negative crystals, thin films of liquid inclusions

Crystallography of Emerald:

Crystal System Hexagonal
Habit Hexagonal Prisms

Emerald COLOR:

Assessing an emerald’s quality based on color is easier than clarity. The highest quality emeralds are pure green and can even veer off to blueish-green. However, the emerald should still have some transparency and clarity with an evenly distributed color. The most sought-after emerald colors are bluish-green to pure green, with vivid color saturation and tone. Their color is uniformly distributed, with no eye-visible color zoning. The intensity of the green in the emeralds might not be compared by anything else in nature. Vanadium, Chromium, and iron are the trace elements that cause emerald’s color. The presence or absence of each and their relative amounts determine the exact color of an emerald crystal.
Color Emerald green, green, slightly yellowish-green
Transparency Transparent, Translucent, Opaque

Emerald CLARITY:

Unlike other rough gemstones, emeralds typically contain inclusions, emeralds with no inclusions are extremely rare. Because of this, traders and consumers understand and accept the presence of inclusions in emeralds. However, it’s still best to get an emerald with the best clarity. Its inclusions are often described as looking mossy or garden-like. In colored stones, transparency and clarity are closely linked. This is especially true for emeralds. The trade generally accepts eye-visible inclusions in higher-quality emeralds. But when the inclusions have a negative effect on transparency and clarity, they also dramatically reduce value.

Emerald CUT:

The cut of the facet grade emerald actually determines its color depth in relation to its clarity. When identifying cut, the cutter must consider the depth of color, durability, and inclusions. Mistakes cause carat loss, which dramatically reduces the value of a gem. Four aspects of facet grade emeralds make them tough to cut.
  • Almost all emeralds have significant fractures. A cutter must design the cut to reduce the effect of those fractures on the finished gemstone.
  • Emeralds are more fragile than a gem like corundum; this makes them vulnerable to damage during cutting, polishing, and setting. The emerald cut shield against damages because the vulnerable corners are faceted and provide comparative protection.
  • Third, because the color is so vital in establishing an emerald’s value, the cut must maximize the outcome of tone, hue, and saturation. Cutters can affect color by adjusting its proportions and the number of facets.
  • Fourth, the bluish-green to yellowish-green dichroism of many emerald crystals encourages the cutter to orient the table, so it’s perpendicular to the crystal’s length. That way, the more apparent color in the cut gem is the bluish-green that so many emerald lovers prize.
Common cuts for facet grade emeralds are emerald-cut, rectangular emerald cut, and cabochon.

Emerald CARAT:

Large cabochon or facet grade emeralds are rare; obviously, larger and cleaner emeralds with deep color can champion a higher price, often higher than that compared to other precious gemstones. Exquisite emeralds come in a wide range of sizes, from hundreds of carats to extremely tiny emeralds that weigh fractions of a carat. Quality-for-quality, the rate of emerald can escalate dramatically as the size increases. The below table shows the heaviest and the lightest emerald ever recorded
Heaviest (rough) 1,700, 000 cts (Bahia Emerald)
Lightest (faceted) 0.10 cts
Heaviest (faceted) 37.8 cts

Emerald Localities:

Enormous deposits of emeralds are located worldwide; some of the documented deposits are followed!
Country Mines
Afghanistan Korgun Mine, Lamonda Mine, Bakhi Mine, Butak Mine, Buzmal Mine, Darun Mine, Khenj Mine
Australia Emerald Mine, Aga Khan Mine, Wodgina Mine
Brazil Socotó Mines, Salininha Mine, Emerald Mines, Itaitinga Mine, Belmont Mine, Piteiras Mines
China Dayakou Emerald Mine
Colombia Chivor Mine, Cunas Mine, La Pita Mine, Muzo Mine, Pava Mine, Buenavista Mines
Egypt Emerald Mines
India Bubani Mine
Madagascar Ambodivandrika Emerald Mine, Ankadilalana Emerald Mine, Morafeno Emerald Mine
Nigeria Nandu Mine
Pakistan Doko, Farooq Mine, Mine No.2, Mingora Mine
Russia Semininskaya Mine, Tysyachnitsa Mine
South Africa Gravelotte Emerald Mine
Tanzania Magara Mine
USA Ellis Mine, Emerald Valley Mine, Rist Mine, Crabtree Mine, Plantation Emerald Mine

Emerald Associations:

Chakras Heart Chakra
Birthstone May
Zodiac Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Libra
Anniversary 20th, 55th
Planet Mercury

Healing Properties of Emerald:

Clear vision, Faith, Intelligence, Joy, Love, Memory & Communication, Romance, Serenity, Truth, Unity
  • Emerald brings loyalty and enhances unconditional love, and unity, and promotes friendship; that’s why it is also known as the “stone of successful love.”
  • It ensures emotional, mental, and physical stability, bringing compatibility to all areas of one’s life
  • Emerald eliminates negativity and enhances the ability to enjoy life more
  • It strengthens one’s memory and imparts clarity of thought.
  • Emerald heals disorders of the lungs, heart, and spine
  • It aids in quick recovery after catching an illness, helps sinuses, and improving vision.

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