Emerald - What is emerald

Emeralds – Gift of the gods!

Gift of the gods and jewel of kings, luxurious emeralds are the most vibrant of all the green gemstones and have been prized for their verdant beauty since ancient times. Emerald is a rare gemstone, a variety of the mineral beryl, deriving its vibrant green colour from trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium.

The rarest of emeralds are found in the Colombian Andes, but mines are also located in Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan, Australia, India, Austria and Mozambique. meralds are usually cut en cabochon or with few facets, due to their non-uniformity, such as the signature emerald rectangular cut. Set in gold or white gold, fine jewellery with quality emeralds can steal the show.

Verdant emerald green

Emeralds occur naturally in hues ranging from yellow-green to blue-green, with the primary hue being green. Gems are only considered emeralds when they are medium to dark toned; if they are light toned, they are simply known as green beryl. As well as hue and tone, vivid colour saturation also determines a fine emerald, so the brighter the green, the finer the gem.

Colour is the most important factor in the grading of emeralds, and then clarity. Not only must a fine emerald have a pure green hue, but it should also be highly transparent. Emeralds are graded by eye. If an emerald has no visible inclusions to the naked eye, it is considered flawless. The fissures within an emerald are unique to each stone and most emeralds are treated to enhance clarity.

Points of interest about emeralds

Emeralds are the symbol of truth and love. The gem is associated with Venus, the goddess of love and also said to be a gift from the ancient god of wisdom. Emeralds are known as the stone of intuition.

One of the most famous pieces of emerald jewellery is Elizabeth Taylor’s Bulgari, a stunning brooch with an emerald of 23.46 carat, bought for her by Ricard Burton as a gift while she was filming Cleopatra.

Emeralds symbolise hope and new beginnings, making them the perfect traditional birthstone for the month of May. Set in a bracelet, necklace, or ring, an emerald is an ideal gift to evoke feelings of Spring.

Despite having a hardness rating of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, being high in inclusions, the gemstone’s resistance to breakage is poor. Emerald jewellery, should therefore be treated with appropriate care.

Browse The Jewellery Room’s stunning range of ethically sourced emerald jewellery here.