The Emerald for May
![Picture](/uploads/3/1/2/3/31232733/bstone_orig.jpg)
The "Emerald" Isle - the "Emerald" City - "Emerald" green.
If you celebrate the anniversary of your birth in May, you probably know what emeralds are. In my opinion, the most arresting green color in the gemstone world comes in the form of emeralds.
The beautiful bright green color found in the emeralds comes from the chromium that is in the emerald crystal. The finest emeralds are clear, bright, deep green. Emeralds that are light, or "leaf-green" are still lovely, but the most desirable ones have a strong, brilliant, rich green hue.
It is said that the most gorgeous emeralds in the world, come from the mines in Colombia, South America, however - emeralds of gemstone quality are found in Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Ghana, India, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nambia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Tanzania, the Ural Mountains, the United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Some trivia many believe about emeralds:
Fine gem quality emeralds command an incredible price, as they are rarely to be found free of inclusions. An exquisitely fine emerald's cost may exceed that of a diamond, of comparable size. Always one of the rarest stones in top quality, emeralds have been prized since antiquity.
As hard a stone as an emerald is, it is brittle, and can be damaged easily. Because they are rarely found free of inclusions, a hard knock can easily chip, crack, or totally shatter an emerald, so the wearer must be cautioned to wear it carefully.
Emeralds have been "faked" since ancient Roman times. They have been imitated using green glass, made with colored cement, duplicated with garnets and glass assembled together, or made with quartz, colorless beryl that is treated, or synthetic spinel.
"Inclusions" have even been placed inside some of these simulants, to mimic the natural flaws in genuine emeralds.
Physical properties of emeralds, color, clarity, and even their luster, varies greatly, depending on the area in which they are mined.
Chemically speaking, emeralds are Be3(Al,Cr)2 Si6O18, or aluminum beryllium silicate.
If you celebrate the anniversary of your birth in May, you probably know what emeralds are. In my opinion, the most arresting green color in the gemstone world comes in the form of emeralds.
The beautiful bright green color found in the emeralds comes from the chromium that is in the emerald crystal. The finest emeralds are clear, bright, deep green. Emeralds that are light, or "leaf-green" are still lovely, but the most desirable ones have a strong, brilliant, rich green hue.
It is said that the most gorgeous emeralds in the world, come from the mines in Colombia, South America, however - emeralds of gemstone quality are found in Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Ghana, India, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Nambia, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Tanzania, the Ural Mountains, the United States, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Some trivia many believe about emeralds:
Fine gem quality emeralds command an incredible price, as they are rarely to be found free of inclusions. An exquisitely fine emerald's cost may exceed that of a diamond, of comparable size. Always one of the rarest stones in top quality, emeralds have been prized since antiquity.
As hard a stone as an emerald is, it is brittle, and can be damaged easily. Because they are rarely found free of inclusions, a hard knock can easily chip, crack, or totally shatter an emerald, so the wearer must be cautioned to wear it carefully.
Emeralds have been "faked" since ancient Roman times. They have been imitated using green glass, made with colored cement, duplicated with garnets and glass assembled together, or made with quartz, colorless beryl that is treated, or synthetic spinel.
"Inclusions" have even been placed inside some of these simulants, to mimic the natural flaws in genuine emeralds.
Physical properties of emeralds, color, clarity, and even their luster, varies greatly, depending on the area in which they are mined.
Chemically speaking, emeralds are Be3(Al,Cr)2 Si6O18, or aluminum beryllium silicate.