Emerald - Birthstone of May
Part 3

Jewelry Design Considerations

Emerald is very popular. Unfortunately, the market is full of fake stones to capitalize on the growing popularity of emeralds.

Genuine emeralds may have inclusions, referred to by experts as "jardin" (garden), that sometimes cloud them. Those inclusions are not flaws. They can indicate that it is genuine emerald.

Unfortunately, the inclusions in emerald can reduce the structural integrity of the gem. Because of the inclusions, emeralds are generally somewhat more fragile than other members of the beryl family and must be treated more gently.

Ultrasonic and steam cleaning could damage emerald, causing fractures. So if you want to clean emerald have it done by a professional jeweler.

Valuation of Emerald

As in the case of most gemstones, the price per carat of fine quality emerald rises sharply with the increase in size of the gemstone. Large gem quality emeralds with good color are exceedingly rare. Important factors that affect price of emeralds are: color, saturation and hue of the stone. Clarity is important also. But inclusions are tolerated in emeralds more than virtually in any other gemstones because the so called "natural growth characteristics" are so prevalent.

Clarity and transparency are the most important characteristics when evaluating the value of Emeralds. When evaluating from a face up position, very fine quality Emeralds should enable the viewer to see the back facet. The brightness of emerald is determined by the cutting and the number of inclusions. It also plays an important role in the evaluation. Intense medium green Emeralds command the highest value. The purity of the green color is crucial to the value and the beauty of the stone. Blue or yellow overtones diminish its value.

Emerald is not rare as a gem, but gem quality emeralds of moderate to large size are definitely rare. Prices of emerald can range widely from $10/ct to many thousands of dollars per carat.

As in any other gemstones, try to get the best quality stone you can afford with a decent size if you are using the stone for its healing properties.

Next: Healing/Metaphysical Properties of Emerald

[ Emerald part 1 ] [ Emerald part 2 ] [ Emerald part 4 ]

See Also:

Products with Emerald

Therapeutic Power of Emerald

Gemstone Infocenter Home

Gift Selections incorporating Gemstones

Guide to Caring for Gemstones

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