Beginner's Guide to Buying an Emerald Gemstone

What to Know Before Buying

E | medium | play |right | &#;Emerald ID: E &#; Weight: 0.96 Carats &#; Origin: Zambia&#;

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• First: Emeralds always look better in person. Any professional photographer will tell you that green colors do not show up well in the camera at-all.
• Second: All gems are evaluated based on the 4Cs of color, clarity, cut, and carat weight. There are modifications of the 4Cs depending on which gem is being evaluated.
• Lastly: 99% of emeralds are treated for clarity (one of the 4Cs). Emeralds are bought and sold on the premise they have been treated in some form.

Comparing Emeralds

The 4Cs are not a fixed set of standards, but various ranges. There are three separate ranges for color alone with hue, tone, and saturation. Clarity, cut, and carat weight all have their own ranges, and getting the best possible result from each is very low odds. It is possible, but very rare to find emeralds (or any other gem for that matter) that are perfect at any weight. These types of emeralds are also so expensive that only a select few people can afford them. As a result, it is imperative to understand the 4Cs of emeralds to figure out what you would like and what you can afford.

Sample Emerald Selection

Emerald ID: E307
Weight: 0.55 Carats
Origin: Zambia
Price: $550

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 0.91 Carats
Origin: Zambia
Price: $546

Emerald ID: E330
Weight: 0.38 Carats
Origin: Zambia
Price: $534

Notice that while all the emeralds above have similar prices and cuts, their color, clarity, and carat weight all vary. This is how having the varying factors of the 4Cs can change overall price dramatically in equal sizes.

Color

It cannot be emphasized how important color is in emeralds. This one factor drives half of the entire gem industry.

What we understand as color is broken down into three components of:

• Hue
• Tone
• Saturation

Hue is what most people understand as color. Emeralds do not have a wide range of colors. The definition of emerald requires a green color. Not yellow, orange, or blue, but green. Modified greens are acceptable too, like bluish green and slightly yellowish green. Slightly being the key word since too much yellow and the emerald is no longer considered an emerald, but green beryl instead.

Emerald Hues

Bluish Green

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.30 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Green

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 2.73 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Yellowish Green

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.05 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Like how the emerald hues are limited, the tone is too. An emerald must have a medium light tone to qualify as an emerald and not green beryl. Dark emeralds do not have this problem, though if they are so dark they are black and are no longer emeralds. Also worth noting is that very light and very dark tones mess with our perception of color. Even though all the colors below are the same color with full saturation, they appear to be different colors.

Emerald Tones

Saturation is essentially color purity. Green can become grayish or brownish, though this is not usually a concern for most dealers since desaturated gems are not usually stocked. They don&#;t sell in comparison to their vivid counterparts.

Emerald Saturation

Gray

Greenish Gray

Grayish Green

Green

For the best possible emerald color, a bluish green is the most desirable color. Ideally a medium tone is desired in order for the color to be shown as clearly as possible. Lastly, the saturation needs to be a vivid green instead of a desaturated gray. The vast majority of dealers do not bother stocking gems with a heavily desaturated color.

Emerald Clarity

Emeralds are near-always included, so finding one with high clarity runs for a premium roughly three times the amount of a comparable looking fracture-filled emerald. This can increase in larger emeralds, since larger sizes are exponentially scarce.

Furthermore, emeralds can have a lot of stuff in them, with the French referring to it as a &#;. They can have other crystalline minerals inside, as well as liquid, solid, and gas inclusions. It is very common to see many of these inclusions combined in different ways.

Emerald Cuts

Cuts partially determine the clarity of a gem, but only through the decisions of the gem cutter. Additionally, the cutter works with what mother nature created with the gem. If the emerald formed with an extreme amount of inclusions, there is only so much the cutter can do to work with this.

History &#; The emerald cut was developed to be used on emeralds specifically. The cut was gentler on these frequently brittle gems, and gave them a durable shape less likely to chip. Currently, there are no such limitations on emeralds since our cutting methods and techniques have developed since the creation of this technique over 300 years ago.

Emerald Cut

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 2.00
Origin: Zambia

Asscher

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.13 Carats
Origin: Colombia

Radiant

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 2.73 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Oval Cut

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.16 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Cushion

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.64 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Heart

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.89 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Round Cut

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.16 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Pear

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.67 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Marquise

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.37 Carats
Origin: Zambia

Also necessary to mention about colored gem cuts is that they are almost never perfectly symmetrical. Diamonds are cut well because their sparkle benefits from this. Colored gems do not benefit from this as much, so the cut is adjusted to maximize the carat weight.

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Carat Weight

Unlike the previous factors, carat weight is only a measurement of weight.

Incorporating weight into price is much trickier. Weight gauges the rarity, rather than the quality, of the gem. The reason carat weight is so closely related to the price tag is because this is how dealers understand how rare or valuable this gem is.

Rarity and Price

The price of emeralds does not increase at a fixed rate, like $1,000 for one carat, $2,000 for two carat, $3,000 for 3 carats, etc. The price increase is more like $1,000 for one carat, $2,000 for two carats, $4,000 for three carats. It doubles with every carat increase, though this is only an example of pricing. Actual pricing depends on the calculation of the 4Cs in total.

Emeralds for the Natural Emerald Company inventory:

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 0.96 Carats
Origin: Zambia
Price: $2,880.00

E

Emerald ID: E
Weight: 1.90 Carats
Origin: Zambia
Price: $9,044.00

As seen above, E is more than double the price of E. This is due to the sheer rarity of the larger carat sizes. There are sharp increases with each carat, though after a certain point of quality these gems go to auction.

Final Choice of Emeralds

EJ57 | medium | right | &#;Emerald Jewelry ID: EJ57 &#; Emerald Weight: 1.62 Carats &#; Origin: Zambia&#;

There are many industry standards combined into what is considered the &#;ideal&#; emerald, most citing ideal emeralds coming from Colombia but Zambia is also capable of producing world-quality emeralds. The most important thing is what you are happy with. Color preference is a highly personal topic, and not everyone has the same taste in emeralds. The types of inclusions some individuals find acceptable varies from person to person. Furthermore, it is possible to match the color to another piece of emerald or green-colored jewelry. Remember, emerald is a range of colors, not just one!

Quality of the Setting

Picking out the gem is a process, but choosing the appropriate setting is important too. Some settings work better with some shapes than others, and design becomes a much bigger factor. There are a few things to keep in mind about the setting too.

Rule of thumb with jewelry is that placing the gem in the setting, along with the side stones and labor is to never exceed the cost of the main gem. Why pay $5,000 for a ring with a $500 gem? If you can afford a $5,000 setting, you can probably afford a much more expensive gem.

&#;Choosing the perfect emerald is like finding a gem in the rough! While natural stones may have a few quirks, lab-grown ones may just outshine the natural ones, quite literally.

That&#;s because natural emeralds may have impurities due to their composition of various natural elements, however, lab-grown gems are often coveted for their pristine and transparent look, leaning towards a more synthetic nature. 

But don't worry, you don't need a gemology degree to crack the code! A bit of homework before making your choice will do the trick. Our emerald buying guide will prove to be a valuable resource, providing insights to help you make an informed choice.

The 4C&#;s Of Emeralds: A Detailed Look

COLOR

As noted by the Roman philosopher Pliny in the 1st century AD, emeralds are celebrated for their unparalleled green hue, often described as "nothing greens greener."

For those of you who like a pop color, Emeralds are the perfect gem for you! The classic charm of emeralds is given off by their rich green hue, which for many buyers is a factor that contributes to the overall value of the gem.

When it comes to emeralds, there's something truly special about those from places like Muzo in Colombia. They've got this amazing color that people can't stop talking about. They call it "grass green," and it's like you're staring at the most vibrant landscape ever.

But what color is an emerald you ask? 

These gems are more than just pretty rocks; they've got quite the backstory. Two factors make them stand out: their origin and their composition.

Take Brazilian emeralds, for example. They're like a vibrant green dream, thanks to a little something called vanadium. Now, let's talk about Colombian emeralds. They have this mesmerizing green that just grabs your attention, right? Well, it turns out there's a little secret to their charm: chromium. 

When evaluating emeralds, you need to ensure several key factors, each contributing to the stone's value:

• Hue:

  Emeralds typically have a green color, sometimes with hints of blue or yellow. 

• Saturation:

  When it comes to the intensity of color, we're looking for that vibrant, lively green that really stands out. We want hues that grab your attention and make you take notice. 

• Tone:

  Ideally, emeralds should possess a medium to medium-dark tone. Lighter emeralds have their own beauty and can offer be a good bargain if colour is not your top priority. 

• Color Zoning:

  When the color isn't evenly spread out throughout the gem, it's called color zoning, and it's not ideal for emeralds. Who wants a gem with inconsistent color, anyway?

CLARITY

When you take a closer look at an emerald, you might spot some tiny imperfections or spots inside the stone. These are called inclusions. They come in all sorts of forms, like feathers, internal graining, crystals, or chips. Think of them as the gem's unique characteristics, kind of like its fingerprint.

It's pretty rare to find emeralds without any inclusions, so those with minimal imperfections are incredibly valuable. Clarity is a big deal in the gem world. It's all about how much light can shine through the stone. 

Emeralds with few or no inclusions are often termed "eye-clean." These gems, incredibly rare and valuable, are clear and transparent to the naked eye. At the same time, some inclusions in emeralds enhance the beauty of the stone and add sparkle to the gem.

When we talk about emeralds, their clarity and color go hand in hand when it comes to value. For instance, an emerald with excellent color but heavy inclusions may be less valuable than a similarly colored stone with minimal clarity characteristics. 

A common practice in the jewelry trade is to treat emeralds with oil to reduce the appearance of inclusions, a process known as "oiling" which is an acceptable form of treatment and most emeralds today are oiled. 

CUT QUALITY

A finely-cut emerald is like a work of art, with its perfectly symmetrical facets and a gleaming, expansive table that highlights its unique charm.

Emeralds rank pretty high on the Mohs scale, around 7.5 to 8, so they're relatively hard. But here's the thing: they're also kind of brittle, which can make cutting them tricky. However, when an emerald is cut just right, it can hide color variations and imperfections well.

The cut of an emerald is equally important. It's all about getting the right proportions, symmetry, and sharp facet edges, with flat faces that reflect light directly into the eye.

The most common cuts for emeralds are their namesake emerald cut which is restangular with step-cut facets. However, emeralds are also available in fancy shapes. Regardless of the shape you choose, it is important to have an emerald set securely in jewelry to ensure the gemstone is not exposed too much to avoid damaging the stone.

We highly recommend the &#;Emerald Cut&#;&#;a simple yet ingenious solution to this problem. With its trimmed corners, this cut not only enhances the stone's beauty but also ensures its resilience&#;an elegant solution tailored specifically for emeralds.

CARAT

Actually, when it comes to emeralds, that old saying "bigger is better" doesn't always hold up. Sure, the carat weight matters, but what makes a difference in its value are things like color, clarity, and cut.

Going for a smaller emerald with rich color quality usually packs more punch than splurging on a bigger one with a lackluster tint.

Here's something interesting to keep in mind: once you go beyond the 1-carat mark with emeralds, the price starts to climb. That's because it takes around five tons of dirt just to find a gem-quality emerald that's over 1 carat. It's a clear sign of how rare and valuable these gems truly are.

Bigger emeralds indeed come with a bigger price tag because they're so rare. But here's the fact: smaller emeralds can be just as breathtaking if they're high-quality. 

So, when you're picking out an emerald, think about what matters most to you: your budget and what you personally love.

Final Thoughts

When you're on the hunt for that perfect emerald, it's all about paying attention to the details. Put the 4C&#;s at the center of it all &#; they play a big role. And don't you forget about where it comes from and if it's been certified by the experts. 

But most importantly, go with your gut! Whether you're into those deep, intense greens or something a bit lighter, trust your instincts and pick what feels right for you.

Take your time and go through our emerald buying guide before making a decision. At Al Joher, you can find the perfect emerald piece that reflects your individuality and stands the test of time.

FAQs

Look for a rich, deep green color with good saturation and even distribution throughout the stone.

Consider the clarity of the emerald; fewer visible inclusions indicate higher quality. Assess the cut of the emerald; well-proportioned cuts to enhance the stone's beauty.

Higher-quality emeralds will have a high level of transparency, allowing light to pass through.

Generally, more expensive emeralds have a rich, vivid green color with excellent saturation and minimal inclusions visible to the naked eye. Larger emeralds tend to be more expensive, especially if they exhibit high-quality color and clarity. Emeralds from Colombia and Panjshir often command higher prices on average compared to other sources. Recent finds of emeralds in Ethiopia and Brazil are also gaining popularity. For instance, "The Princess of Carolina," an untreated emerald weighing 3.37 carats, was mined in Hiddenite, North Carolina.

The most expensive emeralds typically exhibit a vibrant, intense green color with a slight blue undertone. This color is often referred to as "emerald green" and is highly prized for its rarity and beauty.

Generally, light green emeralds are less expensive than those with deeper or more saturated colours. However, the value of an emerald is determined by various factors, including color intensity, clarity, size, and origin. Some lighter emeralds may still be valuable if they exhibit exceptional clarity and transparency, but in general, dark green emerald are considered more valuable.

The rarest color of emerald is a vivid, intense green with a slight blue undertone, often referred to as "emerald green." This color is highly sought after for its rarity and beauty, commanding premium prices in the market.

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