Emeralds and How to Care for this Precious Gemstone
Emeralds are another beautiful gemstone from the Beryl family that is a favorite among gemstones for their incredible beauty. Emeralds of a deep and rich dark green shade are valued much higher than those of yellow-green or blue-green shades of emeralds, although all three shades or hues are considered to be a true emerald. The lighter the shade of green, the lower in value the stone is considered to be because of the translucency of the stone. Sometimes the lighter stones are referred to as “green Beryl.”
The deep green shades of emeralds with a nice transparency are the most sought after stones for setting into modern jewelry, but when the stores have a nice transparency, they beco. Many of the transparent emeralds are made into cabochons or if too light in color, used in beaded jewelry.
The average person should be careful when shopping for a genuine emerald gemstone and not confuse transparency with translucent because of the difference in both quality and prices. A translucent stone will be one that you can see clearly through, while a transparent emerald stone will let light show through from bottom side of the stone and you will not be able to see all the way through the stone.
Emeralds date back to ancient times and were known for its power, exquisite beauty and wonder. The emerald was another of the precious gemstones that Kings and Queens admired and used in their crowns of anointment, along with rubies, sapphires and diamonds. Emeralds were also a choice stone in jewelry, as it also symbolized wealth.
Emeralds were known or said to hold certain powers in ancient days. They were known for helping with insomnia, aiding in fertility, improving eyesight, aiding in depression and even providing psychic abilities. This beautiful gemstone was also known to encourage a balanced lifestyle and patience for those wearing the gemstone. Today the emerald is the modern birthstone for the month of May.
The finest emerald gemstones are mined from Columbia. Other significant countries producing emeralds are Zambia, Brazil, China, Russia, United States, Afghanistan, and Mozambique. Emeralds rate a 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs Scale of Hardness, but emeralds are still a fragile gemstone. The gemstone itself is very brittle and is easy to crack or shatter under any kind of direct hit or pressure.
Emeralds, as with all precious and semi-precious gemstones should be inspected and cleaned on a regular bases. Emeralds should not be put into ultrasonic machines, steam cleaned or cleaned with any chemicals or acetone because of their fragile nature. Cleaning should be done with a very soft cloth to remove oils and dirt particles on the surface on a regular bases. For dirt particles trapped underneath the stone(s) use a soft bristled toothbrush and warm water to gently dislodge.
