Emerald gemstones have been long using in ancient ages as a luxury manifestation. The ancient people were aware of using this precious gemstones in precious places.
Buying emerald is not much technical as usually done while selecting a diamond. However there should be kept in mind some features before buying a genuine natural emerald gemstone. Our company has honour to introduce Swat Natural Emerald Gemstone material directly from the mine without any treatment. If you are going to buy a natural emerald stone, keep in mind the 4 C’s though which are used in Diamond but they will help also in sorting out emerald varieties.
About Emeralds
Natural Green Emerald is widely known as precious gemstone having unique green colour. It is one of the variety of Beryl family. Beryl Formula is (Be3Al2(SiO3)6). About knowing beryl that what is beryl? click on this link of our blogging site. http://www.geogemsmineralclub.com/2018/01/18/what-is-beryl/ .
Emerald is variety of Beryl which is colorless in ordinary form. Colorless beryl is called goshenite. The emerald green gem colour is due to the presence of some trace elements such as chromium and Vanadium. There are many varieties in Beryl family such as pink morganite, yellow heliodor, blue aquamarine, white goshenite but green emerald gemstone is the most precious and valuable.
Emerald itself has green colour ranges from light to dark green or medium green. Let’s have considered following points before buying an emerald.
Colour
Colour is the most demanding and preferable in colour gemstones. Colour is divided into 3 categories i.e tone, hue, saturation. Hue is the primary colour of any mineral or gemstone. For example, primary colour of emerald is green. If anyother shade is appearing in emerald green colour like blue or yellow, it will be called : Bluish green ( Colombian Emeralds) or Yellowish green (usually comes in Swat Emeralds).
Tone is of being lighter or dark in hue, the primary colour. Saturation is called quantity of primary colour in gemstone. A desired emerald is vivid rich green with uniformity in hue, saturation and tone of colour.
Emerald Colour Chart
Swat Emeralds normally comes at 087 to 090. However some mines are producing also from 099 to 102 type also. Swat emerald variety is rich green with lots of depth.
In short, a desired emerald should have balance of yellow blue hue with green colour causing it making a pure green.
Clarity
Clarity comes with quantity or number of inclusions that a gemstone has. Emerald usually comes with full of inclusions. Better clarity means that the less it has inclusions or clouds, the better it will have clarity.
Note: 99% emeralds have inclusions. If you dont see any inclusion in emeralds, you should be alert that it can not be an emerald. Inclusions is always visible to naked eyes.
The GIA classifies emeralds as “type III,” which means they are almost always included. Emerald inclusion is usually based on liquid, gas or other minerals like chromium and vanadium. There may be some cleavages, fractures, growth lines or embedded crystals of other minerals. Any such mark will tell you that it is natural emerald. The inclusion also tells the origin of the emerald.
Inclusions is called ” jardin” which is a French word for garden. The inclusions gives impressions of branches or roots.
Emerald Inclusion Types
- Liquid-filled inclusions
- Fingerprints
- Two-phase and three phase inclusions
- Angular growth zoning
- Tube-like and needle-like inclusions
- Mineral inclusions including pyrite crystals, calcite inclusions along fractures and biotite flakes
While selecting emerald, you should keep in mind the type of inclusions. If you see any kind of bubbles or perfection in inclusion, you should be alert. Stay away from it.
Emerald Treatments
Because emeralds are included most of the time. Now a days, it has become a common practice to treat an emerald to cover up inclusions or enhance colour of the stone. Such practices mainly includes oil treatment or resin to enhance clarity. Others are Cedar oil, Polymers, Synthetic oil.
Oil treatment is acceptable in the market, but green tinted oil is objectionable. It must be explained and disclosed.
NOTE: SWAT has naturally rich green colour. It does not need any kind of colour enhancement treatment like green oil.
Cut
Emerald is a challenging stone to be cut due to its being brittle. Its cut is measured by its shape, width, depth. The facets of the emeralds should be in proper proportion and have symmetry. Symmetry in facets increases brilliance of the stone.
Emerald shapes are usually rectangular shape which is called ” Emerald Cut” shape. Though are oval and round cuts also. But oval and round cut is usually avoided because it gives lot of wastage during cutting. It becomes expensive.