While we usually don’t talk about the qualities used to determine emeralds, it is important to understand.
These are the 4 Cs, which stand for color, cut, clarity, and carat. These are used to assess the different grades of other items, and while we see this in a lot of diamonds, it’s used in emeralds as well.
Color
First, let’s talk about color. This is basically the hues that an emerald has.
Something that’s very saturated and full of color will cost more than an emerald that’s larger, with less of an appealing color, and offers better consistency, even if there is a rarity in the size of the gem.
Color is usually simpler in emeralds than diamonds, as emeralds are very limited in the range of colors. You’ve got those that are yellowish and green, and then eventually those that are green and bluish. The ideal is bluish green, as this is one that a lot of professionals look for, but everyone has their personal preferences.
Clarity
Finally, we’ve got clarity. Usually, these are the amount of inclusions that are in there. the thing that definitely sets this apart with emeralds, is that if there is one that’s scarce in inclusions, it can cost way more.
Most labs and dealers are able to look at this, and it takes time to look at these.
You’ve got crystals, needles, and other types that definitely have a lot of different parts. These inclusions, or Jardins, are what many experts determine the factor to really matter when you’re trying to set different emeralds apart.
Another thing is that the more included it is, the easier it will break, so keep that in mind.
Cuts
Cuts are important, as this can be complicated. In order to get the best gem possible, you’ve got to take at least half of this original in order to get this sparkle. They are priced by the carat weight that’s there, and usually, you want to keep the carat weight for as much as you can.
Some people will get symmetrical ones, and they sparkle, and will have low black spots on this.
Some people don’t want shallow cuts, as there is a large window created with this.
But the thing about cuts is that they become super conflicting. The ideal of this, you want to make sure that you keep the weight of this, and also show off the shine. If you don’t want to miss out on a lot of the carat weight, you might want to be mindful of how it’s cut.
The Weight of the Carat
This is literally how much an emerald weighs, and carats are the unit of measurement.
But the thing is, with carats, it gets a little bit complex, as the price does increase a lot with more of the emerald weight to it.
Carat is literally the primary deciding factor in the price of the gem itself. While clarity, color, and cut are also a big quality evaluation, carat is the main determining measurement.
The different weights do command different prices. Color, cut, and clarity can be equal, and usually, if that’s the case, the bigger the diamond, the higher the price.
For instance, let’s say you’ve got an emerald weighing just 2 carats, then one that’s 5 carats. The one that’s five will be so much more than a two carat, even if the quality of the 2 is a lot better than the 5 carat one. This is something that you should understand, as it can be a primary determining factor.