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What Do You Need To Know Before You Buy An Emerald?
Home » Jewelry » Emeralds » What Do You Need To Know Before You Buy An Emerald?When purchasing an Emerald be sure you are shopping with a jeweler who has a trained gemologist on staff. There are a lot of unknowns about emeralds that you, as a consumer, cannot tell.
Because the emerald is one of the most beautiful gemstones, it is also one of the most valuable. There are numerous synthetics and imitations. The best way to protect yourself is to buy from a specialist that you have confidence in. Large emeralds should only be purchased with a report from a reputable gemological institute. A gemological institute will be able to differentiate reliably between natural and synthetic emeralds and will inform you as whether the stone has undergone any treatment that you would have the right to know about.
Fine emeralds are among the most valuable gemstones. Emeralds are created when chromium combines with various impurities. Unlike most gemstones, inclusions, are quite common in emeralds, so they lower the value much less than with other precious stones such a diamonds. As a remedy to lessen the appearance of common flaws, emeralds may be oiled or dyed. The most highly prized emeralds are mined in Columbia. A valuable emerald will be a bright, vividly colored green. Those with a slight blue cast to the bright green are actually the most valuable color. Many emeralds seen in jewelry are of relatively low quality. If an emerald appears to be very fine, it may actually be a synthetic. There are several types of synthetic emeralds on the market, and some of them are challenging to identify, even for a trained gemologist.
When choosing an emerald, the most important value factor to consider is color. The more vivid the green, the more valuable the emerald. There are also attractive bright emeralds with a lighter green color that are lively and vivid when set in jewelry. Darker green emeralds may also make up in rich color what they lose in brightness. Emeralds will occur in a variety of green colors. Some can have bluish overtones and some yellow overtones.
Whatever the cause, most emeralds have tiny surface breaks that fill with air and become highly visible. To eliminate or reduce the visibility of these breaks requires the gemological equivalent of skin care. For centuries, dealers have been using oils or resins for emerald facials. These are purely cosmetic treatments that usually conceal inclusions to the naked eye and pose no threat to the stone. Almost all emeralds are subjected to this process of clarity enhancement and you should assume that your emerald has been improved in this way unless it has a laboratory certificate indicating otherwise; such rare stones command a considerable premium.
Emeralds are most often cut in rectangular step-cut, which is now popularly known as the emerald cut. Smaller sizes are also found in rounds, ovals, pear shapes and marquise cuts but you may have to look for a while for an unusual shape in a larger size. Due to their intense color, emeralds are also spectacular when cut in a smooth-domed cabachon cut.
Resources:
WWW.JEWELRY.ABOUT.COM
WWW.DUTYFREE.COM
WWW.EMERALDS.COM
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- What Do You Need To Know Before You Buy An Emerald?