Emerald - The Rich Green Beryl Gem

By Chris Ralph

Man has valued the beautiful green hues of emerald gems since the earliest days of history, in fact emerald is one of the most highly prized of all the gems. The name comes from the Greek "smaragdos" which means green stone. Emerald has been treasured for at least 4,000 years by different cultures all around the world.

Cleopatra prized her emeralds more than any other gem. She may have dropped her pearls in her wine for Mark Anthony but she kept her emeralds for herself! The ancient emerald mines of Cleopatra, long a mystery, were discovered again a hundred years ago near the Red Sea. Some tools found in the mine were dated at 1650 B.C. but no quality emeralds were found: the mines were exhausted thousands of years ago. The Romans also loved emeralds because, as ancient scholar Pliny said, "nothing greens greener." Pliny said that emerald was the only gem which delighted the eye without fatiguing it. He said his eyes were restored when gazing at emerald.
The Moguls of India, including Shah Jahan, the builder of the Taj Mahal, loved emeralds so much they inscribed them with sacred text and wore them as talismans. Some of these sacred stones, called Mogul emeralds, can still be seen in museums and collections today. Emerald is the birthstone for May, the month of springtime romance, and the anniversary gemstone for the twentieth year of marriage, the perfect emblem of an enduring love.

Emeralds are often characterized by a garden of inclusions of veils of tiny bubbles and other types of minerals trapped within the stone. Under magnification, you will see all sorts of lovely patterns resembling foliage in a garden. The inclusions are like a fingerprint, giving each emerald a distinct personality. The extreme rarity of transparent emerald is why the finest quality emeralds can be more valuable than diamonds. Emerald's rich green color is caused by minute traces of chromium or vanadium. Chromium is the rare Midas element of gemstones: its presence also gives rubies their fiery redness. Crystals of emerald grew long before human history in metamorphic rocks, which usually restricts the size of emerald crystals, making them very rare in large sizes.

Ancient emeralds were taken from mines in Egypt, Austria and perhaps what is now Afghanistan. When the Spaniards arrived on the continent of South America, they were stunned to see emeralds finer and larger than any they had ever seen before. The Spaniards spent years searching for the source of the fantastic green stones favored by the Incas. They found it finally in what is today Colombia: Chivor, also known as Somondoco or "God of the green gems," then later Muzo and Cosquez, the richest emerald mines in the planet and still the source of the finest stones today.

Today, emeralds from Colombia are easier to obtain: they are as close as the nearest jewelry store. They are prized for a vivid saturated green like a lawn of new grass after a rain. This color is so prized that visible inclusions are accepted in these emeralds in return for the incomparable color. When choosing an emerald, the most important value factors to consider are color and clarity. The more vivid the green, the more valuable the emerald. There are also attractive bright stones with a lighter green color that often make a spectacular piece of jewelry. Darker green emeralds may also make up in rich color what they lose in brightness.

Because emeralds are so rare without inclusions, some inclusions are expected. However, you should look to make sure that fissures and inclusions do not go too deep into the stone so that it might be weakened enough to break if it were hit accidentally. The fissures and fractures that are characteristic of emerald are traditionally filled with oil to minimize their impact. You should avoid cleaning emerald with hot soapy water or steam and never clean an emerald in an ultrasonic cleaner because this oil could be removed or damaged, making the fissures more visible.

A flawless, clear emerald is very rare and is usually found in only small sizes. Small to medium sized stones are often faceted in the "step" or emerald cut. The gem is also lovely when cut into a cabochon or dome shape. Sometimes emeralds are even carved. Emerald is the accepted birthstone for the month of May. It is also the anniversary gemstone for the 20th and 35th years of marriage. As a part of the normal cutting and polishing process, most emeralds are immersed in colorless oil to fill voids, but it is required that jewelers disclose this to any buyers.

Care should be taken to protect emeralds from scratches, sharp blows, household chemicals, and extreme temperature changes. Do not clean emeralds in home ultrasonic cleaning machines, as there is a potential for damage.

For photos and more information on emerald gems, see the author’s website at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Encyclopedia_pages/Emerald.htm

The author has an entire set of web pages which are devoted to providing information about the world of gemstones. His gemstone information Encyclopedia page can be seen at:
http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Encyclopedia_pages/Gemstone_Encyclopedia.htm
Chris Ralph writes on small scale mining and prospecting for the ICMJ Mining Journal. He is a rock hound and prospector and owns his own turquoise mines in Nevada. His website on gemstones and jewelry can be viewed at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com

The Beryl Gem With the Color of the Sea - Aquamarine

By Chris Ralph

Aquamarine, the "gem of the sea", does not come from the ocean, but derives its name from from the color of "sea water". The reference is obvious: aqua sparkles like the sea and its color is pale to medium blue, sometimes trending to a light green color. Aquamarine is the birthstone for March. Aquamarine is always a pastel blue to blue green, but the darker the color, the more valued it is. Many folks prefer a pure blue, with no green in it, however the greenish colors are also very beautiful.

It is a relatively hard gemstone, 8 on the Mohs scale, and possesses moderate brilliance. Because the color is generally pale, larger stones show their color best. Aquamarine should also have a good clarity. If you are looking for a big, durable gemstone, aqua is readily available in larger sizes and is truly dramatic when cut in rectangular or oval shapes. These stones are also often cut in emerald or step cuts. More saturated colors are unusual in small sizes: usually it takes a stone of some size for the color to appear as a darker shade. Aquamarine is a durable and lively gemstone that is appropriate for all jewelry uses. Its pale fire is flattering to most skin tones.

Aquamarine can occur in very large clean hexagonal crystals, and are even found as bi-colors with other beryl minerals such as morganite. The coloring element to produce the beautiful blue green color is iron, which is substituted for aluminum in the crystal structure. The gem forms special in geological formations known as pegmatites. Most of the best and largest crystals form in open vugs, also known as pockets, associated with crystals of quartz and feldspar.

Aquamarine is found in Brazil, Zambia, Mozambique, Angola, Nigeria, Afghanistan and other countries, but Brazil is overwhelmingly the major source.. The principal producer of aquamarine has been Brazil but in more recent times Zambia, Mozambique and Nigeria have been producing very fine quality stones. Some very dark blue aquamarine is also being mined in India. The largest high quality gem crystal ever discovered, mined in the early 1900's, was a 200-kilogram crystal found in Brazil. It was so clean that one could read newsprint through it! Some Aquamarine continues to be produced in smaller quantities, but it has been years since large quantities have come to the market.

This gemstone has been popular for centuries, but received new vigor during the early 1970's. As a result, the price has remained stable or has increased even during recessionary times.
Twenty years ago the demand for aqua was small, and the material was quite inexpensive.
Today the finest gems may wholesale for well over $1,000 per carat. Fine quality aquamarine in sizes over 10 carats is not abundant. Commercial stones tend to be pale blue or pale blue-green, while investment-grade material is deeper blue, and of a medium to dark tone. The pervasive demand for aquamarine in the jewelry marketplace, however, indicates that all grades can ultimately be used for adornment and provides an excellent secondary market potential.

Intensity of color and clarity are the most essential considerations in evaluating Aquamarine.
Aquamarine of pale colors is most commonly seen in commercial jewelry stores, but stones of a good deep blue color are considered far more valuable than the pale ones. It should posses at least a bright sky blue color at a minimum. Exceptionally deep and vivid blue, to blue green colors are very scarce and becoming increasingly valuable. As part of the normal finishing process, many aquamarines are heated to remove traces of yellow and permanently intensify the blue color. Some aquamarine occurs in a blue/green color and even a pure green color, these are sometimes heat-treated to a temperature of 600-1200 degrees Fahrenheit to produce a pure blue color. This treatment is permanent and accepted in the trade as standard. All gem quality aquamarine should be well-cut and free of any inclusions.

For photos and more information on the varieties of aquamarine gems, see the author’s website at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Encyclopedia_pages/Aquamarine.htm

The author has an entire set of web pages which are devoted to providing information about the world of gemstones. His gemstone information Encyclopedia page can be seen at:
http://nevada-outback-gems.com/Encyclopedia_pages/Gemstone_Encyclopedia.htm

Chris Ralph writes on small scale mining and prospecting for the ICMJ Mining Journal. He is a rock hound and prospector and owns his own turquoise mines in Nevada. His website on gemstones and jewelry can be viewed at: http://nevada-outback-gems.com