Emeralds

Due to Michelle’s request yesterday, I’ll be discussing emeralds today and gold tomorrow.

I’ve always loved emeralds. They’re a member of the beryl family, which is the same family that the ruby and aquamarine (and the lesser-known pink morganite) come from.

It’s hard to find a quality emerald any more, because the mines that produced them are running out of top quality specimens. So, jewelers have learned to adapt. Instead of seeing the larger and clearer emeralds of yesteryear, you’re more likely to find an emerald ring made up of many smaller stones. Often the quality is poor, unless you’re willing to spend more to get more. Many emeralds I’ve seen are cloudy unless they’re treated, which was completely unacceptable 50 or more years ago.

Still, there are ways to enhance an emerald and make it appear more desirable than it really is. Some crooked gem merchants will do it, and pass the stone off as untouched. The better ones also enhance the stones usually, because emeralds today are so very imperfect. However, they disclose any treatments which have been made.

What are these treatments?

Nearly all natural emeralds are treated with oils or epoxy resins to stabilize the gem and enhance the color. For this reason, emerald owners are told never to clean their gems in ultra-sonic devices.

Sometimes the emerald is natural, but is an amalgam of pieced-together chunks which are difficult to detect when they are skillfully pieced together.

Many times the stones are irradiated to ‘clear them up’ a bit. To me this is the most acceptable process, as it is a permanent process that enhances the appearance.

Some jewelers go the route of synthetic stones. Although the way they are grown has changed, synthetic emeralds have been produced for many years. Certain of these stones even have inclusions that make them look natural. Some dealers may claim a synthetic is "real," and that is technically correct, since true synthetic gems have the same chemical characteristics as their natural counterparts, but a reputable jeweler will disclose that a gem is lab-grown.

If it looks exceptional, the chance is that it’s lab-grown. Either that, or the owners chose to invest a vast amount of money in jewelry (which is certainly possible).

Incidentally, great emeralds aren’t always clear. Often they are interlaced with fine markings that coinnoseurs call ‘jardiniere’, which is French for garden because it often looks like tree branches or ivy intertwined in the stone.

Because emeralds have always been popular, but not everyone was a jeweler, there have been times that even royalty was fooled. Some ancient Egyptian artifacts that were supposedly embedded with emeralds used either inferior emeralds or peridot. And in Thailand, one of the Emerald Buddhas is actually made out of green jade. However, there is another Emerald Buddha in Thailand that is the real thing and it’s gorgeous (as you can see). It’s 4 inches high and covered in gold and rubies. It resides in Chaing Mai.

The best emeralds come out of Columbia. Since a great deal of drug trade arises from Columbia, which is also known for terrorist organizations like Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), I wonder if emeralds are tied into organized crime in any way? I assume it’s probable, but can’t find any information on it.

And what about the lore surrounding emeralds? In Dragonwyck, by Anya Seton (one of my favorite gothic novels) the heroine is given an emerald as an engagement ring, which is seen as a portent of doom. But this is the only time I found anyone suggesting that emeralds bring ‘bad luck’.

And the mystical properties? This green beryl is said to bring security in love. It supposedly allows access to the mystery we hold deepest in our hearts, thereby healing and activating our highest heart’s desire. It is believed by some to assist in the healing of eyesight and speech impediments. Those who believe in the mystical properties of stones say that emeralds have a tranquilizing effect on the heart and mind, inspiring calm, clear assurance.

For additional information, you might be interested in reading this and this.