Things to know while choosing Emerald

Emeralds are quickly turning into a growing trend in the adornments exchange. Many individuals are picking emeralds over diamonds, sapphires and different gemstones in each setting, from pendants to wedding bands. As a symbol, the best quality emerald that is green in colour represents new life, unwavering loyalty and humility, and accordingly, it has acquired popularity with purchasers hoping to give a present that represents these crucial qualities of romance and friendship. 

With any gemstone purchase, purchasers will, in general, inquire as to whether they are getting a fair shake. Here is a short manual for assisting you with discovering an emerald that isn't just excellent however has genuine worth.

Colour of the best quality emerald

Most emeralds come in a green tone with faint pale blue or yellowish shades. 

Nonetheless, there are two extra colour attributes that you should consider while assessing an emerald: the darkness and intensity of its colour. 

Intensity refers to how saturated the colour of an emerald is as some stones have even more a dull look, while others show a more vivid and intense green. 

Darkness depicts the tone of the colour you can find in an emerald, and this characteristic can differ from light to exceptionally dark green.

While choosing the best quality emerald, you should look at the intensity and darkness of its colour.

Though darkness is mainly a matter of personal preference, you should know that the darkest emeralds are not necessarily expensive. Instead, the colour intensity is even more important, and the higher it is, the higher the stone is valued. Therefore, the most valuable and best quality emeralds tend to possess a solid green colour that is mostly dark.

1. Clarity

The clarity of an emerald refers to the size, number and visibility of flaws. Thus, inclusions are the internal flaws that occurred naturally when the gemstone was formed.

Also, expect to find inclusions in the best quality emerald; some of them are visible. If an emerald does not have inclusions, it is likely a fake emerald created in a lab. You should look at the emerald with the naked eye and see if it looks clean when evaluating it for clarity.

Generally, inclusions in an emerald should not be much big as to detract from the original appearance since numerous inclusions that are too large can compromise the emerald's structure and make the stone more likely to break.

You must avoid emeralds with inclusions that are too close to the surface moreover if these flaws are in the form of long cracks and lines. Again, it is because such inclusions make a gemstone more likely to get damaged.

Usually, the fewer the inclusions in an emerald, the less visible they are and the more valuable the stone. Therefore, choose a gemstone with invisible or barely visible inclusions to the naked eye and avoid heavily included stones that can break easily.

2. Carat Weight

Carat, when used in the content of gemstones, refers to the weight of a particular stone. 

Wherein, one carat is denoted by 1 ct is equal to 200 milligrams or 0.2 grams. When it comes to a carat, the more expensive it is, the bigger an emerald.

Indeed, an emerald that is twice just like another gemstone of a similar quality won't be twice as costly; however, the hike in cost will probably be a lot higher. The justification behind this is that bigger and best quality emeralds are exceptionally difficult to find, and their rarity makes them extremely expensive. 

How enormous an emerald you might want to buy depends on you; however, remember that it is challenging to find a gemstone that is both large and top quality. Such an emerald would set you back a massive load of money.

3. Setting

The mounting the emerald is set in determines how exposed its surface will be to occasional bumps and hits, which may damage it.

Thus, for best protection, set your emerald in a bezel setting or a V-prong setting.

A bezel setting helps the emerald by encircling it with a metal band partially or wholly.

V-prong settings are most proper for stones with angular cuts such as the traditional emerald cut, as the prongs are cast in the form of the letter "V" to grasp the stone firmly as its corners.

Best Quality Emerald Treatments

In the market, a lot of emeralds are treated for enhancing their appearance. The stones' internal fissures that touch their surface are filled with resins and oils for making the flaws less visible. This is a common practice, but you should note that you should not put treated emeralds in ultrasonic cleaners since the ultrasound vibrations can destroy the fillers. Instead, use a soft and damp cloth for cleaning the dirt off your emerald.

At times, emeralds are dyed for enhancing their colour, but you should be aware that these gemstones are less valuable.

Synthetic vs Imitation Emeralds

Imitation emeralds are gemstones that are made of another material that makes them look like real emeralds. But, these gemstones are known to be fake and are cheap.

Synthetic emeralds or created emeralds are created in a lab and have a similar chemical composition and physical properties as natural emeralds.

Because they are formed synthetically, these gemstones are more affordable than their original counterparts.