Emerald gemstone
Emerald gemstone has been considered to be a gem for royalty since the time of the Mughals owing to its vibrant green shade. It is a healing gemstone suited for May-born individuals and Cancer zodiacs as according to astrology it is their birthstone. This elegant gem falls in the precious gem category along with Ruby, Diamond and Sapphire and is referred to as the Panna stone in the Hindi language. Being ruled by the planet Mercury, this healing gem has the power to cure severe illnesses and offers knowledge to the possessor.
The chemical composition of Emeralds contains beryl silicate along with various trace elements namely chromium, iron and vanadium that are responsible for their shiny green appearance. These stones are available in a variety of shades depending on the presence of iron in them. Emeralds are mined in numerous locations around the world among which the major producers include Brazil, Colombia, Zambia and Ethiopia. However, there is another variety of Emeralds that do not belong to any origin as such Emeralds are created in laboratories and are known as Synthetic Emerald stones.
Brazilian Emeralds
Emerald gemstone mining in Brazil started a long time ago in 1920 but the quality of the emeralds produced was not first class as compared to emeralds from other origins at that time. However, in the late 1980s, multiple mining locations were found in Brazil that produced high-quality emeralds that possess a lighter shade than other emeralds usually available in a yellowish-green shade. Due to their unique shade, natural emeralds from Brazil have become quite famous around the globe. Brazilian emeralds occur in multiple shades and sizes.
Colombian Emeralds
The title of being the largest producer of emerald stones all over the world belongs to Columbia. When considering quality parameters, the most superior-class emeralds are mined from Colombia that offer the purest green color of all available emeralds. These beautiful gemstones due to their exquisite shade are priced extremely high. Colombian emeralds occur in a variety of colors however the intensity of color remains the same for all Colombian emeralds as it is the most significant factor when determining their demand. Columbia approximately covers almost 80% to 90% of the total gem-quality emerald production among all places of origin.
Zambian Emeralds
Zambia in recent times has become the second largest producer of Emerald stones only falling behind Colombia. The mining of emeralds in Zambia began in 1950 and has been following a positive curve in terms of polarity and demand. Zambian emeralds usually have a deeper green shade and higher brightness in comparison with emeralds produced at different locations. These transparent gems contain less number of inclusions and are comparatively cheaper than Colombian emeralds. The major reason for their popularity is a blue tint that enhances the beauty of these stones.
Ethiopian Emeralds
A lot of good grade Emerald gemstones are mined from Ethiopia and are called Ethiopian Emeralds or Ethiopian Panna. Ethiopian Emeralds offer an intense green color that may vary from light to medium green color that contains a bluish tint. Similar to all natural Emeralds, Ethiopian Emeralds have inclusions present inside but they are translucent in nature and come with good clarity and fewer flaws. Emerald roughs found in Ethiopia are very dark however by utilizing decent cutting techniques they offer a shiny surface.
Synthetic Emeralds
Synthetic or lab-created Emeralds were first created in the 1930s however the method had its limitations as the quantity and quality produced were not up to the mark. Then a new method of creating Emeralds was introduced in the 1960s which produced Emeralds that looked exactly like the natural ones. Continuing this process the production of synthetic Emeralds has become quite common recently. These lab-made gems may look exactly similar to the natural ones but do not demand the same value as compared to natural Emeralds.
Where to look for Natural Emeralds
Due to the presence of Synthetic Emeralds in the gemstone market, it has become impossible for people to find reliable gem dealers who won’t con them by selling lab-created Emeralds at the price of Natural Emeralds. Our online store at Navratan.com is providing Natural Emeralds in the US that have been authenticated by gem specialists from renowned gemological organizations.