Pronounced – em·er·ald (ĕm‘ər-əld, ĕm‘rəld)
Though May’s traditional birthstone is Emerald there are other stones that are associated with the month. The alternate stone sometimes used for this month is Green Onyx.
Zodiac stones are Taurus – Sapphire and Gemini – Agate The Emerald is said to promote serenity and piece of mind for the wearer as well as bringing them wisdom, growth and patience. Emerald is also given as a gift for the 20th, 30th & 50th years of marriage.
Jewelry emeralds are different from industrial emeralds which are used for such purposes as grinding, pivots for spindles and other uses so it is important to know everything you can about emeralds before embarking out to buy some.
The emerald is a type of beryl, a mineral and is colored green as a result of trace elements such as chromium and iron. The emerald is the most valuable gemstone in the world, more valuable even than diamonds. It has a hardness of 7-8 on the Mohs mineral hardness scale, Just below rubies at 9 and diamonds at 10. An emerald is valued on the quality of fissures and breaks present in the emerald. The amount of treatment an emerald has had also would affect the value. How it affects the value is since emeralds have inclusions or cracks in this can reduce the hardness, and make it more susceptible to cracking. So it is important to know what the qualities of the emerald are that you intend buying.
Emeralds are treated to enhance their appearance. There are no exceptions so if you have an emerald it is guaranteed that it has been treated in some manner. This includes immersing in oils to fill cracks and prevent further cracks due to the stone drying out excessively. Also epoxy resin and resins are used to fill in cracks and improve transparency. As a consequence special treatment is required to clean an emerald. Never use chlorine or detergents or even enzyme cleaners. These can react with the oils and cause problems as well as allergic reactions to the wearer. Also Emeralds to not like excessive heat either so putting an emerald in boiling water can also cause problems. Using an ultra sonic machine is not recommended for emeralds. Emeralds are more delicate than people expect and can suffer from thermal shock and lose the oils contained therein. Simplest and safest way to clean an Emerald is warm soapy water and brush with an old and very soft tooth brush. Then rinse really well and thoroughly dry.
Over time the emerald can lose the oils, become brittle and tend to crack. You can get such emeralds retreated and back to their pristine condition again by going to a reputable jeweler who knows how to treat emeralds.
It is important to get a certificate with an emerald when you buy it. This certificate should come from an independent gemological laboratory and list out the characteristics of the emerald and with that you should get an independent appraisal to show the value. This is important to ensure you are not paying too much for the gemstone, that the gemstone is what it is purported to be, so you can insure it for its true value and in the eventuality you might want to sell it at sometime in the future.This applies whether you buy from a dealer, a jeweler, online or from an auction. Ensure the seller is bona fide and can be contacted easily in case you find the emerald is not genuine, as there are many artificial emeralds and even fake emeralds out there. Some due diligence and a bit of common sense will go a long way to giving you peace of mind when buying emeralds.
An emerald should be at least one carat to show of the splendor of the green, and having a deep intense brilliance.
Most commercial emeralds are valued anywhere from 600 to 2,000 US dollars per carat. Possibly more for larger emeralds. Some of the finest emeralds in the world have been known to fetch over 30,000 US dollars per carat.