Emeralds – One of the World’s Most Sought-after Gemstones

Emeralds are alleged to offer wearers a quicker wit and a higher IQ and one of the most famous collections was owned by Cleopatra.  The gemstone is a variety of the mineral beryl and the color of the stone is determined by trace amounts of chromium, vanadium, or iron.  The emerald name is derived from the Greek word smaragdos and means green gem.  Even though it has a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, the stone is classified as generally poor in terms of hardness due to its many inclusions.    

The most desirable emeralds are highly transparent and in colors that range from a bluish green to pure green with vivid color saturation but not too dark.  Since transparency and clarity is closely linked to the value of colored stones such as emeralds, the Gemological Institute of America explains that gemologists typically accept “eye-visible inclusions in higher-quality emeralds. But when the inclusions have a negative effect on transparency and clarity, they also dramatically reduce value.”  Eye-clean emeralds are very rare and thus the most valuable.  

Originally mined in Egypt as early as 3500 BC, emeralds are now mined in Africa, South America, and Central Asia.  Colombia’s La Pita and Muzo mining areas produce some of the world’s most valuable emeralds and the La Pita Mine is believed to be one of the largest emerald deposits in Colombia.   Renowned for their dark color and three-phase inclusions, Colombian emeralds contain tiny crystals of rock salt, liquid, and a bubble of gas and account for 30 to 55 percent of the country’s annual production. 

Emeralds are often carved into a rectangular step cut also known as the emerald cut while smaller stones are carved into round, oval or marquise shapes.  We invite you to take a look at Padis Jewelry’s impressive collection of exquisite loose sapphire, emerald and diamond stones. 

Since 1974, Padis Jewelry has been a trusted source for buying exquisite certified loose diamonds, engagement rings and fine jewelry.  We are one of the only jewelers in the area that offers such an exclusive selection of top names in the industry as well as such a large inventory.  If you are a lover of beautiful jewels, please visit our Napa Valley or San Francisco jewelry showrooms.

Sources: gia.edu/emerald, lapitaemeralds.com/About_lapita_mine.html