Emerald

The sparkle of its luminosity makes it a unique gemstone. Once regarded as the holy stone of the ancient and probably one of the oldest known finds in the entire history, the Emerald.

The magnificent green hue if the emerald still reigns unparalleled in the kingdom of gemstones. Emeralds have the most intense if not the most beautiful radiant green the world has ever seen. Emerald stones come in numerous shades of blue and green. It is best known for its amazing transparency and a wide band of clarity. Clearer stones with darker and more vibrant green color demand the most premier values. In its highest quality, fine emeralds can even be more precious than diamonds!

Emerald is a variety of the beryl mineral. Other varieties of beryl include aquamarine and heliodor. Beryl is by nature colorless and colored beryl may be plainly referred to by their possessed color, like red beryl. In the case of the emerald gems, its fascinating color is caused by traces of vanadium and chromium and a little bit of iron. Normally, these substances are found in concentrated amounts in different parts of the world but due to the tectonic phases each element found each other and crystallized to make one of the most amazing gemstones that ever existed. That’s why May-born individuals are lucky to have this gem as their birthstone.

However, top quality emeralds are very rare; some even includes defacement in the constancy of the color which is a sign of turbulent origins. But this flaw does not by any means weaken the value and high regard it holds. Innumerable stories and legends surround this outstanding gem. Some stories tell of its holy use others treat this gem as a representation of unity in their faith and religion. Green is even a holy color in the Islam religion. It is even considered as the most elemental color in liturgy in Catholic churches as well. In prehistoric Rome, green was the color of their goddess of love and beauty, Venus. The emerald color has long been used to represent the color of life and of harmony which comes round and round.

So where do these gems come from and how old are they? To answer all of these inquiries, we need to look back to its origins. Emeralds are regarded as one of the oldest gems in the world. These stone have even been known to already be exploited by ancient Egyptian pharaohs in around 1500 B.C. But the oldest emeralds are from Zimbabwe which was already growing in some 2600 million years ago, while some samples found in Pakistan are merely 9 millions years old.

Today, unfortunately because the emerald jewelry is not only the most stunning gemstone, but also one of the most prized, numerous imitations and synthetics are widely produced. So, how can you buy the authentic ones? Well, we cannot say for certain that there is a rule of thumb on this one but just to make sure what you get are original gems, it is best if you purchase them from a licensed specialist who you have gained trust and confidence with.

The wonderful green color of the emerald conveys more meaning than just being a mere article of luxury and fashion. It readily transcends our love for nature. The radiant color delights our eyes without even tiring it. Green is the color of freshness and vibrancy and has never been referred to as monotonous. It is even perceived as the color of both love and life. That’s why it is never questioned when they regarded emerald with high esteem. Although it comes with traces of flaws, it has never been considered as something negative but instead were referred as an individual characteristic that adds up to its value.