What to Consider When Buying an Emerald

Emeralds are precious gemstones which are revered from their beautiful, rich green color. They come from various places around the world, such as Russia, Egypt, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Austria and Columbia. They are prized for their use in rings, necklaces and earrings, and are often paired with other gemstones, such as diamonds.

What to Look for in Emeralds
When shopping for emeralds, it is important to keep an eye out for the typical 4 C’s (color, cut, clarity and carat), which are used when shopping for gemstones in general. However, there are also some particular concerns when it comes to emeralds. Clarity in emeralds is often marred by multiple inclusions, but in this case, some inclusions can actually cause the structure of the emerald to become weak. Types of inclusions could include: cracks and fissures. Some emeralds with the best in color richness have an ample number of inclusions. It’s important, however, to make sure you pick gemstones that don’t have cracks or fissures that run to deep into the stone. When buying an emerald, be sure to get a rich colored stone if at all possible, since this will hide the inclusions better than a light-colored stone.

Emeralds are a lovely addition to a woman’s repertoire of jewelry. Be sure to read up on gemstones before shopping to make sure you have a good foundation of gemstone knowledge, which will surely make your shopping excursion less painful and more rewarding.