The enchanting Emerald
19.10.15
A few interesting facts on the enchanting Emerald gem.
1. The word emerald comes from the Latin smaragdus which means green.
2. Emeralds come in various shades of green, from deep darkish green to soft green, fine grass green and light green.
3. Reflecting the color of spring, emerald is the birthstone for May. It is also a traditional gift for those celebrating 20th or 35th anniversaries.
4. Emeralds are relatively strong gemstones, registering 7.5 - 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness. While they are fairly resilient to knocks, they can be chipped or scratched.
5. Emeralds have been found in many countries, including Colombia, Russia and Brazil, which is the world's largest supplier of emeralds.
6. The most valuable emeralds are a pure, vivid green with a concentrated, pure hue which does not include traces of other shades such as brown or yellow.
7. Most emeralds have inclusions (imperfections). It is extremely rare to find a natural emerald without flaws. That is why a top-quality natural emerald will often be worth more than a top-quality diamond of the same weight.
8. One of the largest emeralds discovered is the Mogul Emerald, weighing in at 217.80 carats. It is about 10 cm high.
9. Emeralds are often associated with magic and mystery. The colour of nature, they are said to promote a calm and peaceful spirit.
10. Almost all natural emeralds undergo treatment to improve their colour and eliminate visible imperfections. The industry-accepted practice is to use a green-tinted oil to fill in any cracks and reinforce the emerald against unintentional chipping or splintering
11. Emeralds are recognized as one of the four Precious Stones world Wide.
12. Colombia is the Wards largest Producers of Emeralds Providing for more than 50% of the Worlds Production.
13. Emeralds are graded using four basic Parameters: Colour, Cut, Clarity & Crystal (Crystal is a synonym for transparency which is also called diaphaneity)
14. The world’s foremost Emerald Museum is on the 23rd floor of a skyscraper in Bogota, Colombia.
