Being the May birthstone and an alternative birthstone for Cancers, emeralds were Cleopatra's favorite gemstones. Her displays of emeralds turned this gem into a mark of royalty. Emeralds are also purported to reveal truth and give the wearer a sharp wit and improved memory. The color green is also associated with wealth, abundance, and springtime.
Colombian emeralds
Colombian emeralds are the most expensive among emeralds from all origins. They are very beautiful and have very low percentages of Iron and moderate to high percentages of both Chromium and Vanadium. The Vanadium percentage exceeds that of the Chromium in these emeralds. Zambian emeralds also have higher Chromium and Iron, but lower Vanadium, than Colombian.
Colors of emeralds
Main colour of emerald is green, with hues. Emeralds with secondary blue hues are the most highly prized. Blue hues can make the gem appear richer and warmer, but emeralds with more than 10-20% secondary blue hues are considered "overblue" and may appear blue under incandescent light.Emeralds with secondary yellow hues are on less demand.
Slight variations in hue can significantly increase or decrease the price. A gem with slight blue hues may sell for twice the price of a similar quality gem with yellow hues.
Emerald tone and saturation play key roles in the aesthetics and value of a gem. Natural emeralds exhibit a wide range of tones, from very light to very dark, with medium-dark tones being the most valued. Saturation can vary from dull to vivid and greatly impacts the emerald's quality.
Types of inclusions
Inclusions in gemstones are of 3 types: Type I, Type II, and Type III gems.
Type I gems are clear stones with no inclusions.
Example: Aquamarines, heliodor, and topaz
Most gems are Type II gems, showing some inclusions.
Example: Rubies, sapphires, and quartz
Type III gems almost always show inclusions.
Example: Emeralds
Do emeralds undergo treatments
Emeralds undergo treatments to improve their appearance, due to inclusions and fractures. The GIA has devised a scale to classify an emerald's clarity enhancements. These may rank as minor, moderate, or significant. This factor will affect the emerald's care. A stone that has undergone significant enhancement will lose some clarity over time. Thus, gem owners may need to have oils and resins reapplied to their emeralds. The less oil it contains, the better it is.
Emeralds can range from less than $1 a carat to $100,000 a carat. Any gem has a wide range of quality, from opaque and only suitable for carving to transparent, well- colored.
When discussing the transparent, beautifully green emeralds some people imagine, there are emeralds that cost around $100. Yes, it is possible, but they less than half a carat in weight, and not as richly colored as other examples of better quality and usually have a large number of inclusions. Guess, there is not an emerald of your dream. I have sold emeralds around a carat for under $300 and more than 1000$ for same weight - 1 carat and same origin - both mined in Zambia. The differences were in color and in quantity and arrangement of inclusions. The most high price for 1 carat stone is around 10000$. If we speak about 5 carat stone, the price usually increase, for extra fine quality vendor can ask between 30$K and 100000$.
One more factor that is very important for emerald price and infrequently discussed are common treatments. The vast majority of emeralds, around 99%, are treated for clarity enhancement through oil or resin fillers.
This is because they are a Type III gemstone, which means they are almost always heavily included. It is a rare treat to see untreated emeralds like that in the gem industry as a whole, especially big ones over a few carats.
The effect of oiling or Opticon use on the price of emerald depends on the quality. For the majority of the quality of emerads, the effect on prices is ignored. However, for good for extra fine emeralds, non-oiled gemstones can command from 30% to 60% higher.
Where the emerald comes from has an impact on their value. Mostly emeralds come from Colombia and Zambia. There are also other sources that put emeralds on the market, but not in notable amounts. I mean deposits in China, Brazil, Russia, Afghanistan.
