Natural Emerald

BIRTHSTONES & ANNIVERSARIES

As the gem of spring, emerald is the perfect choice as the birthstone for the month of May. It’s also the gem of the twentieth and thirty-fifth wedding anniversaries..

Fun Facts

2.97 BILLION YEARS

Age of the oldest emeralds, from South Africa.

CLEOPATRA

Pharaoh known for her passion for emeralds.

$6,578,500

2011 sales price for Elizabeth Taylor’s emerald pendant – a record $280,000 per carat.

TREATMENTS

There are a number of processes used to alter the color, apparent clarity, or improve the durability of gems.

Quality

Color

The most desirable emerald colors are bluish green to pure green, with vivid color saturation.

Clarity

In Emerald expect to see inclusions that dealers like to call an internal “jardin,” or garden.

Cut

Due to the crystal shape emeralds are commonly cut as rectangular step cuts called emerald cuts.

Carat Weight

Because its density is lower, a one-carat emerald will appear larger in size than a one-carat diamond.