Welcome to the Emerald Buying Guide,
Here you will find some basic information and tips about emeralds that we hope our custumer find helpful and makes the purchase experience easier.
The Greenstone Company only provides Colombian emeralds from different regions and mines.
Emeralds are unique precious stones and with uniqueness comes many very important aspects that our custumer must keep on mind to make a final decision.
Hue refers to the primary and secondary colours of the gemstone which, in the case of emeralds, will be green with possible secondary colours of yellow or blue. Over 70% of emeralds on the market come from Colombia, which typically produces bluish-green emeralds.
The tone refers to how light or dark emerald is. The best emeralds have a medium tone and are neither too light nor too dark. An emerald that is too light can appear limp and inexpensive, while an emerald that is too dark will not have the vibrancy and colour that emeralds are known for.
Saturation refers to the intensity and strength of the colour present in the emerald. The higher the saturation, the more vivid the colour, which then correlates to higher prices.
To recap, an ideal emerald will have a medium to light tone with high saturation and a bright green hue.
Emeralds are commonly found with inclusions, and it is incredibly difficult to find a stone-free of blemishes. Natural emeralds are among the most included of all gemstone varieties. During their formation, liquids, gases and trace minerals get trapped in the stone. In fact, if there are no inclusions at all in the stone, there is a high chance that what you have isn’t a natural emerald.
These inclusions contribute to the beautiful colour of emeralds, and so have come to be accepted. When searching for an emerald, you want to find a stone that has higher transparency and fewer inclusions but these are also the priciest.
When it comes to emeralds, a smaller stone with better colour will be considered more valuable than a larger stone with poor colour. The carat size you choose will depend on your budget and the purpose of buying the emerald. With emeralds, a little often goes a long way so you can still have a dazzling piece of jewellery with an emerald of a small size.
When it comes to emeralds, the cut should maximize the colour of the stone, rather than its brilliance, which is the case with colourless diamonds. Symmetrical, open and uniform facets are ideal to promote the colour and brilliance of emeralds.
The majority of emeralds receive various treatments to enhance their colour, clarity and stability. Treatments are a common industry practice, but it is essential that your vendor discloses this information to you. It is also important to know to what extent the gemstone has been treated.
