E
EMERALD
Name: One possibility is that 'emerald' comes from an ancient Persian word that had been translated to the Latin 'smaragdus'. Another possibility is that 'emerald' comes from the Sanskrit 'marakata' meaning 'the green of growing things'.
AKA:The Jewel of Kings. Stone of Successful Love.
Description: Emerald is the green variety of beryl. It is famous for its “jardin” (garden), a complex network of internal inclusions that make every stone unique.
Chemical Composition: (Be3Al2(SiO3)6)
Variety: green beryl.
Color: Emerald is a beryl that gets its colors from traces of chromium, vanadium, and iron. Its color range is from light green with yellow or blue tones to a deep dark green, bluish-green, light green to yellowish-green, light to dark green . Today, the most desirable emerald color is bluish-green to pure green with vivid color saturation.
Treatments: Emerald is often treated to improve color and/or clarity by the processes of dyeing and fracture filling.
Fracture Filling fills surface-reaching fractures with colorless oils or resins. Simply called “oiling” in the trade when colorless oils are used. Improves clarity, improves color. Not permanent. Routine.
Dyeing adds colorant to the oils or resins used in the fracture-filling process. Improves emerald color, gives light-colored beryls an emerald green color. Not permanent. Rare.
Coating covers a light-colored beryl with a green plastic. Creates an emerald imitation. Not permanent. Rare.
Moh's Harness: 7.5 to 8.
Toughness: Poor to good.
Location Found: Colombia, Brazil, Africa, Zambia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Madagascar, Nigeria, Ethiopia, China, Austria, Australia, Ghana, India, Mozambique, Russia, South Africa, Tanzania, and the United States of America.
Birthstone: May.
Wedding Anniversaries: 20th, 35th, and 55th.
Zodiac Signs: Gemini, Taurus, Leo, Aries, Cancer.
Chakra Association: Heart.
Historical Associations: intelligence; quick-witted; growth; improve memory; see the future; foretell future events; expose a lover was unfaithful; tell if one was exposed to poison; encourage loyalty; encourage sensitivity; unconditional love within a marriage or long-term partnership; enhance memory and mental capacity; intelligence; discernment; attract wealth; business growth; a truth detector; seeing through deceptions; abundance; fertility; life; immortality; memory improvement; intelligence; fidelity; drive away evil spirits; protect against demon possession; protection from evil spells; quick-witted; richness; growth in nature; cut through illusions; inspiration; patience; love; commitment; harmony; renewal; rebirth; youth; eloquence; truthfulness; good luck; good fortune; wealth; healing; intuition; foresight; victory in trials; help settle litigation; presence increased; increase business; business influence; speech; think clearly about the past present and future.
Historically Used to Treat: eyesight; blindness; eye strain; epilepsy (“the falling sickness”); poison; cholera; malaria.
Care: Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners as they can weaken fractured stones and cause the oil, unhardened resin, or polymer used to fracture-fill the emerald to come out of the fractures which will alter the appearance of your emerald. Avoid heat, light, and chemicals. Heat may cause fractures. An emerald’s appearance may change over time due to the instability of its filling material. Depending upon their condition, emeralds may be retreated by an experienced professional. Use room temperature water, a very mild soap and soft cloth are usually safe; avoid vigorous scrubbing. Do not soak for long periods. Store separately since they are brittle and can chip when a harder stone bangs into it.
Imitations: Green Glass; Green Cubic Zirconia; Synthetic Spinel Triplet; YAG (Yttrium Aluminum Garnet); Emerald Doublets (a thin slice of emerald glued to green glass).
Synthetics: Flux (e.g. Chatham); Hydrothermal (e.g. Biron). Synthetic emeralds can be incredibly high quality and often lack the significant inclusions of natural stones.