Emerald Rings and Jewelry
History of the Emerald
The emerald is one of the most beloved jewels. Emerald have been known
since ancient Egypt. Nowadays, the beautiful green gemstone can be
found in Colombia, Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Madagascar,
South Africa, Australia, Russia, and North Carolina.
The beautiful gemstone is ranked 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of
hardness (diamond is the strongest at 10), but the emerald is somewhat
brittle because of the natural inclusions.
Emerald jewelry are immersed in oil and dipped in resin to minimize
the appearance of the natural fissures. Inclusions are typical of
this jewel and, unlike diamonds; do not devalue the emeralds as
much. Emeralds that have deep fissures, but has a deep green color
can cost more than an inclusion-free pale one.
Perfect emerald
rings are expensive and extremely rare. Color is the most important
aspect when buying emeralds. Emeralds that are not too dark or too
light with a deep, vivid green are the most expensive. However,
every shade of emeralds is popular.
Emerald is May's birthstone and it's recommended for the 20th
and 35th wedding anniversaries.
How to Buy an Emerald
When buying emerald
rings and emerald jewelry, look for an emerald with fewer fissures.
Compare the color and cut. Since emeralds are very brittle, they
should be in a protective setting, so it will be protected from
exposure.
Check to see if the emerald have been oiled. The oils fill out
fissures that can make them even more brittle. An emerald is sometimes
dyed to add color to the fissures and coated to protect the fissures
from growing bigger.
Some questions to ask when purchasing an emerald are:
- Has the emerald been treated?
- Is the emerald natural or synthetic?
- Are there any noticeable scratches, chips or inclusions in the
emerald?
- Is the color even throughout the emerald?
- How good is the emerald's color?
As with all jewelry purchases, comparison-shop and see how much different
retailers are selling the same quality of emeralds. Research information
on emeralds to make sure you get the best value for your purchase.
Emerald Care
Clean your emerald with a soft, damp wash cloth, warm water and
a soft brush and never use a mechanical cleaner.
Avoid heat and chemicals that may dissolve the oils of the emerald.
In order to keep the fissures filled, re-oil your emeralds every
few years. Since emeralds are so brittle, avoid impacts.
Keep emeralds in a fabric-lined box and to keep them from scratching
each other.
With these tips, your emerald
rings pieces should last you for many years.
|
