Are emeralds the most valuable gemstones?

Emeralds
May’s Birthstone

Emeralds are considered by some to be the world’s most valuable green gemstone. Flawless emeralds are very rare and extremely valuable. These exceptional, naturally-coloured stones are said to have more personality than any other gemstone. Throughout history, they have been prized for their rarity and beauty. You can’t have too many!

“Emeralds” derive their name from an ancient Persian word for green. The oldest emeralds in the world can be found in Zimbabwe, but other leading sources are Columbia, Afghanistan, Brazil and Zambia.

Emeralds are the birthstone of May and considered the anniversary stones for the 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries. They are thought to be symbols of rebirth and love and promote foresight, good fortune and youth. Emeralds have been said to protect the wearer from evil spells and also give one the ability to foresee the future. In addition “green” is considered a calming color believed to encourage growth and balance.

Emeralds come in different shades of green. Darker colors are more valuable than light color stones. The color of green in an emerald is determined by the amount of beryl mineral in the stone. Light color green stones can be classified as aquamarine, tourmaline and peridot.

Always in style! Clothing that features shades of green, blue, red or purple as their main color look good with emerald jewelry. And of course your LBD will rock with emerald jewelry.

Royal Jewelry

There is great diversity in emeralds. Some stones have a heavier look while others are lighter and more feminine looking. Famous jewelry houses such as Van Cleef, Bulgari, Boucheron and Cartier have designed beautiful jewelry with emeralds for film stars, models and royals. There are all cuts and shapes of emeralds  and designers often combine them settings.

Read More:

Are laboratory diamonds politically correct?
Laboratory diamonds are politically correct. Now the environment in which a diamond naturally grows can be recreated above ground in a laboratory. The results are gem-quality stones.  According to the GIA (Gemological Institute of America), lab-grown or factory-produced diamonds have chemical and physical properties that correspond very closely to those of natural diamonds. These diamonds are being graded by the GIA (Gemological Institute of America) like natural diamonds using the 3 “C’s: color, clarity, and cut and are less expensive than diamonds from the ground.

Emerald: Twenty-One Centuries of Jewelled Opulence and Power
by Joanna Hardy