Emerald

Emerald is part of the gemstones along with diamond, sapphire and ruby. Emerald is a crystallized form of beril. Emerald is always medium to dark green, with yellow or blue as a secondary hue.

Emerald is relatively hard, with a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, but is rather fragile and brittle. Emerald is therefore not recommended as a stone in a ring or bracelet worn every day.

The value of emerald is determined by its size and especially by its color. The more intense the color, the more expensive. An emerald always contains visible impurities. These inclusions are proof of authenticity.

Almost all emeralds are treated with oil. This on the cracks and fracture lines to fill and improve strength. Untreated emerald is rare and is therefore much more valuable than treated stones.

Emerald is found all over the world. The main mining sites are in Colombia and Zambia.