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ENCYCLOPEDIA
Emerald Full Guide
Emerald, from the Latin smaragdus meaning “green gem,” is one of the four precious stones alongside ruby, sapphire, and diamond. It belongs to the beryl family and is known for its rich green color and natural inclusions, often referred to as its “garden.” These internal characteristics make each emerald truly unique — and also more delicate. Symbolizing renewal, hope, and spring, emerald has been admired since antiquity. It is the birthstone of May and is traditionally gifted for a 40th wedding anniversary, known as the emerald anniversary.
Characteristics of the Emerald
Etymology: From the Ancient Greek smaragdus, meaning "green stone".
Family: Beryl
Chemical composition: Aluminum silicate and beryllium
Hardness: 7.5 - 8 on the Mohs scale
Density: 2.72
Optical properties: Uniaxial birefringent
Refractive index: 1.577 – 1.583
Birefringence: 0.005 – 0.009
Crystal system: Hexagonal
The origin of Emeralds
Emeralds were first discovered in Egypt around 330 BC. In the present day, emeralds are sourced from deposits in South America, Africa and Asia.
Although the most famous emeralds in the world are undoubtedly those sourced from Colombia, they have been mined intensively for many years and reserves are becoming increasingly scarce as a result. Brazil has now overtaken Colombia as South America's largest producer of the famous green gemstone.
On the African continent, the largest producer of emeralds is Zambia. In fact, its highly sophisticated mining technology gives us 35% of the world's emerald supply.
In Asia, emerald mines can be found in Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Carat
The carat value of a stone, not to be confused with the karat (a unit used to determine the purity of precious metals), is used to assess the weight of precious stones. The more a stone weighs in carats, the more valuable it is. For example, a 1-carat emerald weighs 0.2 grams, which means that a 5-carat emerald will weigh 1 gram.
Emeralds have a lower density than other gemstones, which means that even if an emerald weighs the same as a diamond or sapphire, it will still be larger than them.
The color of the Emerald
The emerald is a green gemstone belonging to the beryl mineral family. In order to qualify as an 'emerald', beryl minerals must have a certain level of saturation and green color intensity. If the green of a stone is too pale it is simply called a green beryl. Similarly, if a stone is too blue or too yellow it is not classified as an emerald but as a different variety of beryl and its value will drop significantly.
The emerald is slightly dichroic, which means that it displays different colors depending on the angle from which it is looked at (yellow-green or blue-green). The way in which lapidaries cut the stone is therefore a crucial factor in displaying its color well.
Like the ruby, the origin of an emerald can also affect its color. For example, Colombian emeralds are known for their pure, warm and intense green color. And Zambian emeralds are renowned for the touch of blue in their beautiful green color.
Discover our Guide on the Colors of Gemstones.
Light green emerald
Intense green emerald
Alpine green emerald
Dark green emerald
The clarity of Emeralds
Emerald has more inclusions than any other gemstone. Its inner fractures and imperfections, which are also poetically dubbed 'jardins' (French for garden), can be easily seen from the outside, as can tiny cracks on the stone's surface. Emeralds without inclusions visible to the naked eye are extremely rare.
Although Colombian emeralds are renowned for their beautiful color, they nonetheless tend to have more inclusions than Zambian emeralds which tend to be 'cleaner'.
Cut & Shapes
Cutting an emerald is a delicate art because its many inclusions and cracks make it a highly fragile stone. Each and every part of the cutting, polishing and setting process must be carried out with the utmost precision in order to prevent the stone from breaking.
The rectangular emerald cut has traditionally been the most common shape for emeralds. It was invented specifically for this gemstone so as to protect its fragile angles and consists of one large rectangular face with step cut sides. However, this green stone can now also be found in many other shapes including cushion, oval, pear, heart and round.
Pear Shape Emerald
Round Shape Emerald
Princess Cut Emerald
Oval Shape Emerald
Emerald Emerald Cut
Emerald Asscher Cut
Birthstone & Wedding Anniversary
The emerald is the birthstone of people born in May.
It is also used to celebrate 40 years of marriage in France and 35 years of marriage in the US (emerald wedding anniversary).
Discover our Birthstone Full Guide.
Famous Emeralds
Devonshire Emerald
One of the most well-known emeralds in the world is the 1384-carat Devonshire Emerald. It was discovered in the famous Muzo mine in Colombia in 1831 and was given to the Duke of Devonshire by Emperor Pedro I of Brazil.
Patricia Emerald
The world-famous 632-carat Patricia Emerald was discovered in Colombia and is renowned internationally for its unrivalled clarity and radiance. It is currently on display at the American Natural History Museum in New York.
Hooker Emerald
The 75.47-carat Hooker Emerald was sourced from Colombia and is set into a platinum brooch and surrounded by diamonds. It is currently on display at the American Natural History Museum in New York.
Liz Taylor Emeralds
This necklace, set with over 60 carats of square and rectangular cut emeralds, is part of a suite of Bulgari Emerald Jewels given to Elizabeth Taylor by Richard Burton. The entire suite was sold at Christie's in 2011 for over $23 million.
Treatment
Most emeralds on the market are subject to a treatment, or embellishment called fracture-filling. This embellishment serves to reduce the visibility of inclusions, thus enhancing the color and clarity of the stone. One of the most common fillers is the natural cedar oil, which was chosen because it is colorless and has a similar refractive index to the emerald. This oil fracture-filling can fade over time as the oil can evaporate or seep out of the stone. But unlike heat treatments, this oil filling can be done while the stone is set.
Other types of fracture filling are carried out using colored or synthetic oils, resins, glass or wax. However, they are widely looked down upon, as they alter the natural stone and significantly decrease its value.
Unlike most gemstones, emeralds are never subject to any heat treatment, as emeralds are very sensible to heat.
Discover Emerald Collections
What Customers Are Saying
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Ring fits perfectly.
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Customer Care + Craft = 💯
Ordered my fiancé’s engagement ring and there was a tiny issue with the addresses… I thought Christmas proposal was ruined 😭. But it showed up on Xmas Eve morning and I got to propose!! Super happy with the quality and how fast it got here.
Hassle-Free!!
Ordered a made-to-order amethyst bracelet for my mom. The stones are gorgeous and the design looks exactly like I imagined. There was a slight delay with shipping since I ordered it during Holiday season, but the team kept me updated the whole time. Mom was thrilled and I will definitely buy from them again!
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Love it
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I have wanted a ruby since I was a little girl.
Now I finally have it and at 5cts this ruby is an absolute STUNNER!! I asked them to customize the design since I wanted a bigger stone than the 1ct they had on the page and they totally made it happen!! Had it set on a 1.5mm white gold box chain for extra strength and that perfect sparkly but classic vibe!! I’m SO in love with it!! Yay me!!!
Nice! Great quality, would definitely buy again.
My son gave this to his girlfriend and she was thrilled! It’s so dainty and gorgeous.
My new go to place when it comes to diamonds!
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My husband got it for my birthday and I am seriously obsessed!! The pink sapphire is so bright and sparkly, way prettier in person than I ever imagined. It fits perfectly and I get compliments on it literally every day!! I can’t stop staring at it, it’s just so gorgeous!!
My husband bought me this beautiful ring for our 10 years anniversary, absolutely stunning! Mine is 0.53 carat white gold and it goes well with my engagement and wedding ring together.
Absolutely Love My Ring!
My boyfriend bought me a ring from here, and I absolutely love it! It’s so beautiful and shiny. The quality is amazing. Totally recommend this place!
Mother’s Day ruby bracelet. On-time delivery, gorgeous, mom loved it. Highly recommended.
MY FAVEEE!
Made multiple purchases here and haven’t been disappointed yet! Tons of options for stone sizes and the quality is always on point.
Lovely pendant, perfect size. Bought it for my sister and she absolutely loved it!
Fantastic
Love the selection of gemstones, easy to pick the perfect one.
Love it!!!
OKAY I’M OBSESSED
Love it!! first jewelry purchase online and came flawless!!
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Just got my ring and I love it. The aquamarine is a really nice soft blue and the little diamonds on the side make it sparkle without being too much. Super happy with it exactly what I was hoping for.
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I’ve been planning to propose to my girlfriend for months, but I was terrified of choosing the wrong ring online 😅. I wanted something meaningful, unique, and perfect for her. She loves sapphires, so I started looking for one that would make her eyes light up. I stumbled upon Gemnat and honestly, I didn’t know what to expect. I ended up customizing a sapphire engagement ring with a slightly larger stone than the standard, and I kept imagining her reaction while biting my nails. When the ring arrived, I was blown away by how beautiful it was the stone sparkled like nothing I’ve ever seen, and the craftsmanship was impeccable. On the day I proposed, she literally gasped, had tears in her eyes, and said yes while covering her face. I’ve never seen her so happy, and the ring looked even more stunning on her than in the pictures. Gemnat made the whole process smooth, from customization to shipping, and even helped me with sizing questions. I can honestly say this was the most important purchase of my life, and it couldn’t have gone more perfectly. Thank you for making this moment unforgettable!
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It came slightly big but customer service fixed it sooo fast!!
If I could give more than 5 stars I would! You can’t go wrong with GEMNAT, they have amazing pieces and excellent quality. I can’t wait to get my next purchase from them again
What You See Is What You Get!
I'm super happy with my 1st purchase here at Gemnat. I would give them 10 stars if I can! They are HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!
I wear this literally all the time now. It’s simple but diamonds make it look expensive af. Gemnat’s sizing guide was actually helpful, and support answered a quick question I had about chain length. Packaging was neat and delivery was on point.
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I was scared about quality but it exceeded expectations.
Worth the WAIT!!
I was a bit anxious waiting for it to arrive, but once I saw it, I was truly impressed by the quality and beauty. My wife absolutely loved it and it looks amazing on her. I’m very happy with this purchase and would definitely recommend this site to others.
I wanted to get my sister something special for graduation and found an amethyst bracelet on Gemnat. I was nervous about international shipping, but it came faster than I expected 😍. The stone is gorgeous and sparkly, and she cried when she opened it. So happy with how this turned out. DEFINITELY gonna buy more here!!
JUST BECAUSE
I wanted to get a promise ring for my girlfriend, but I didn’t know her exact size. Gemnat’s resizing option was super helpful, they walked me through the process and helped me get the perfect fit. Very impressed with the customer service and quality.
I wanted a birthday gift for my daughter’s 21st—a ring she could keep forever. The sapphire ring from GEMNAT stood out. I appreciated the secure online process and the clear information about the gemstone. When it arrived, the packaging was elegant, and the ring looked perfect. My daughter was thrilled, and I know she’ll cherish it like a small family heirloom. Ordering online felt completely safe and stress-free.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
I thought finding the perfect ruby necklace for our 10th anniversary would be easy, until I saw how many stunning options GEMNAT had. Every design was elegant and timeless, and choosing just one was the hardest part. We were celebrating with a trip to Paris, and I wanted something meaningful she could wear on our special dinner night. I loved that I could select the ruby quality and size to match both her style and my budget. It felt personal, not just another purchase. When it arrived, the necklace was even more beautiful in person. The deep red stones sparkled effortlessly under the lights at our anniversary dinner. She was completely surprised and absolutely thrilled. She hasn’t taken it off since. GEMNAT made the entire experience smooth, special, and unforgettable.
I requested expedited shipping because I needed it for a proposal and they actually made it happen. It arrived earlier than I expected. Absolute lifesavers.
I purchased a sapphire set on a white gold ring, the item was delivered within 7 days and set in a beautiful presentation box which complimented the product perfectly. The quality of the ring, presentation box and overall service has been excellent.
fast and reliable!!
I ordered the ruby bracelet from the US and it arrived perfectly in 7 days. Packaging was secure and beautiful!
great service
I ordered a diamond ring and then realized I picked the wrong size but resizing was simple through their online chat. Now it fits perfectly, love it!