5 Tips For Buying An Emerald

Diamonds may get the most press, but there is a gemstone that outranks them in both mystique and rarity. Emerald is a unique gem characterised by an unforgettable green colour. Around 20x more rare than diamonds, emerald is the mysterious older sister, fast becoming the cool girl choice for engagement rings. Emerald is associated with truth and love. The mineral was considered emblematic of the Goddess Venus in ancient Rome, and Aphrodite in ancient Greece. Emerald is also the birthstone for May, its green hue symbolizing the rebirth that comes with Spring.

Shopping for an emerald has its own set of check boxes which can feel tricky to navigate at first. How can you ensure that you are buying a stone for the best value, and at the best quality?

Emeralds Are All About Colour

When it comes to buying or selling an emerald, the biggest deciding factor in its value will be the colour. Emerald sets the standard for green gems across the industry. No other mineral comes close to the vibrant green hue of the best emeralds!

The most desirable colour range for emerald is blueish to pure green. When we say desirable, all that means is that gemmologists consider this the best. That means that stones in that colour range will hold a heftier price tag than other tones of emerald.

Emerald can range from completely clear and transparent, to translucent and milky. The transparent emeralds are considered the most rare and valuable, particularly if their colour is evenly distributed. Cloudy emerald that you can't see through is valued less.

Now, just because gemmologists love it, that doesn't mean you have to. A "poor" colour quality emerald may exhibit a light, grassy green colour, or even a greenish blue. Both of which are really beautiful! Cloudy emerald takes on an appearance comparative to jade, which is also very beautiful. Remember that you don't need gem experts to tell you what you like the appearance of.

Clarity is Key

Clarity of a stone refers to the presence (or lack thereof) of natural flaws within the stone. These flaws are usually build ups of other minerals which collected while the stone was being formed. Inclusions are present in every gemstone, from quartz to diamond. In some gems, such as opals, they are even considered desirable!

You will find a lot of misinformation online in regards to emeralds. Many websites claim that emerald is too soft for use in an engagement ring, but this is not strictly true. This confusion arises from the fact that emeralds are likely to be quite included. The gem itself has a MOHs hardness rating of 7.5-8 which is considered hard, and therefore scratch resistant (sapphire comes in at 9, and diamond a 10). However, the less valuable and more common emeralds that are readily available are more likely to be included which would make them prone to breaking if impacted.

It is much harder to find an eye clean emerald than a diamond of the same quality. Buyers are generally aware that their stone will have some internal flaws. Emerald inclusions are quite beautiful. Often described as looking mossy or garden-like, they are sometimes called “jardin,” which is French for garden.

Emerald Cut is Not Your Only Option

Emerald cut diamonds are so well known, that it can be easy to assume that you won't find emerald in other shapes. The cut was designed for emeralds, as the long facets and large table emphasise the depth of colour in the gem.

When a stone cutter is working on emeralds, maximising their colour payoff is the number one priority. Due to the crystal structure and presence of multiple minerals that create colour and tone, the cutter must take care to ensure that these elements line up well with light reflecting facets to avoid washing out the stone. As inclusions are so common in the mineral, the cutter must also take care to cut in ways which will not enhance the fragility of these fault lines.

Emerald cut is a good choice because the delicate corners of the stone are faceted and therefore less vulnerable. However, you can also purchase beautiful emeralds in almost any cut, from round to princess.

Carat Weight Still Applies

As with diamonds, emeralds are weighed in carats. Since emerald is a rare mineral, the larger the carat weight, the more valuable the stone. This value goes upwards on a curve. For example, a one carat emerald will be less than half the price of a two carat emerald of the same quality. This is because finding a naturally occurring stone of a larger size is much less likely. The value increases in line with the rarity.

Compromise Comes Down to You

As with any luxury or high end purchase, there are multiple factors that make up the final price of your emerald engagement ring. It is up to you which elements are the most important to you, and which you want to prioritise.

If colour is the most important factor for you:

Then you should have a look at emerald colour charts and determine which side of the spectrum is to your taste. This may dictate the country of origin that you want to source your stone from. Different countries mine emeralds in slightly different colour ranges due to differences in soil mineral composition. You can enhance the visible colour of your emerald by setting it in yellow gold.

When clarity is your top priority:

If you have the budget to spend, then by all means seek out an internally flawless emerald. If, however, you don't have endless time and budget to spare, that is not a problem. Choosing a more included emerald does not mean your ring is guaranteed to break. You can choose a more protective setting style such as a button back or a bezel to keep the edges of your stone protected. Many choose to set their emerald within a halo of diamonds, which also adds a layer of protection to a more delicate gem.

You may have to source a much smaller stone than expected, or increase your budget for an eye clean stone. Alternatively, lab created emeralds are available on the market for a very low price. These do not hold quite the same colour range as mined stones, but will always be eye clean and inclusion free. Unlike lab diamonds, these are not considered to hold the same prestige as earth mined emeralds.

If size is key for you:

Then you may have to sacrifice other factors in your stone to stick to your budget. Choosing a less popular colour grade, or a lower clarity will help to keep a larger stone affordable. Alternatively, you could look at other green gems! Tourmaline is much less rare and sits high on the MOHs hardness scale. You can source tourmaline in very similar colours to emeralds, making it a fantastic alternative.

If you are looking to take the plunge and create your dream emerald engagement ring, then please get in touch with our bespoke jeweller to begin your journey!