Properties, Form & Associations

Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl that contains an impurity of chromium or sometimes vanadium that imparts a green to blue green color to the mineral. Like all beryls, emerald has a hexagonal crystal structure and a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on Moh’s Hardness scale. Emerald, like all beryl exhibits imperfect cleavage in only one crystallographic direction. Crystals of this mineral typically break with a conchoidal fracture and always show a glassy to slightly greasy luster.
emerald Some beryl, specifically gem varieties containing vanadium can have a color that is intermediate of emerald and aquamarine. This beryl while not technically emerald among many gemologists because the blue color of the crystal is a bit too present, is very closely related. The majority of this material is called ‘lagoon beryl’ and originates from Madagascar or Mozambique.

It is very rare that natural emeralds produce flawless crystals and it is acceptable that cut emeralds have some inclusions or feathering. Emerald is considered to be optically flawless if it displays no inclusions or feathering when inspected without magnification. This is in contrast to diamond, which is considered flawless when it does not display feathering or inclusions under 10x magnification.

Most faceted emerald is treated with cedar oil to form films within feathering of the crystal. The refractive index of the oil is very similar to that of emerald, creating the illusion that the crystal is continuous. The refractive index of the Cedarwood oil is different enough from that of the emerald so it doesn’t create flashes of reds and blues inside of the treated stone. Some enhancements such as resin, palm oil, or glass impregnation performed on poor quality stones can cause internal flashing. Radiation treatment on emerald has never been reported to successfully enhance color. All of these treatments are considered to be unacceptable with the exception of cedar oiling.

Emerald has a lore that is rooted in ancient cultures. Emerald is the birthstone for the month of May and has been considered the traditional gemstone for Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer. It has been known since the ancient times – Pliny the Elder of Rome described emerald’s color in 1AD by stating “Nothing that is green is greener” and Cleopatra used emerald in much of her jewelry. Emerald is associated with healing and growth as well as the cleansing of the body, particularly the skin, circulatory system and adrenal glands. It is said to soothe and calm the mind in times of stress and increase memory. Even today, emerald powder is medicinally used in many traditional treatment and tonics, especially in China.

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