Emerald Jewelry – World of Gemstones

The birthstone for May, emeralds are considered a symbol of rebirth and springtime, and some believe they can grant a person good fortune, foresight, and youth. Jewelers love the beauty of emerald jewelry as it brings out green eyes especially.

Emerald Jewelry

Source: Schwanke Kasten

Emeralds typically come various shades of green, but can have bluish or yellow overtones.  Emeralds have a colorful history.  Historians discovered the oldest emeralds in Egypt near the Red Seas. The Incas and Aztecs of South America regarded this green gemstone as holy. The word “emerald” comes from the Greek work ‘smaragdos‘ which literally means ‘green gemstone.’ One of the world’s largest emeralds is the ‘Mogul Emerald’. It dates from 1695, it is 217.80 carats, and is almost 4 inches tall. The jeweler engraved one side with floral ornaments and the other side with prayer texts.  Historians display some of the world’s most famous emeralds in various museums across the globe.

Emerald Shopping Guide

Finding an emerald without any inclusions is quite rare.  Fine inclusions do not diminish the high regards for an emerald. In fact, an emerald with deep color and fine inclusions is of higher value than an almost flawless emerald whose color is a paler green.

Colombia, Brazil, Africa, India, and Pakistan have the finest emeralds. In fact, Geologist say chromium and vanadium produce the finest emeralds. Furthermore, Emeralds have a 7.5 – 8 hardness rating on the Mohs scale.

Emeralds are a great gemstone for everyday wear and they can range greatly in price.  As there are a number of factors involved when seeking to purchase a fine emerald, it’s best to connect with one of our Schwanke Kasten Jewelers professionals.  Also be sure to explore our fine pieces of jewelry that include emeralds on our Schwanke Kasten website.