The birthstone for the month of May is emerald. We decided to ask Gemfields – committed to responsible, safer mining and sourcing of colored gemstones in conflict-free regions – to tell us about some key factors about good quality emeralds. We also have a few tips for you on how to take good care of those precious vivid green beauties.

According to the spokesperson from Gemfields, “Color can have a dramatic impact on price, making it a defining gem characteristic. An emerald’s color is described by reference to hue, saturation and tone. Zambian emeralds can display a bluish-green hue with sought-after crystal integrity and Colombian emeralds have a yellowish green hue.

A good emerald ranges from bluish green to pure green colors. The most desirable emeralds have vivid color saturation and tone that is not too dark – the tone, in this context, describes the lightness or darkness of the emerald. Emeralds are sometimes treated with oils, waxes and fillers to enhance their appearance; this is acceptable provided the nature of the treatment is disclosed. The extent to which an emerald has been treated will affect its value – an emerald with good natural color and clarity will always be more valuable than one whose qualities have been artificially enhanced.

What to look for while buying an emerald – In addition to the Four C’s (Color, Clarity, Cut, Carat) well-known for diamonds, two additional C’s Certification and Character play a pivotal role when considering emeralds or other precious colored gemstones.

How to look after emeralds ­­– Emerald is 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale (used to measure a gemstone’s hardness) and has fair to good toughness, making it a stone that requires more care in wearing than ruby or sapphire. Emeralds are beautiful stones for all types of jewellery and with proper care will last for generations.

• Do not clean them ultrasonically or with steam. Ultrasonic vibrations can weaken already-fractured stones, and hot steam can cause oil or unhardened resin to sweat out of the fractures.
• Do use warm, soapy water coupled and gently scrub the jewels; this is the safest way to clean emeralds.

Browse through the gallery below to view the creations of designers who have crafted jewelry featuring Gemfields emeralds.

Inputs & all images courtesy of Gemfields

Smitha Sadanandan