Emeralds are one of the rarest gemstones on Earth, which makes them very valuable and expensive. Before you shop for an emerald, make sure to do your homework so you know exactly what to look for when you’re at the jewelry store. Here’s what you need to know about where to find natural emerald gemstones and how to tell if they’re real or not.
Emeralds In Nature
Emeralds are a type of beryl, a naturally blue mineral. The most famous emerald mines in the world are the Muzo emerald mines in Colombia. Emeralds can also be found in Brazil, Australia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Russia. The color of an emerald is dependent on how they were formed. Natural aquamarine is greenish-blue or bluish-green which is why it’s often confused with an emerald. However natural aquamarines will never look as vibrant as an actual emerald because they lack trace amounts of chromium that give the stone its green hue
Emeralds In The Marketplace
Natural Aquamarine is found in the same locations as emeralds, but it’s not as well known or prized. Natural Aquamarine is a beautiful gemstone that can look very similar to emeralds, but there are ways you can tell them apart.
Aquamarine has a hardness of 7 on the Mohs scale, whereas emerald has a hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale. Aquamarine also lacks impurities when compared to emeralds, which have many small imperfections. This means that aquamarine would be more transparent than an emerald gemstone with impurities.
Natural Aquamarine gemstones are often light green with blue undertones, which is why they are sometimes mistaken for emeralds.
How To Tell If An Emerald Is Real
Real emeralds are usually a dark green color, but can also be found in shades of brown or yellow. Emeralds can be distinguished from other stones by the fact that they have an oily sheen. The color is created by traces of chromium, which can cause natural inclusions in the stone. Emeralds are rare because they have only been mined for 2,000 years, and their color is due to the mineral beryl; most emeralds are beryl crystals with a small amount of chromium.
Final Thoughts On Emeralds
If you love the color green, then you will adore emeralds. Emeralds are a variety of beryl that has a vivid green hue. Many people like to buy jewelry with natural aquamarine stones as they are often mistaken for emerald gemstones. You can learn how to tell if an aquamarine is real by looking at its luster, clarity, and size. Aquamarines are very hard gems and have a beautiful blue-green color. The best way to ensure you have a natural aquamarine is by checking out their transparency.
