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Denver Jewelers Give Their Top Tips for Choosing the Best Emeralds
May
Emeralds are rapidly becoming a growing trend in the jewelry trade. An increasing number of people choose emeralds over diamonds, sapphires, and other gems in every type of setting, from pendants to engagement rings. As a symbol, the green color of emeralds represents new life, humility, and unwavering loyalty. Thus, it has gained popularity with buyers looking to give a gift that symbolizes these vital traits of friendship and romance. As with any gemstone purchase, buyers tend to ask how to determine if they are getting their money’s worth. To help out, we’ve created a guide to assist anybody buying emerald jewelry in Denver.
Here is our brief but practical guide to finding an emerald that looks amazing and also possesses true value:
Buying Emerald Jewelry in Denver: The Qualities That Matter
Purchasing an emerald is far more straightforward than shopping for a diamond, though some of the same principles apply.
Color
People prize emeralds for their distinctive color more than their cut or brilliance. The three factors to consider when looking at the color of an emerald are hue, tone, and saturation. To determine the hue, examine the stone carefully to determine if there is more yellow or blue in the particular shade of green. Most emeralds on the gemstone market today are sourced from Colombia, and these stones are well-known for their bluish-green hue. The bluer the emerald, the more desirable the stone.
Tone
Tone is important to the emerald’s coloration, as it determines how much light is reflected versus how much is absorbed. Darker-toned emeralds are not necessarily superior in quality or value to those of a lighter tone. Still, the most beautiful emeralds are often of a medium to medium-dark tone.
Saturation
This is determined by the intensity and strength of its color. To the jeweler’s eye, stones with more vivid greens are desirable. They catch the light and display the beauty of the emerald’s inner layers. When considering an emerald’s color, look for a bluish-green stone with medium to medium-dark tone and vivid color saturation. Even if the price tag is slightly higher, this ensures you get the best, most beautiful stone for your money.
Clarity
The grading scale for emerald clarity is wholly different from that for diamonds. Natural diamonds have many inclusions, which are imperfections that appear as dark spots. In contrast, an emerald with no inclusions is likely not a natural stone. As a GIA Type III stone, emeralds are members of the beryl family, and one of the hallmarks of beryl stones is inclusions from liquids, gas, and trace minerals like chromium and vanadium.
Inclusions
Inclusions are the reason that 80-95% of the rough on an emerald must be cut away to produce a gemstone. So, if you see any dark traces, they do not indicate poor quality. The only red flags are fissures and inclusions that look like bubbles, are arranged in a specific order, or are obviously large blotches. These inclusions indicate weaknesses within the stone, which may result in chipping or shattering over long periods.
Cut
The faceting, shape, width, and depth of an emerald should be uniform and symmetrical to bring out the color and brilliance of the stone. If the cut of an emerald is too deep, light will pass through it without sufficient reflection, and it will appear dull or dark. If it is cut too shallow, light cannot reach the heart of the stone to allow it to reflect brilliantly.
Carats
Bigger is not always better with emeralds. Larger stones can be cut in ways that reflect brilliantly, which is not possible with smaller stones. Still, total carat weight has less impact on an emerald’s price than on a diamond’s price.
Buying Emerald Jewelry in Denver
Whether you’re working with the best jewelers in Denver or other gemstone experts, they should all say the same thing: purchasing a smaller carat weight emerald with superior color and clarity than a larger, lower-quality stone to get a better value. Any emerald larger than one carat will be significantly more expensive due to the rarity and cost of acquisition. Finding a single one-carat, gem-quality stone requires removing approximately five tons of dirt. Even when mining an emerald deposit, it is an expensive undertaking reflected in the final sticker price.
Choosing an emerald demonstrates a unique taste in gems and discernment about the symbolism that the gemstone carries when presented in an engagement ring, anniversary ring, or other jewelry gifts. Remember the Four Cs of emerald buying: Cut, color, clarity, and carat. This way, you can choose the emerald that suits your personal taste and lives up to its value.
If you’re interested in buying an emerald-cut diamond for your fiancée or significant other, rest assured that they don’t call us the best jewelers in Denver for nothing. Mark has chosen a handful of the best emerald-cut diamonds from our vast inventory of diamonds around the world. Shop our complete diamond inventory online at MarksDiamonds.com or shop in-store at our Cherry Creek North location–book your appointment with us today.
