|
|
Did You Know?
The name Emerald
comes from the French "Esmeraude", which in turn goes back to the
Greek root "Smaragdos", meaning simply "Green Stone".
|
|
|
|
|
Folklore
Shrouded in myth and lore, the birthstone for May isn't just a beautiful
gem, Emeralds are also an ornament of power and politics that have created
legends and molded world history.
Some people believe
that wearing an Emerald brings wisdom, growth and patience. And as any
couple would agree, all of these qualities are essential for lasting
love. This may explain why a gift of Emerald is considered symbolic
of love and devotion. Emeralds are even believed to change color upon
infidelity!
|
Did You Know?
A truly ancient
gemstone, there is archeological evidence that the Babylonians may
have been marketing Emeralds as early as 4,000 B.C.
|
|
| |
|
Just The Facts
The neon green color of Emeralds is unparalleled in the gem kingdom.
Its beautiful green color, combined with its rarity, makes Emeralds
one of the world's most valuable gemstones.
Emeralds are a member of the beryl family of minerals. Minute traces
of chromium, vanadium and iron give Emeralds their famous "Green Fire".
The green crystals grow slowly within metamorphic rocks and are restricted
in size by the host rock, making large Emeralds rare and costly. But
did you know that large Emeralds are much more common than large sapphires
or rubies?
Unlike other beryls, Emeralds often contain inclusions and tiny fractures.
These are commonly called "Jardin", from the French word for "Garden",
because of their resemblance to foliage. For Emeralds, Jardin is not
looked on as a negative aspect as it would be for some other gem varieties,
but instead are considered part of Emerald's character and can be used
to assure the purchaser of a natural gemstone.
|
|
Did You Know?
The ancient
Romans associated Emeralds with fertility and rebirth, dedicating
it to Venus, their goddess of love and beauty.
|
|
| |
 |
Location, location,
location...
Known for their vivid green color, Colombian Emeralds are usually of
exceptional quality. Colombia is by tradition and lore, the finest modern
source for Emeralds.
While Colombian Emeralds are known for their vivid green color, Brazilian
Emeralds are known for their variety of color, ranging from light green
to fine to medium dark blue green. Emeralds were first discovered in
Brazil about 500 years ago, after the arrival of the Portuguese. However,
it was only in 1963 when the first samples with commercial value were
found in Bahia, close to the town of Paraiso du Norte in Northern Brazil,
effectively wiping out the notion that Brazil had no real "Green Fire"
of its own.
Zambian Emeralds are of high quality but not as neon green as Colombian
Emeralds, occasionally showing a very slight brown or yellowness in
color. Although Zambia has the world's second largest Emerald deposit,
this is substantially underdeveloped and restricted to approximately
40 artisanal mines near Kagem, Kitwe, Miku and Mufulira in Northern
Zambia.
|
|
Click Here To Discover
Emerald At www.thaigem.com
|
|
