Description of the appearance of the mineral emerald. Properties of emerald stone. Products and decorations made of stone and its use

The modern name “emerald” has come down to the present day from ancient times, having undergone significant metamorphoses. Mentions of (marakata, markat, tarkshia) are found in the ancient Indian epic “Mahabharata”. An ancient Indian manuscript about precious stones, “Agastya,” talks about eight varieties of the mineral. The Sanskrit or Persian name "zamorrod" over time turned into the Greek - "smaragdos", and then into the Latin - "smaragdus". The modern sounds “emerald” (and earlier “esmerald” from the Latin emerald), “emerald”, “emerald” appeared in the Middle Ages. At first, these names included any green stones, both transparent and opaque, and, probably, in the 16th century. This is the name given to a variety of juicy green beryl. The English name of the mineral is emerald. Synonyms: Emerald- smaragd, zumurrud (Biruni, XI century).

Chemical composition

Emerald is characterized by a high content of Cr 2 O 3; 0.06%, 0.25-0.29, 0.50%, 0.1-0.05%. In addition, they contain: Na, Mg, Ca, Fe, V, Ni. B.

Crystallographic characteristics

singonia. Hexagonal L 6 6L 2 7PC.

Symmetry class. Dihexagonal-bipyramidal - 6/mmm. Axle ratio. s/a=0.4989.

Crystal structure. Is a variety of beryl

Form of emerald in nature

The appearance of crystals is always prismatic.

Inclusions in emerald

Emerald is characterized by a large number of inclusions, both gas-liquid and solid (albite, garnet, talc, carbonates, carbonaceous matter, etc.). Features of the microrelief of the crystal surface include tubercles, streaks, protrusions (corrugated relief), meander-shaped bends, etc.

Physical properties

Optical

The color is emerald green with varying degrees of intensity and shades (yellowish or bluish). The green color of emerald is due to Cr 3+ ions isomorphically replacing aluminum ions in the octahedral positions of the beryl structure. The intensity of the color is related to the content of this chromium impurity. Stones from different deposits have different shades of green. Colombian emeralds are characterized by a bluish tint, Ural and North American emeralds are characterized by a slight yellowish tint, giving some warmth to the stone, which is due to the presence of Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ ions in the tetrahedral position, and Bulgarian emeralds are bluish, associated with the presence of Fe 2+ ions in the tetrahedral and octahedral positions with relatively equal concentration. It is possible that an admixture of vanadium may have some effect on the green color of emerald. In Norwegian minerals (Minne) the concentration of V 2 O 5 was 0.9% with a Cr 2 O 3 content of 0.1%, in Muzo emeralds - 0.05% V, 0.12% Fe, 0.14% Cr and others elements (Ti, Mn, Ca, Sc). However, green chromeless (<0,0003 %) бериллы из месторождений Бразилии Феррос и Салининха, окраска которых связана с примесью ионов V 3+ , изоморфно замещающих ионы Аl 3+ в октаэдрических позициях структуры берилла, по мнению А. М. Тейлора, Б. В. Андерсона, Дж. Арема и др., не следует называть изумрудами.

The color intensity of the stone varies. Minerals used in jewelry range from faint green to thick, juicy emerald color. With the same degree of transparency, defects (presence of cracks and inclusions) and size, the cost of a stone is higher, the more intense its color, and the difference in the cost of stones of different shades of color is very significant.

• The line is missing due to high hardness
• The line is missing. The powder is white.
• Glass shine.
• Flow to greasy (resinous).
• Transparency Transparency is uneven: often in one crystal, along with areas crowded with inclusions, there are absolutely transparent areas of high jewelry value.

Mechanical

• Hardness 7.5-8
• Density 2.727-2.745.
• Cleavage according to (0001) is imperfect to perfect (perhaps corresponds separately), according to (1010) imperfect.
• The fracture is conchoidal and uneven.

Chemical properties

Acids, with the exception of hydrofluoric acid, have no effect. With borax it gives transparent colorless glass; emerald - pale green pearl (chrome). For quick diagnosis, a reaction with quinalizarin is used (the surface of beryl crystals turns blue).

Other properties

Melting point 1420°

When heated slowly (within half an hour), green beryl from Sherlova Gora completely changes its color to blue; this property is used to obtain aquamarines from green beryls. Some green and yellow beryls turn brown when heated to 200-500°. Jayaraman found that when beryls are heated to 500° for 5 hours, partial oxidation of Fe 2+ occurs, and all green beryls become bluish.

Diagnostic signs of emerald

Currently, along with natural, Artificially grown emeralds are widely used. Doublets have long been made from two smaller stones or from emerald and some other stone - pale beryl, quartz, synthetic spinel, which are cemented with emerald-green paste. Doublets can be identified by inclusions in the bonding plane. In addition, green minerals are used as imitations, usually less expensive and more common - corundum, dioptase, chrome diopside, tourmaline, uvarovite, demantoid, grossular, chrysolite, alexandrite, giddenite, jadeite, zircon, fluorite, chrysoprase. Among these minerals, according to B. W. Anderson, fluorite from Namibia, chromium-containing tourmaline from Tanzania and jadeite deserve the most attention. Emerald green fluorite has a Chelsea filter red color and triphasic inclusions similar to Colombian emeralds. However, it can be distinguished by the absence of birefringence and dichroism, by lower values ​​of hardness (4), and refractive index (1.434), higher density (3.18 g/cm 3), and lilac luminescence in ultraviolet rays (365 nm). Chromium-containing green tourmaline has a red color under the Chelsea filter, an absorption band characteristic of emerald in the red region, but in contrast, higher refractive indices (1.620, 17638).
Jadeite can be distinguished from it not only by lower hardness (7), but also by higher values ​​of refractive indices (1.65-1.67) and density (3.33 g/cm 3) and characteristic ripples or graininess on the surface of polished stone In Burma and Russia there is a beautiful emerald green color of chrome diopside, which differs from emerald in hardness (5.5-6), refractive index (1.672-1.708) and density (3.20 g/cm 3). Small cut stones are sometimes very It is also difficult to distinguish from chrysoprase, which is colored with nickel compounds and has an absorption line at 623 nm. Due to the small size of the crystals, emerald green uvarovite is rarely found in faceted form.

It, like demantoid and grossular, is isotropic, does not have dichroism, and has a higher refractive index and density. The properties of other green stones and glasses, which have long been used as imitation gemstones, also differ from emerald. The latter contain inclusions of air bubbles, and other signs are also characteristic. There are known cases of “refining” fractured minerals by impregnating them with oil and dyes. Such stones can be identified by immersing them in water containing a grease solvent (such as laundry detergent) or by gently heating the stone to remove oil from the cracks.

Origin and location

Characteristic of pegmatites of various types. See beryl

Practical use

Jewelry stone.

To process transparent emeralds, the following types of cuts are used: step, rectangular “emerald” or “square”, less often diamond. Translucent stones are processed in the form of cabochons. Dichroism must be taken into account. It should be noted that only a very small part of emeralds is processed in the countries where they are mined. The highest quality emeralds are processed in Idar-Oberstein (Germany), Ramat Gan (Israel), London, Geneva and New York. Medium and low quality stones, which make up the bulk of mined minerals and are suitable for making cabochons, are processed in India. They are often combined with diamonds in jewelry.

Unique emeralds

Crystal sizes vary: gem-quality crystals are most often small. The world's largest emerald measuring 14x35 cm and weighing 24,000 carats was found in 1956 at the Somerset mine (South Africa). Unfortunately, it was not preserved in its original state, as it was sawn into several parts and processed. Unique emeralds weighing 1629.6 and 1160 carats were discovered in Zimbabwe.
Unique emeralds were also discovered in our country. The largest of the Ural emeralds is a transparent crystal of grass-green color, called “ Emerald Kokovina", was found in 1834. Its location is currently unknown. Over time, this name was transferred to another emerald of beautiful color and good quality weighing 11 thousand carats, kept in the Kochubey collection (hence the second name - “Kochubey emerald”), and currently in the collection of the Mineralogical Museum of the USSR Academy of Sciences. A.E. Fersman.

The “Diamond Fund of Russia” contains an emerald found in 1978, called “Glorious Ural”, weighing 3362.5 carats and other crystals of significant size, good quality and color.
Stones from Colombia enjoy well-deserved fame: “Crystal from Gachala” (7025 ct), “Austrian Emerald” (2681 ct), “Devonshire Emerald” (1383.95 ct). The American Museum of Natural Sciences in New York houses the Patricia emerald (632 carats). In 1970, an emerald weighing 6,300 carats was found at the Carnaiba deposit in Brazil, which was subsequently exported to Germany.
The largest North American emeralds: “The Pride of America” (crystal intergrowth weighing 1470 ct), “Stefanson Emerald” (1438 ct), “Stolen Emerald” and “Hidzenite Emerald” (1270 ct) and a number of others. The mentioned stones are unique not only in size, but also in quality - they are beautiful, largely transparent stones of a beautiful deep color. Various souvenirs are sometimes cut from large emeralds.

In the collection of the Vienna Museum there is a vessel for ointment weighing 2680 carats, made of dark green crystal.

Synthesis of artificial emeralds

The synthesis of jewelry stones in the USA is carried out on an industrial scale. Artificial stones are very similar to natural ones in inclusions and zoning; at the same time, they are easily distinguished from natural ones by their microrelief in reflected light, by the presence of rough steps and growth spirals, and by the absence of other minerals on the crystal faces that are common on the faces of natural crystals. The density of artificial emeralds is 2.65, their refractive indices (n o = 1.563, n e = 1.560) are lower than those of natural ones. In ultraviolet rays with filters made from a weak solution of copper salts, some natural minerals differ from artificial ones: Colombian emeralds exhibit a bright red glow, while artificial ones glow crimson. The X-ray topography method is used to diagnose natural and artificial stones.

Crystal optical properties in thin preparations (sections)

Pleochroic: according to No - yellowish-green, according to Ne - greenish-bluish. n o = 1.586-1.592, n e = 1.579-1.589; n o = 1.572-1.580, n e = 1.572-1.575; n o = 1.589-1.590, n e = 1.580-1.581. Sometimes abnormally biaxial. Dichroism is quite clearly expressed in emeralds, especially in Colombian ones: Ne - green, bluish-green; Na - yellowish green. They often exhibit zonal coloration. Moreover, zoning can be manifested in different ways. There are crystals with a weakly colored peripheral part and an intensely colored green central part and vice versa. Another type of zoning is a change in color intensity along the long axis of the crystal, with several alternating bands of varying intensity visible. Sometimes the crystals are unevenly colored. The color is stable and does not change under the influence of light and heat. However, when heated to 700-800°C, the crystals become somewhat pale. This gemstone is optically uniaxial. The refractive indices and birefringence of crystals from different deposits may differ slightly, which is associated with changes in the impurities included in the structure. This is also reflected in the density of the mineral. Emeralds from some deposits luminesce in ultraviolet rays: red in the long-wave range and green in the short-wave range.

Photo gallery of the mineral

Even children know what the green gem is called. Emerald is one of the varieties of beryl, has a green color that is sometimes diluted with an admixture of bluish tints. Beryl itself is a mineral that does not have a specific tone, but with the help of chromium or vanadium it acquires a characteristic emerald hue. The natural mineral contains the following impurities:

• Chromium - 0.14%.
• Vanadium - 0.05%.
• Iron - 0.12%.

On the Mohs scale, emerald reaches up to 8 units.

The green gemstone got its name after going a long way. The ancient Greeks called it smaragdos, the Persians - zumurrud, the Slavs - smaragd, in Sanskrit the mineral is called marakata, in Latin - smaragdus, and medieval Europe called it Esmeralda.

In the modern jewelry market, emerald is highly valued, and its most refined and pure colors are more expensive than the king of precious stones - diamond.

Who is it suitable for?

It is not suitable for every owner. Due to the fact that the stone's properties tend towards qualities such as honesty and kindness, it can create a lot of problems for a dishonest person. But for virtuous individuals who live according to their conscience and defend the truth, this precious mineral is ideal.

For people who are inclined to study the subtle matters of the universe and have excellent intuition, an emerald will be a good help, the magical properties of which activate the extraordinary abilities of its owner. Under the influence of the precious stone, they will discover their talents for spiritualism and will be able to see the secrets of the universe.

Emerald is suitable for delicate and sensual natures. It helps them to steadfastly face the whims of fate, to see deception and betrayal in advance, and also significantly balances their state of mind.

Those for whom emerald is suitable also include sailors, travelers and nursing mothers. It will be a strong amulet for teenagers who do not have established moral values. With its properties it will protect them from rash actions and help them find a direction in life.

Emerald and zodiac signs

Any gemstone has both positive and negative effects on certain people. The same is true with the meaning of the stone for certain zodiac signs. Therefore, it is very important to study the astrological compatibility with the mineral before making a purchase.

As the most suitable zodiac signs for emerald, astrologers identify Cancer, Leo, Taurus, Sagittarius, Pisces and Aquarius. The stone will provide them with strong assistance in matters of family, love and friendship. These signs are recommended to wear jewelry with a mineral in the form of a ring or ring on a certain finger:

• Taurus is average.
• Aquarius - nameless.
• Sagittarius and Leo - index.
• Pisces and cancer - little finger.

Another sign of the zodiac stone is Gemini. Green color helps Gemini women maintain their youth, beauty and health for a long time, and also protects their personal well-being from the interference of envious people.

A zodiac sign can also have an ambivalent relationship with a mineral. Since the stone carries strong energy, a person may not be able to cope with it due to his personal qualities. This risk group includes Libra, Aries, Virgo and Capricorn. For Scorpios, due to their tendency to negative moods and actions, natural emerald is completely contraindicated.

Magic properties

There are many legends and stories associated with green emerald. One of them was recorded in the Bible. It describes the overthrow of Satan, during which he lost the most beautiful decoration of his crown - the emerald. From this lost jewel a cup was subsequently carved, which the Queen of Sheba brought as a gift to Solomon. It was this cup that was the main attribute of the Last Supper of Jesus, and also in it at the execution of Christ Joseph collected the blood of the Savior. This cup has remained known in world history as the holy grail, endowed with powerful magical properties.

In Ancient Egypt, mines for the extraction of this mineral first appeared. In Egypt, the meaning of the mineral was associated with eternal life and youth, thanks to its green color. The great queen Cleopatra believed that emerald had magical love properties. She not only loved to wear emerald jewelry, but also demanded that furniture and even the doors of the palace be encrusted with gems.

The inhabitants of ancient Rome, like the Greeks, preferred carving gems on a green gemstone, and some Indian tribes worshiped emerald as a deity and believed that it was capable of healing the human body from any disease.

The meaning of the amulet is very multifaceted. Many cultures attribute to it the ability to recognize adultery. This property is supported by a legend in which the king of Hungary, Bella IV, once embraced his unfaithful wife and noticed that the emerald on his ring was split in several places.

In other beliefs about the stone, its property is enmity with snakes, which immediately go blind at the sight of this jewel. It also talks about the ability of the green gemstone to heal from snake venom.

In former times it was considered a symbol of honesty and justice. Even the most inveterate robbers never stole this mineral because they believed that the punishment for stealing the green gem would certainly fall on their heads. But to the rightful owner, the emerald stone will give balance, sobriety of mind and purity of thoughts.

Emerald also has a beneficial effect on a person’s home. With its magical properties, the stone cleanses the house of negative energies and preserves the warmth of the family hearth.

The color of the stone helps relieve fatigue and tension from the eyes, and will also relieve its owner from sleepless nights and nightmares. The stone heals overwork, tidies up the nervous system and relieves depression. Using a green gemstone, you can disinfect water, and its frequent use as decoration normalizes the functioning of the internal organs and systems of the human body.

Since ancient times, people have believed that emerald has magical properties that ward off death and misfortune and bring wealth and good luck to the home. All that is required from its owner is honesty and purity of soul.

Emerald colors

The color directly depends on its deposit. For example, in Colombia there are mines for the extraction of deep herbaceous shades of this mineral. You can understand what kind of unusual stone is by getting acquainted with its special type - Trapiche. This variety is also mined in Colombia, but has one very unusual feature - a six-pointed star is clearly displayed in its center.

The yellow color of emerald can be found in Zimbabwe. A mineral with this shade is highly valued in jewelry.

Zambian emeralds have the purest and most transparent shades. Their colors are darker than Colombian emeralds, but blue shades can also be found among them.

Natural or synthetic

Synthetic emerald was first obtained in 1935, in one of the laboratories in Germany. Artificial stones are very similar to natural emeralds, but are often inferior to them in density and refraction of rays. In addition, the detrimental effects of filtered ultraviolet radiation on artificial minerals have been identified. Under its influence, they change their emerald tones to faded brown shades.

Modern technologies are gradually improving the quality of artificial emeralds. Some of them even surpass the performance of natural emeralds. At the same time, their pricing policy is more humane to the consumer: the cost of artificial mineral is from 5 to 10 times lower than natural stone.

Place of Birth

The cost and quality of the stones depends on the color, cut, purity of the emerald, where it is mined. Beryl of the highest quality is found in the mines of Colombia (Muso, Tunja), Zambia, New Granada, Egypt, and Brazil. The mineral is of medium quality and is mined in Ireland, Austria, and Norway.

Emerald deposits, where large quantities are mined, are also found in Russia, China, the USA, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Cambodia, Spain, Australia and many other countries.

In Russia, emeralds are mined in the Urals. The sizes of stones found here often reach unique sizes. The emerald deposit, where other precious stones (phenacite, alexandrite) are also mined, has brought Russia about fifteen tons of green beryl over the hundred years of its operation.

One of the most expensive precious stones in the world is the emerald stone, the price of which is higher, the greater its weight. The weight of a gem is measured in carats. 1 carat is equal to 0.2 g. You can calculate the cost of a gem as follows:

• For 1 carat of weight, a stone weighing 1 carat - $1000.
• For 1 carat weight, a stone weighing 2 carats - $1500.

The price of an emerald depends on the intensity of its hue. For example, stones with deep grassy tones can reach up to 120,000 rubles per carat. At the same time, pale colors are estimated at only 3,200 rubles for the same weight. The cost of artificial emeralds is about 1,300 rubles per carat.

Another factor in the cost of a mineral is its purity. The more inhomogeneities a stone includes, the more valuable it is.

The price of an emerald directly depends on its cut. The more qualitatively it reveals the advantages of a stone, the more expensive it will be.

Emerald is the last mineral among the highest class of gemstones (if you take into account the Mohs scale). In Sanskrit and Persian, the name of this stone sounded like “zammorod” and “zumundi”, which meant “green”, and in Old Slavonic emeralds were called “smaragd”.

But the English word emerald appeared only in the 16th century. There is a version that this is the name given to all minerals that are green in color.

Emphasizing the aristocratic nature of the stone, its “inaccessibility” and transparency, people nicknamed the gem green ice.

What did emerald do to deserve such a reputation?

Mysteries of history

Like many other gems, green minerals sometimes became the makers of history.

So, at the beginning of the 16th century, conquistador Fernando Cortes wanted to give his bride five rare emeralds. The minerals were distinguished not only by their unsurpassed quality, but also by their special shape in the form of a rose, bell, goblet, horn and fish. In order to get the stones, a desperate Mexican stole them from the Incas.

Cortes did not know that Queen Isabella of Castile, who became his mortal enemy, was hunting the stones with him. The story of the emeralds only added fuel to the fire of the then raging struggle between two clans for the Spanish throne. However, none of the jewel hunters were victorious.

In 1541, the unique stones mysteriously disappeared.

Igneous mineral

Emerald is of igneous origin and is a type of beryl. However, it is easy to distinguish from other stones of similar color due to its high degree of purity and transparency, as well as its cool shade of green.

Along with diamond and ruby, it is considered one of the most expensive minerals. According to the law “On Currency Regulation” in Russia, this stone is equated to freely convertible currency, that is, it can be exchanged for any foreign currencies, act as payments in international transactions, and also participate in trading on the main foreign exchange markets. Unlike many other beryls, emerald is quite soft. Therefore, if products with green minerals are stored incorrectly, the stones lose their original shine and become dull.

Colorless oil or oil tinted with green pigment will help to enhance natural emeralds and give them a special shine. This method is often used by jewelers from different countries.

Many years ago, the German physicist Goldschmidt, while studying the mineral, discovered that the color of an emerald depends on the amount of chromium or vanadium impurities.

Natural stones, as a rule, have many defects, so it is quite difficult to find gems in nature that are ideal in purity and shade. Thus, during mining, minerals weighing hundreds of carats are found, but have no jewelry value. At the same time, rare pure bluish-green emeralds can cost more than diamonds.

The most valuable emeralds are called “antique”. These stones have a rich dark green color, which samples mined from new deposits do not have.

In nature, there are many minerals similar to emeralds: green garnet, jade, tourmaline, tsavorite, fluorite and other stones of a similar shade. How not to confuse them?

You can distinguish emerald from other green gems using a refractometer. This special device measures the refraction of light that occurs in a particular stone. The emerald indicator is approximately 1.58 units.

Modern technologies

Most often, gem-quality emeralds are relatively small in size, but modern production often uses artificially grown or synthetic minerals. The main growing methods are flux and hydrothermal. To do this, the crystals are placed in an environment whose temperature is about 600 degrees Celsius, and the atmospheric pressure can reach up to 1400 atm.

Jewelers also use the ancient technology of making doublet stones, connecting two small emeralds or an emerald and some other mineral.

Emerald is one of the few stones after which a certain method of cutting minerals, widely used in jewelry production, was named.

This is a type of step cut, in which the stone is given a rectangular shape with beveled corners. The emerald cut protects even the most fragile minerals from damage and chips, and also advantageously represents the color of the stone and its purity.

Southern stone

When valuing expensive stones, their location often plays an important role. So, for example, the best sapphires are considered to be those from Kashmir, the highest quality rubies are those from Burmese, but those from Colombia are recognized as the standard emeralds. It is in Colombia that the famous Muso mines are located, where amazing bright green minerals are mined.

The famous Etbay deposits of Jebel Zubara and Jebel Sikait are located in a mountain range on the Red Sea coast at an altitude of 550 m.

In addition, precious minerals are mined in Eastern and Southern Africa, Egypt, India and Pakistan. In Russia, the Urals are famous for their emerald deposits.

Experts can recognize the “nationality” of each stone by special inclusions characteristic of minerals of a certain country.

In addition to Colombian ones, gems from Zimbabwe are also especially valued, which are still cheaper than standard stones.

Star image

Having never lost its value, this precious mineral is still very relevant today. In the right frame, even classic products with emerald inserts sound new and modern.

Most often the stone has a gold frame. Supplemented with diamonds, jewelry with emeralds looks sophisticated and elegant. Such products will be a wonderful accent to your evening look.

Emerald jewelry may well become a family heirloom. Luxurious gems are preferred by style icons such as Sherlize Theron. Sharon Stone, Beyonce, Cameron Diaz, Dita Von Teese and others.

Svetlana

Despite its impeccable beauty, emerald is a very fragile stone, capable of breaking even from a slight blow. In order to prevent damage to the stone, jewelers have come up with a special cutting method in which the stone is given a rectangular shape with beveled corners. Emeralds can easily be scratched by their stronger counterparts: topazes, diamonds, alexandrites, sapphires and rubies. Therefore, it is better to store jewelry with emeralds separately from other jewelry. The emerald cut, care when wearing and storing, have made this stone a favorite among many women.

Svetlana

Emeralds are gemstones, a type of the rare mineral beryl. In terms of their beauty and cost, they can easily compete with diamonds. They can also surprise you with facts about themselves. The Roman Emperor Nero used large emeralds instead of lenses to watch gladiator fights. Queen Cleopatra was very fond of emeralds. Receiving this stone, decorated with the queen’s profile, from her hands was considered a manifestation of the highest favor of the ruler of Egypt.
Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin had a talisman - a ring with a large square emerald, to which the great poet dedicated the poem “Keep Me, My Talisman.”

Svetlana

Bright green foliage and freshly fallen snow - these colors belong to different seasons, but look surprisingly harmonious together. This is the first association that comes to mind when you see such a set of gold with emeralds and diamonds or cubic zirconia. Complement a green blouse and white trousers with a set of gold jewelry with emeralds and your look will only be enviable.

Svetlana

Emeralds have been known since ancient times - the first mention of their mining dates back to the 37th century BC in Ancient Egypt. Nowadays, most emeralds are mined in Colombia. There is also a deposit in Russia - these are the Ural emerald mines. Not only emeralds are found here, but also apatites, alexandrites and other precious stones.

Emerald is considered the most precious stone from the beryl group. The color of emerald is so fascinating and fascinating that among many green shades, the name of one of them arose - “emerald”. Emerald is a stone after which one of the many cutting methods is named.

Properties and history of the stone

Emerald is one of the varieties of beryl - beryllium and aluminum silicate Be3Al2(SiO3)6. Pure beryl is colorless, and only inclusions such as chromium, vanadium or iron determine the beauty of the emerald color.

Many green stones, after gemological examination, turn out to be not emeralds at all, but tourmalines or demantoids. By the way, the listed stones are worthy of admiration.

The word “emerald” comes from the Greek “smaragd” and means “green stone”. The color green has always been the personification of life and beauty for many peoples. In ancient Rome, this color was the color of the gods. Green is the color of Islam.

“Green color pleases the eye without getting tired.” You can be convinced of this - if you look and look at the emerald, it evokes the most pleasant emotions and has a calming effect. The standard for the best emerald color is the Colombian emerald color. But we all perceive beauty differently, and even more so color. Therefore, many people like emeralds from Zambia, Afghanistan, Russia, Madagascar, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India or other countries.

Emerald of excellent quality and color can be found in any deposit on our planet. Depending on the deposit, emeralds differ not only in color, but also in physical properties. And this difference affects their price.

The color in the stone is most often distributed unevenly. The sparkle of the crystal is glass. Emerald is a transparent stone and fragile. A high degree of transparency is a sign of high quality.

Emerald, like other gemstones, has inclusions that are not always considered defects, but sometimes they create a hazy appearance on the stone. For example, Brazilian emeralds, which have various inclusions, of all mined ones, about 80% cannot be cut.

Emerald without inclusions is very rare, and the price for them is also rare. But at the same time, when purchasing, you need to know that synthetic emeralds will certainly not have inclusions. However, there may be another option, when various defects are deliberately created in synthetic emerald. What is this for? Guess for yourself. Therefore, you need to buy emeralds from a reputable company, in whose honesty you are firmly confident, where your jewelry can undergo an examination and have a certificate for it.

It is very difficult to find pure and high quality emeralds. Most often, such an emerald will be found among Colombian ones. These emeralds, even with visible inclusions, are very expensive. By the way, there are about 150 deposits in Colombia, not all of which are used. The most developed ones are Muzo and Chivor, where emerald mining began during the time of the Incas. But today the Coscuez field operates more efficiently.

In Colombia, emeralds with the cat's eye effect are mined, as well as trapiche emeralds. The latest emeralds have a characteristic six dark rays, which is associated with carbon impurities.

Colombian emeralds account for about 90% of the jewelry market. However, excellent stones are found in many places on our planet - in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Brazil, India, Afghanistan, Russia and many other countries. For the most part, all countries that can be considered suppliers of the highest quality emeralds have an extremely difficult political situation.

Due to its sensitivity to impact, a special cut was developed for emerald - a step cut, in which four corners are cut off. This cut was called “emerald”.

When cutting emeralds, jewelers leave the top surface flat, giving it the shape of a polygon, and the side faces - the shape of a trapezoid or triangles. The edges are placed one below the other. This type of cut adds beauty to the stone, advantageously represents the color of the stone and at the same time protects it from damage.

In nature, it is almost impossible to find an emerald crystal that is equally colored over its entire surface, and even without cracks. Therefore, the most ideal crystal is one in which damage and color unevenness are invisible to the eye.

If there are various inclusions in the crystal, they may cause a crack. Cabochons are usually made from these. Whatever the type of cut, if it was done by a great master, it will enhance the beauty of the color of the stone. An emerald cutter must be a high-class craftsman.

Therefore, if you have purchased a stone and plan to set it in a piece of jewelry, you should find such a craftsman. After all, a cut emerald can be damaged when setting due to the presence of internal cracks or other defects that are not visually noticeable. When cutting, experienced craftsmen try to minimize the influence of inclusions and achieve the best proportions. But, as already mentioned, for the sake of the beauty of the emerald’s radiance, the weight of the stone is lost. And it turns out it's not just weight.

Conveying the beauty of an emerald is not at all easy; sometimes you have to sacrifice not only carats, but also the unevenness of the surface of the cut crystal. It turns out that the deep color of an emerald is concentrated on the edges of the crystal and on its surface, in other words, the color is unevenly distributed throughout the crystal. Therefore, if a cutter brings a crystal to an ideal shape, there may be a loss in color, that is, beauty.

It turns out that emerald is not a simple stone at all, but a very capricious one. And it is difficult to mine, and great dangers await those who get into the jewelry business, and it is not easy to cut it.

And this is not all the concern in order to enhance and preserve the beauty of the stone. Even in Ancient Egypt, people learned to use various vegetable oils, namely those with a green extract, to coat emerald crystals. This was done so that the oil would penetrate into the cracks and fill them, thereby enhancing the color of the stone.

Nowadays, jewelry technology uses the experience of the ancient Egyptians, but with modern technologies and special equipment. So almost all emeralds in jewelry contain impurities of vegetable oils or their synthetic analogues.

How to clean and store emerald jewelry

Under no circumstances should you wash emerald jewelry with aggressive agents. Cleaning emerald using ultrasonic cleaning devices is even more contraindicated. Due to possible cracks, even invisible to the eye, high-frequency vibrations can split or even crumble an emerald.

It is best to clean an emerald item with a jeweler using special cleaning products. Or, when buying an emerald, immediately buy such products. Treat emerald with care. Put it on after you have already applied cosmetics and perfumes. If you have an emerald ring, remove the ring before using hand cream. Remember that even these means of decorating us can spoil the emerald.

Another caution is how to store this delightful crystal. Emerald is easily scratched and should not be stored together with other stones that may scratch it. It is best to store emerald jewelry in a separate box on velvet.

Emerald is a beautiful and all-time favorite jewelry stone. The enchanting shine and deep green of an emerald can bewitch so that it will be useless to resist the desire to buy it...

Stones found in nature are not just ordinary minerals. Each of them has its own special meaning. One of the most beautiful and mysterious stones is emerald. Even in ancient times, people believed in its magical and healing abilities. In our article we will try to talk about what an emerald (stone) is. Properties, the zodiac sign to which it is most suitable will also be described in detail.

Magic properties

What mystical and witchcraft abilities does it have? Magical properties, by the way, fall under the strong influence of this mineral) green beryl has been valued since ancient times. People believed that emerald was able to fight dark forces and protect its owner from evil spirits. The stone has the ability to combat negative character traits of a person. People believed that jewelry made from this mineral could cleanse pollution and dispel bad energy.

If you peer into the stone for a long time, then everything secret will come true, and the negativity accumulated in the subconscious will come out. Much also depends on the desire of the owner: if he refuses to listen to the tips of his “brilliant assistant,” then the emerald will stop serving him and find another owner.

Emerald is a stone whose properties (the zodiac sign Pisces, it turns out, gets along well with it) which are described in detail in our article, is not only a symbol of spirituality, but also of sanity and sinlessness. Loving parents of already grown-up children put an emerald on the necks of their offspring and boldly sent them into the adult world, knowing that the stone would definitely protect its inexperienced owner from the evil machinations of fate.

Beliefs of different peoples

It is known that the queens themselves wore emerald. Confident of its power, they wore it around their necks not only as jewelry, but also to facilitate the conception of a son.

The clergy also did not hesitate to wear this stone. It should be noted that the miraculous mineral was mentioned in the Bible itself. For the high priests, the emerald occupied a place of honor on the ceremonial breast shield.

They also believed in the power of the mineral in Rus'. It was inserted into a silver cross, which made this sacred attribute the protector of all churches and temples from attacks by evil spirits. To this day, cases of the influence of a cross with an emerald on various church events are recorded.

Medicinal properties

Emerald is a stone whose properties (the zodiac sign Capricorn, according to astrologers, should wear it constantly) whose properties make it possible to consider it a real healer of various ailments. Since ancient times, people believed that this mineral was capable of not only improving the health of its owner, but also curing even the most hopeless disease.

Emerald copes especially well with ailments of the cardiovascular system. It is able to normalize blood pressure and strengthen blood vessels. If you constantly wear this stone, then headaches, stomach diseases, and diseases of the genitourinary system will soon cease to bother the person.

Emerald is also good in the fight against eye diseases. This is stated in ancient writings of the 3rd millennium BC. People believed that it was able to relieve night blindness, eyesores, etc.

The medicinal abilities of the stone are used in the treatment of the liver, kidneys, and nervous system. Emerald also found its place in cosmetology. It is used to rejuvenate the body and face. It is known that in case of loss of strength and performance, emerald will also help.

It should be noted that the stone is able to lower body temperature, fight infectious diseases, diabetes, bronchitis, psoriasis and tuberculosis.

People who are going through a lot of obstacles and difficulties in their life should wear an amulet made of emerald on their chest. Of course, it won’t solve the problem, but it will help get rid of bad mood and pessimism.

Emerald for zodiac signs. Taurus

As you know, any stone found in nature is characteristic of some astrological sign. Next we will talk about who is most suitable for emerald (stone). Properties is the best host for it) this mineral is suitable for people with strong character traits. Taurus falls into this category. Emerald is able to help a representative of this sign survive in a difficult life situation, while maintaining self-esteem and steadfastness.

Wearing a jewelry made from this around your neck can hope for a positive resolution of affairs and success. By guiding its owner on the right path, the emerald finds the right application for its high potential.

It should be said that the stone helps Taurus get rid of negative thoughts, recharge with positive energy, make good friends and avoid negative communication.

Aries

The most favorable for this star sign is emerald (stone). The properties, according to most astrologers, are considered the most suitable) of the mineral allow Aries to fight the negative aspects of their character. As a rule, such people are quite straightforward and truthful. These qualities are ideal for a powerful stone.

Representatives of this sign should always carry an emerald with them. And only then will balance, happiness, joy and luck come into their lives.

Capricorn

Emerald is what Capricorns need (especially for women). For the fair half of humanity, he is ideal in every way. If a woman is unemotional and cold, then this mineral will make her kinder, softer, more romantic and more sensitive. It is known that emerald is able to provide assistance on the love front. A Capricorn woman simply needs it to successfully choose a soul mate and develop strong relationships.

This mineral has the ability to heal representatives of this sign from greed, greed, cruelty, envy, and fear.

Emerald... A stone, properties, zodiac sign, unique beauty - all this gives rise to genuine interest for many centuries. He is a true talisman for Capricorn women. By looking at this mineral for a few minutes, you can reveal your hidden abilities.

This “shining friend” will help representatives of this sign not to go astray and not allow evil people to interfere with happiness.

Emerald (stone): properties, zodiac sign Cancer

The most important stone for representatives of such a sign as Cancer is emerald. He has the power to free his owner from sadness, grief and anxiety. Emerald is a stone whose properties (the zodiac sign Cancer, according to many experts, is as friendly as anyone with this “green helper”), the properties of which allow the representative of this sign to receive positive energy and strength, and is capable of providing assistance in complex matters and problems.

Regularly wearing an emerald will allow Cancers to achieve more and more victories and achievements in any field. It should be noted that this stone suits this sign more than any other. The “Green Assistant” is capable of not only setting Cancers in the right mood, but also getting rid of emotionality, vulnerability and softness.

It is known that representatives of this sign are rarely lucky in love. Emerald can also help in this case. It will focus on the right choice of your soulmate and help create strong and lasting relationships.

Emerald (stone). Properties. Zodiac sign Pisces

Pisces is a very mysterious and mystical sign, with its own principles and views on life. Therefore, like no one else, they have a complete understanding with this mineral. Emerald allows you to direct the energy of Pisces in the right direction, leading them to victory and new achievements.

The stone is able to protect representatives of this sign from bad habits, dangerous addictions and negative influences of the surrounding world. Astrologers believe that emerald can reduce the impact of past mistakes on the future.

Pisces, with the help of this mineral, strengthen their capabilities and strength, remain faithful and love, and remain on the right path.

Who is absolutely not suitable for emerald?

The most unfavorable sign for emerald is Scorpio. These two representatives of the strongest energy simply cannot withstand each other’s power. Both one and the other fade away against the background of the “rival”. Therefore, astrologers categorically do not recommend wearing jewelry with this stone specifically to Scorpios.

Emerald is also not recommended for Gemini, Virgo and Libra.