Antique Emerald Rings

Emeralds are known to have more inclusions than other gemstones, so it can be difficult to determine if an antique emerald is worth buying or not. If you are looking at gemstones that are hundreds of years old, they are very likely to have visible inclusions simply because the original oil treatment it received has receded over the years. What is most important though is that the inclusions in the emerald you are looking at do not distract from its beauty to you.

For example, take a look at the first emerald ring to the side here. It is clearly an old silver ring and the emerald has many inclusions. Some people may think it is ugly or not worth spending their money on. Personally, I think it is beautiful and has excellent character. I would gladly wear such a ring!

The color of the stone is one of the most important things to look for when buying an emerald.  Emeralds are made of the mineral beryl and receive their green color from the chemical elements chromium and vanadium. Emeralds that are a deep bluish-green to green, with a strong saturation, hold the most value. There are other types of green beryl that are sometimes labeled as emeralds, but these are not the real stone and are not as valuable. Consult a licensed gemologist before purchasing an emerald to make sure it is certified.

There are four different terms used to describe emeralds. Colombian emeralds are the most rare. These stones are bluish-green to green in color and have a very strong saturation. Zambian emeralds are darker and more blue than Colombian emeralds and have a higher clarity. Sandawana emeralds are smaller, brighter green emeralds and Brazilian emeralds are a paler green with less saturation. These are the most common emeralds found in jewelry stores.

If you look to the right, you will see an example of an exquisite Colombian emerald. A ring like this will cost you more than a hundred thousand dollars! This is something I can only dream of owning.

Consult a licensed gemologist when purchasing an emerald to determine what type of treatment was used, if any. (Be prepared to spend a lot of money on an untreated and nearly flawless emerald!) And, of course, ensure that what you are buying is a real emerald before dropping a lot of cash on it! There are a lot of pretty green stones out there, but there are only a relative few that are the real deal. Get it certified to know for sure!