Emerald Ring Designs

Held in high esteem since ancient times, the emerald is among the most fascinating gemstones on earth. It is thought to bring beauty, wealth, and good luck in many cultures. Emeralds have always been a highly sought after jewel among royalty due to these qualities and its relative rarity.

Egypt supplied most of the known world with emeralds throughout ancient history and the Middle Ages. Cleopatra's mines were in production for hundreds of years and provided the world with many beautiful jewels. However, when Spain conquered the Muzo mine in what is now Colombia, they found emerald mines that were producing gems that far outshone anything anyone had ever seen and they were soon doing a booming business overseas.

Today Colombia, Brazil, and Zambia mine most of the commercial emeralds. Several other countries, such as Pakistan and Zimbabwe, mine smaller amounts. Although Brazil produces more emeralds than any other country, Colombia dominates the trade by setting the standards for size and color. It is Colombian emeralds against which all others are judged. Rarer and sometimes more expensive than similar-sized diamonds, Colombian emeralds are truly a sight to see.

Most emeralds are immersed in a hot oil bath to fill the cracks and fissures to which emeralds are prone. Emerald oiling reduces the visibility of inclusions and improves the clarity of the stone. Sometimes green oil is used in addition to other more permanent fillers such as polymers. Anyone wishing to buy a high quality emerald without inclusions should request a gemstone laboratory certificate stating that the stone is 'natural' and not oiled, but be prepared to pay a great deal extra for such a stone.

The clear design of the rectangular or square 'emerald cut' with beveled corners is considered by experts as the ideal cut for emeralds as it fully reveals the true beauty and luminosity of this valuable gemstone.  However, since emeralds are so fragile this can be difficult to achieve. 

It is clear that emeralds are still a highly sought after gemstone in today's world. There are so many options available to someone who is interested in buying an emerald ring. However, buyer beware! There are also many fake emeralds out there that look very much like the real thing. Before you drop a lot of money on an emerald ring, make sure you know what you are buying!