Everything You Need to Know About Emeralds

Emeralds have been popularly used in jewelry for centuries. This beautiful green stone has been famously worn by royalty like Cleopatra and more recently, Princess Kate Middleton. And according to ancient folklore, putting an emerald on your tongue might help you see the future! But what should you really be looking for when you're in the market for an emerald? The answer might surprise you. 

Kate Middleton wearing an emerald earring and necklace set. 

Emerald is one of the four recognized precious gemstones. The others are ruby, sapphire, and of course, diamond. But do you know how emerald get's its green color? The stunning green hue comes from trace amounts of chromium and/or vanadium. A high quality emerald can be worth even more than a diamond on a per carat basis. So how do you tell the difference between a high quality stone and a... not so high quality stone?

The answer is in the inclusions. Take a look at these three emeralds that the designer Catherine Angiel sourced from Brazil for a special client. They are all around the same price but vary in size, clarity, and color. They are all beautiful stones and each one would make for a lovely piece of jewelry. But from left to right, the emeralds go from being transparent to opaque which is caused by a multitude of inclusions in the stone. 

"I always recommend to my clients who have a certain size in mind, that going with a slightly smaller stone with less inclusions gives the stone a better brilliance and color," says Catherine Angiel. 

Catherine sources all of her emeralds from Brazil and makes sure that she inspects every stone herself before she shows them to her clients. Then the magic happens after a decision is made on the stone and it's set in a stunning custom Catherine Angiel setting like the beautiful necklace and ring set below. 

Emeralds are timeless gemstones that never go out of style. Catherine creates true modern heirlooms worthy of being passed down from generation to generation. For an emerald appointment, email cangiel@catherineangiel.com today!