Celebrating a May birthday? While emeralds are the birthstone for the month of May, they are also the traditional wedding gift for couples celebrating 55 years together. Whether shopping for emerald earrings, rings, necklaces or bracelets, there are some things you should know about this gemstone before making the investment.The color of emeralds can vary substantially. Four thousand years ago when emeralds were first introduced in Egypt, the stones were a dull green. Today's stones can be found in vibrant hues, from grassy green to a dark, forest color. The intensity of the color is representative of the stone's value. The more the stone varies from true green, the lesser the value of the stone.
Diamonds are the strongest gemstone, ranking a 10 on the Mohs Scale. However, emeralds are fairly durable as well, scoring an eight on the same scale. Inclusion or impurities in emeralds are fairly common, though. The fewer inclusions there are in the stone, the higher the emerald's value. The most valuable type of emerald is the Emerald Old India. However, the Indian mines have long since been depleted and these stones are now only found in museums and private estate collections. The Columbian Emerald is the next most valuable emerald due to its intense, flawless green color.
When buying emerald earrings, the cut, carat weight, and clarity should factor in to your decision to buy. Search for octagonal-cut stones or oval shaped as those do the best job of showcasing an emerald's beauty. Emerald and gold earrings, or for the truly extravagant, emerald and diamond earrings can make a wonderful gift that many claim gives the wearer clairvoyance. Clairvoyance might also rub off on the giver, who can rest assured that a gift of emerald earrings will be appreciated.
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