Fantastic facts Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, Citrine

In jewelry, gems have been used for hundreds of years as inserts into precious metal products, and the value of the stone directly affects the cost of the finished piece. Every year, world-famous jewelry boutiques and showrooms present items with precious stones that cost tens of thousands of dollars. Diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and many other precious stones, despite their cost, are in high demand among buyers. For this reason, many people have a question: emerald or sapphire - which is more valuable? To give an answer, you need to understand the properties and cost of these gems.

Jewelry with emeralds

Story

The magical emerald was valued and revered in the ancient world.
The Egyptians considered it a symbol of the goddess Isis, the patroness of femininity and motherhood. Mothers who tirelessly prayed for their children received emerald branches as a gift from her. In the emerald mines of Queen Cleopatra, gems were mined for the wives of high priests and representatives of high castes. “Stone of Radiance” is what this mineral was called in Ancient Greece.

In Persia, "zumurrud" meant "green stone." Through this Persian word and the Turkish “zumrut” the name “emerald” appeared in the Russian language. Previously in Rus' this mineral was called emerald. In English-speaking countries, the name of the mineral is emerald.

On the breastplate of the high priest of Judea, the gem occupied an honorable third place.

In Islamic countries, the magical properties of emerald were valued; it was an important attribute in occult practices.

Emerald has an ambiguous meaning among Christians. On the one hand, it is related to dark forces, since the Old Testament says that when Lucifer was expelled to Earth, a stone fell out of his helmet. On the other hand, it is the embodiment of the forces of light, because the Holy Grail is made from it.

There was a belief that if you show this gem to a snake, tears will flow from its eyes. The color of the stone reminded of a blooming paradise, and it was bitter for the snake to remember its sin.

Emeralds appeared in European countries in the 16th century , when conquistadors brought gems captured from the Indians. They were transported to the Old World in huge numbers. Not long ago, off the coast of Florida, divers found almost 2,300 emeralds in the early 17th century .

Previously, sailors took emerald with them on voyages, believing that it protected them from dangers.

During the Renaissance, newlyweds exchanged rings with emeralds, as they believed that these gems would provide them with a permanent feeling of love. They were believed to favor pregnant women.

In 1831, these gems were discovered in the Urals and the deposits began to be actively developed. Nowadays in Russia, emeralds have a currency value, as determined by law.

Gems

The most expensive and most valuable inserts. What is the reason for the high cost of such minerals? Let's figure it out in order.

The first thing to consider is that gems are natural minerals formed in a complex way in the earth’s crust. Accordingly, a gemstone can be called such only if it is rare in nature .

Jewelry with cognac diamonds in the “Chocolate” collection

Let us present some statistical data from world practice. The relative cost of mining the most expensive stones as a percentage of the cost of total mining at the beginning of the 21st century was as follows: emeralds - 43, rubies - 14, opals - 10, sapphires - 6, jadeite - 6, turquoise - 5, other colored stones - 16%. This shows that the high cost of precious stones is due, first of all, to the complexity of their extraction.

What other indicators can identify a gemstone among all the others?

Hardness _ The mineral should not be exposed to external influences - scratched or chipped. In Russia, in accordance with the Federal Law “On Precious Metals and Precious Stones,” this list includes natural diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, alexandrites, and pearls. Unique amber formations are also considered precious stones. From this we see that its high cost is quite understandable.

In addition, the degree of its fashionability . Simply put, the more an accessory falls under the definition of a “fashion trend,” the higher its cost.

The world of precious stones is very large and, unfortunately, confusing, especially when viewed superficially. At the moment, over 2.5 thousand minerals are known, but only a little more than a hundred of them are valuable from the point of view of the jewelry industry and decorative arts.

It is quite difficult to understand the intricacy of varieties of precious, semi-precious and ornamental stones, but there are also valuable natural formations that are not minerals. Therefore, within the framework of this publication, several approaches to the classification of valuable minerals and natural formations will be considered.

Characteristics of emerald

Emerald is a green variety of beryl.
Sometimes the main color is complemented by yellow or blue shades. It is formed as a result of the process of destruction of granite rocks due to exposure to hot water from thermal springs.

If a stone is heated to 700°C , it may become discolored.

• Chemical formula: Be3Al2Si3O18 .
• Impurities - Fe2O3, V2O3, Cr2O3 .
• Color - green, bluish and yellowish-green.
• The color of the line is white.
• The shine is glassy.
• Transparency - transparent, translucent.
• Hardness - 7,5–8,0.
• Cleavage is imperfect.
• The fracture is conchoidal and uneven.
• Density - 2.69–2.78 g / cm3 .

The hardness of emerald gradually increases, so geologists believe that it, like a stone, is not yet “ripe.”

The mineral is used to create not only jewelry, but also solid-state lasers.

Place of Birth

Emeralds are periodically found in many regions of the planet, but in limited quantities, and high-quality specimens are extremely rare.

The leader in the world market for these gems is Colombia. The largest stones come from there. Some mines were developed by the Incas. Colombian gems are mined not only with a shovel and pickaxe, but also with weapons. Fights between groups of miners for the richest veins are not uncommon. In addition, businessmen of the “emerald mafia” are engaged in illegal mining, export abroad and counterfeiting of gems.

Emeralds are also mined in Brazil, Russia, Zambia, and Afghanistan.

Currently, there is only one emerald deposit left in the Urals - Malyshevskoye. It is being developed by the Ural Gem Company. The stones that it supplies to the market undergo only primary processing and preserve the beauty inherent in nature.

One of the largest crystals (3600 carats) was found in Madagascar. A Buddha figurine was made from it, and it was called the “Emerald Buddha”.

Blood Ruby

Ruby and sapphire have been known to mankind since the Bronze Age. Due to its beauty and uniqueness, the ruby ​​was indispensable in decorating objects of power of medieval kings, high-ranking church officials and wealthy people.

The properties of the mineral are unique. It has a hardness rating of 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamonds. Classic rubies are blood-red in color, but purple, pink, and blue are also found in nature. Only a number of countries can boast of crystal mining - Vietnam, Sri Lanka, India and Burma. Occasionally, the mineral is found in Tanzania, Thailand, Kenya and Tajikistan. Stones mined in Burma are considered standard. They have a shade called “pigeon blood” and a pronounced dispersion.

Today, ruby ​​has not lost its significance. In addition, it has found application in the metalworking industry and the manufacture of high-quality wristwatch mechanisms.

It is worth mentioning that at the beginning of the twentieth century, scientists learned to synthesize ruby. Artificial rubies are very similar to real ones, and scammers take advantage of this, so when buying a ruby, you must show the stone to a specialist.

Ruby

Colors and varieties

Red emerald, blue emerald - you may have heard these definitions of the stone. In reality, there are no such gems. In the first case, it is bixbite (a type of beryl), and in the second, it is an artificial specimen or also beryl. Black emerald also does not exist, which is what a very dark green specimen is sometimes called.

So what color is emerald? The main, “branded” one is green. The range of shades is from light to dark green. There may be tints of blue and yellow at the same time.

To imagine what a standard-quality emerald looks like, pay attention to the description of the first variety of emerald:

• Colombian - have standard quality, transparency, grass-green color and a minimum of defects; There are samples called “trapiche”, they have six rays radiating from the center, like spokes in a wheel.
• Brazilian ones are cleaner and lighter than Colombian ones, the color is yellowish-green.
• Zambian - very beautiful, transparency and purity are ideal, darker than Colombian; sometimes there is a yellowish or bluish tint.
• Zimbabwean - the yellow tint is combined with green, which is highly valued by jewelers.
• South African - light but cloudy; cabochons are made from them; mined in South Africa.
• Russian (Ural) - large, opaque; The color is deep green due to the high content of chromium and iron.

Interesting facts about gemstones

And now some fun facts:

• The rarest gemstone in the world is grandidierite. At the moment, only eight copies are known.
• One of the most impressive collections of precious stones in the world is the Diamond Fund in the Kremlin Armory, in Moscow.
• The hardest gemstone is, naturally, diamond. It is the hardest naturally occurring substance on Earth.

There are not so many deposits of precious stones in nature, these minerals are expensive, and not everyone can afford such luxury. Don’t be upset about this: only an expert can distinguish an artificial diamond or emerald from its natural counterpart. In addition, many semi-precious stones in a classy design look no less advantageous than prohibitively expensive top-end gems.

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Artificial emerald

“Nanoemerald”, “hydrothermal” - these terms applied to the gem mean that it was obtained in laboratory conditions. The crystal growth cycle is one month.

“Igmerald” was the name of the first artificial emerald, created in 1935 in Germany. In 1937, mass production of such gems began in the USA.

The latest generation artificial emerald stone is superior to natural stone in purity, strength, size, and color saturation.

Russian-Thai specialists have synthesized an emerald that is identical in composition to the Colombian one.

Artificial emeralds are used both for jewelry and in quantum electronics.

Medicinal properties

Treatment using minerals has been practiced since ancient times. Healers and lithotherapists agree on emerald and recognize its beneficial effects on health.

This mineral has a complex effect on the body:

• stabilizes blood pressure;
• relieves headaches, migraines (especially if you wear earrings with emerald);
• heals joints;
• soothes stomach pain;
• normalizes metabolism and hormonal levels;
• calms nerves, banishes insomnia.

Emerald has antibacterial properties, so it purifies water well. It is believed that if a pebble has lain in water all night, it can be drunk unboiled, and also washed with dermatological problems.

Some people claim that they have improved their vision by applying for 15–20 minutes .

A natural stone that has not undergone additional processing heals more effectively than a cut one.

It is believed that someone who wears an emerald constantly is always in a good mood and will become a long-liver.

Magic properties

Emerald is a stone that values ​​morality in people. According to people who understand magic, the task of an emerald is to rid its owner of bad inclinations (if any). This stone values ​​morality in people and does not accept adventurism, deceit, infidelity, and betrayal. If a person wears this gem on his body for 2–3 months without taking it off, then bad inclinations and habits will disappear.

If the owner of the stone does not have negative character traits, then the emerald will become for him a source of good luck, health and support in good deeds.

The gem has the power to cleanse the owner’s biofield and destroy the negative energy of not only a person, but also his home.

The magic of emerald has a positive effect on:

• on the atmosphere in the house (protects love, mutual understanding);
• on the relationship of lovers (protects against infidelity, maintains the intensity of feelings);
• for girls (protects you from temptations and in the future will help you become a worthy wife and mother);
• for people endowed with intuition (will help develop superpowers);
• on travelers and sailors who believe in the gem’s ability to calm storms;
• for creative people (activates inspiration, helps implement projects);
• for business people (a green stone talisman will attract good luck).

Esotericists claim that this stone gives divinatory abilities and sends dreams that come true.

An emerald received as a gift will promote good luck and a bright mood.

In order for the emerald to protect the house and its inhabitants from negative energies and dark forces, the gem must be placed in a specially designated secluded place.

It is believed that only a strong-willed person who is determined to go through life the right way can get along with this gem. If this is not the case, then you should choose another stone as an amulet or talisman.

Emerald actively fights such qualities of the owner as deceit and infidelity. If the stone is unable to withstand them, it may break. An emerald set in gold is especially effective in protecting the owner from infidelity and lies.

Who is suitable according to their zodiac sign?

The influence of planets on people's lives is studied by astrologers. Vedic astrology also talks about wearing stones. It says about emerald that it is under the influence of the planet Mercury. The person wearing the gem also finds himself under the influence of this celestial body. Knowledge, science, inventions, trade, success in work - Mercury is responsible for all these aspects of life. Therefore, the owner of an emerald, as a rule, has a desire for knowledge and high intelligence.

Astrologers have established that according to the horoscope, emerald is not suitable for all zodiac signs: for Scorpio . But if the stone is prohibited, you can still occasionally wear jewelry with it, for example, to important business meetings. And other gems are suitable as an amulet or talisman for Scorpio: moonstone, topaz, garnet, opal, aquamarine, alexandrite, labradorite, carnelian, sarder.

It is believed that emerald is a lucky stone for Aries, Taurus, Gemini, and Cancer.

• Aries. A coldish crystal will restrain his excessive impulsiveness; this person will develop caution and the habit of thinking first and only then acting. Aries, a fighter by nature, will restrain his energy until he finds out who is right and who is wrong, and only then will he enter the fight.
• Calf. A persistent and patient owner of the stone will achieve his goals especially quickly with its help. The life of Taurus will become more interesting and vibrant, there will be many joyful moments. Intuition will strengthen, memory will strengthen, and concentration on completing the task will be strengthened.
• Twins. Emerald will help them strengthen their spirit, make them wiser and more composure. If a person is overly impressionable and unsure of himself, an emerald talisman will give him confidence and a philosophical view of difficult situations. Therefore, single people will be able to find a mate, and married people will not experience unreasonable jealousy.

• Cancer. For him, emerald is a very happy talisman that will give peace and harmony to the soul. Excessive sensitivity to external influences and indecisiveness will decrease. There will be emancipation in the expression of feelings, communication will bring joy, new friends and allies will support any undertaking of Cancer.
• Leo , despite his independent character, really needs the support of honest and decent people. Emerald amulets will provide representatives of this sign with understanding of both friends and household members, and will also protect them from enemies and the negative energy of evil individuals.
• Virgo is often skeptical about everything, since she is used to analyzing everything, and the conclusions are pessimistic. An emerald talisman will help such a person treat life and people with great trust, be lenient towards the shortcomings of others, and enjoy every moment of life.
• Libra will experience the friendliness of this stone. He will be their ally in business and will help them pay attention to the circumstances that need to be taken into account in order to achieve success.
• Sagittarius. The gem will help you get rid of too much ambition and peremptory nature in your speeches and actions. Sagittarius, showing restraint and moderating the desire to surpass others, will stop making new enemies.
• Capricorn. The gem promotes the rapid perception of new theories, which is necessary for Capricorn, who reveres intelligence above all qualities. Some astrologers recommend that this sign does not wear emerald very often.
• Aquarius , due to its hypersensitivity, especially needs the support of friends and family. Emerald will provide such help and protect from ill-wishers; will contribute to the manifestation of the active principle inherent in the character of Aquarius. This will help develop a sense of self-confidence, which is necessary to achieve success.
• Pisces are prone to trade by nature. Emerald can ensure success in this type of activity, because it is under the influence of Mercury, which is the patron of trade. In addition, the stone will help you receive real, sincere support from family and friends and will ensure peace of mind in the family, which Pisces greatly appreciates.

Stones for women and men of the Capricorn sign

For a woman whose zodiac sign is Capricorn, the agate stone acts as a talisman against gossip and envy. The mineral is also good for improving health, career growth and increasing attractiveness in the eyes of others. Pomegranate will help single representatives of the sign find love, and married ones will strengthen their family.

For a Capricorn girl, a stone like rock crystal would be useful in the collection, which will remove excessive suspicion and make the owner gentle and sociable.

If we talk about which stones are suitable for Capricorn men, then amethyst will be their assistant - the mineral will help make useful contacts and develop creative abilities. Chrysoprase will teach the owner to be decisive when making important decisions. And obsidian will speed up the reaction to events and support faith in victory.

How to wear

Most items with emerald are rings, rings, necklaces, and earrings. It is worth buying a set of such jewelry as it looks stylish. In addition, in this case, the stones will have a greater impact on the owner.

Rings and rings with this gem are best worn on the ring finger or little finger.

In an outfit, a bright green stone should be the highlight: you should not match it with an outfit of the same color and do makeup in those colors.

Emerald goes well with sapphire or ruby. A scattering of diamonds around an emerald in platinum or gold looks very impressive.

Men's assortment of jewelry with this gem - a massive silver or platinum ring, cufflinks with a rectangular translucent stone, a tie clip.

Which stone is more expensive: ruby, sapphire, emerald or diamond?

Ruby

Each gem included in the precious four has first-order status. The debate over “which stone is more expensive” has probably been going on for centuries. For some reason, many people mistakenly believe that diamonds, the processed form of a diamond, are valued more than all others, but this position is at least incorrect.

Each of the crystals is unique in nature, has many varieties, and difficulties associated with their extraction and evaluation. The cut of the stone and which craftsman or company made it will play an important role in your choice.

Having asked a jeweler about the choice between sapphire or emerald, he can argue endlessly, leaving the question unanswered, only filling his head with examples and facts. For an accurate answer to this question, it is worth referring to the history of each stone, its characteristics, processing, evaluation and, of course, the price list for each stone presented.

How to care

Emerald is highly durable and difficult to damage at home. But you need to take into account that this pebble loves coolness, darkness and has a negative attitude towards water, household chemicals, and cosmetics.

Rules of care:

• Be sure to remove jewelry before doing housework (cooking, washing, cleaning).
• You need to put them on after applying makeup: cosmetics are destructive to gemstones.
• If the stone becomes dirty, wash it in warm soapy water, or lightly rub it with a soft brush or cloth.
• A special protective layer for the gem is useful - it is applied in a jewelry workshop.
• Jewelry should be stored in a strong, closed box or casket.

How to distinguish from a fake

Artificial minerals are sold as "igmeralds", but sometimes this is not indicated, then they can be mistaken for natural ones. Instead of emerald, they also offer glass fakes and ennobled stones: peridot, corundum, verdelite, tourmaline, jadeite, zircon, chrysoberyl, citrine.

It is not difficult to recognize an artificial imitation; to do this, you need to know what an emerald looks like. The instance is checked according to the following parameters:

• Color. Emerald is always green, often muted. Bottle or marsh color means fake, light shade means beryl, and diamond-like shine means synthetic.
• Pleochroism (trichroism). It is distinct in emerald: when turned at different angles, the color changes from green and bluish-green to yellowish-green.
• Edges. In natural stone they are sharp and clear, while in glass fakes they are smoothed.
• Internal structure. In a natural mineral it is uniform and homogeneous. Minor internal defects and cracks are typical for large specimens. Layering is a sign of a fake.
• Exposure to filtered ultraviolet light. Real stones usually do not react to such radiation, but artificial ones glow brownish-orange or chestnut-brown. But this method is inaccurate, as some natural emeralds can also react to ultraviolet light.
• Chelsea color filter. An emerald will look reddish or pink, a synthetic one will look red, and a fake one will look green.

Peridot (evening emerald) turns yellow during the day, and turns green under artificial light.

Natural emerald does not darken when placed in water or exposed to the sun for a long time.

If there is a suspicion that you have purchased an unknown mineral, refined with colored resins to give it an emerald color, then only an experienced jeweler or specialist in the instrument room can find out for sure.

If the emerald is ennobled with colored resins, but you want it to regain its true color, you can put the stone in a detergent solution. The natural color will appear after the filler has dissolved.

Price

Emerald is evaluated based on several factors, but the first places are the color and the country where it was mined. The highest price is for gems from Colombia; analogues from Afghanistan and Brazil are a third cheaper.

If we compare the price of stones of different colors, the most expensive ones are bright green. Even if they have minor defects, they are valued higher than pale transparent specimens without cracks or inclusions:

• bright green - $ 2000;
• pale - $ 500;
• artificial - $ 200.

Based on Russian standards, the description of the color of emerald involves 5 groups. This is indicated on the tags on the jewelry (the highest rating is 5).

When evaluating a stone, weight is also taken into account - the heavier, the more expensive.

Stone sizes (in carats):

• up to 0.49 - small;
• from 0.5 to 1 - average;
• from 1 to 10 - large;
• over 10 are very large.

Prices for top quality emeralds (per 1 carat) :

Connoisseurs of jewelry stones consider the optimal weight for an emerald to be 6 carats , and such a specimen is valued very expensively.

Collectors value rough stones more. In jewelry, the cost is greatly influenced by the quality of processing and cutting. Typically, stepwise (emerald) processing is applied to this mineral, and cabochons are made from cloudy specimens with defects.

Read also : Spinel is a stone is an impostor against its will

What is sapphire

These are varieties of corundum that can be transparent or opaque. Unlike the previous mineral, sapphires are mined much simpler and easier and there are more deposits of them on the planet. They have a bright, rich blue color and are actively used in jewelry. Many models and actresses prefer sapphires in excellent gold or silver cut as jewelry. The most famous and valuable are the following types of corundum:

• Kashmiri . These are the most expensive and valuable gems. The mineral deposit is located in the Indian state of Kashmir. Mining has been going on there since the nineteenth century to this day. Gems from these quarries have more than 15% purple and violet impurities. They shine perfectly in the light and have a rich blue color with purple notes.
• Sri Lankan . In Sri Lanka, sapphires are mined mainly of the Padparadscha type. They shine in shades of pink and orange. At the same time, gems from the city of Ratnapura are famous for their blue and blue tint, which Kashmir stones do not have, so they are in great demand for making jewelry. Thanks to the unusual tint, the minerals from Ratnapura received their own name for the color “Ceylon color”.
• Thai . These gems are distinguished by their greenish tint, which is why they are called “Siamese”. For a long time, the largest sapphires were mined in Thailand. So at one time a stone weighing 958 carats was found, which was the largest on the planet. Some minerals mined in this country have an indigo color, which, at different angles of incidence of light rays, becomes either dark green or dark blue.