Emerald is a natural mineral that has long been associated with magic and esotericism. In ancient times they believed that the stone had special mystical powers. The properties of the mineral were studied by astrologers and other specialists, who came to the conclusion that emerald really has powerful energy.
It turns out that the magical properties of emerald are not a myth or a legend. It was not for nothing that the stone was considered a symbol of wisdom and hope. This valuable mineral has healing properties and is able to accumulate energy, which is why it is often used as a talisman and amulet.
Varieties and colors
The color of natural emerald varies from light green to dark green. Depending on the place of extraction, the following types of mineral are distinguished:
- Colombian is a hexagonal stone, has a minimal number of defects and has a grassy color;
- Zambian - the mineral has a rich green tint with a blue or yellow tint;
- Zimbabwean - valued by jewelers due to its memorable yellow-green color;
- Brazilian - a light green stone, more transparent in comparison with the Colombian gem;
- South African - a cloudy mineral, most often sold in the form of a cabochon;
- Ural is an opaque stone of large size and bright green color - its shade is due to the high content of chromium and iron.
Note! There are no blue or red emeralds - they are man-made or beryl.
When evaluating a gem, its color is first taken into account: rich green minerals, even with defects, are most valued. Light and perfectly transparent emeralds are valued much cheaper.
Deposits, production
The formation of minerals occurs during the action of magma on igneous rocks in greisenization zones and is associated with the presence of phlogopite mica. Due to the effect of high temperatures on the initial rocks, granite feldspar is transformed into rock minerals, which contain quartz, mica and ore minerals.
The main deposits where this valuable gem is mined are:
- Colombia (from 50% to 95% of all world production, depending on the year);
- Zambia (up to 20%);
- Brazil;
- Egypt;
- Russia;
- European countries (Spain, Austria, France, Italy, Norway, Germany);
- Asian countries (India, China);
- USA and Canada.
Based on the location of emerald deposits, the following varieties are distinguished:
- Colombian (excellent quality, young grass color);
- Trapiche (also Colombian, but with a distinctive feature - six rays extend from the center);
- Zambian (higher quality than the previous ones, characteristic bluish tint);
- Brazilian (lighter colors, clean, transparent, yellowish);
- From Zimbabwe (yellow-green crystals, good quality);
- Ural (dark, characterized by a bluish tint, large size, cloudy).
Medicinal properties
Healing properties of emerald:
- normalization of blood pressure indicators;
- relief from severe headaches;
- stabilization of hormonal levels, the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system;
- improvement during seasonal allergies;
- smoothing the menstrual cycle, reducing pain during menstrual periods and eliminating mood swings.
Regularly wearing jewelry with emeralds will help get rid of arthritis and arthrosis, as well as normalize the functioning of the nervous system. Applying pebbles to your eyelids for 10-15 minutes every day will help improve your vision.
Important! The gem has a bactericidal effect. If you place it in a glass of water overnight, you can drink the infused liquid in the morning or wash your face with it to eliminate skin diseases. An uncut stone has a greater healing effect on the owner’s body.
How much does an emerald cost?
The price of a cut stone is determined not only by its weight, but also by other characteristics:
- Geographical location of the deposit.
- Cleanliness.
- The quality of the cut made by a master.
- Depth of shade.
- By additional processing.
- Availability of certificates from leading world experts.
The mass of a crystal is measured in carats, with 1 k equal to 0.2 grams. The cost of 1 k green mineral varies from 3,000 to 120,000 rubles. Buyers have a habit of comparing whether sapphire or emerald is more expensive. The latter is less commonly found in nature. For this reason, jewelry with it is more valuable.
Magic properties
Emerald is valued by esotericists and magicians due to its magical properties:
- reveals the gift of foresight, helps to see prophetic dreams;
- harmonizes spiritual and physical condition, eliminates negative energy;
- relieves bad thoughts, protects against depression and conflicts;
- protects the family from damage and gossip, strengthens feelings between spouses;
- protects during travel or extreme recreation;
- enhances creativity and activates inspiration;
- attracts good luck, helps to achieve success in all endeavors.
How to choose jewelry
The healing and magical properties of emerald are enhanced when set in 585 gold or 925 rhodium plated silver. The combination of a green mineral with a yellow metal is considered the most successful from an aesthetic point of view.
Leading designers create jewelry for men and women of different ages, taking into account the income level of potential buyers. Representatives of the stronger sex, whose image suggests massive status jewelry, are recommended to wear rings made of green crystals. Bracelets inlaid with miniature gems are no less relevant. Girls are advised to add stylish stud earrings, pendants, gold or silver rings to their collection.
Emerald and zodiac signs
According to the horoscope, emerald affects each zodiac sign differently.
| Element | Sign | Characteristic |
| Fire | Aries | It will strengthen the desire to develop in business terms, which will be noticed by management and will lead to long-awaited promotion. |
| a lion | It will improve your health and protect you from problems on the road. | |
| Earth | Capricorn | It will protect you from conflict situations in the work team and help you establish relationships with long-time relatives. |
| Taurus | It will attract bright, unforgettable emotions into life, strengthen intuition, develop memory, and teach you not to give up on the path to your goal. | |
| Virgo | It will channel the owner’s excess energy into the right direction, which will lead to monetary profit and recognition from superiors. | |
| Air | Scales | It will get rid of laziness and make the owner more sociable and hospitable. |
| Aquarius | It will teach you to appreciate true life values and put family first. | |
| Twins | It will replace excessive hot temper with composure, teach you to make wise decisions even in emergency situations, improve concentration, and improve relationships with people around you. | |
| Water | Cancer | It will bring peace to life, give confidence in one’s own abilities, and help identify true friends. |
| Fish | It will protect you from attacks from colleagues, improve relationships in your family and close circle. |
Those who are definitely not suitable for emerald amulets according to their zodiac sign are Scorpio and Sagittarius, since in the lives of representatives of these signs the stone does not exhibit positive properties, but, on the contrary, increases a person’s aggression.
Important! You should not focus on zodiac compatibility with the stone. If after touching a gem you feel warmth and peace, you can safely purchase it.
Types of gem
The color of the stone is most often green. Minerals from Colombia are of particular value in jewelry. It is there that transparent grass-green stones are mined. In addition, in Colombia there is a deposit of emeralds called Trapiche.
If we talk about what such a mineral looks like, it is a stone with six rays coming out of the center. This pattern increases the visual attractiveness of the mineral, and therefore its value increases.
In addition, emeralds from Zambia are in demand among jewelers. They have special transparency. In addition, they are famous for their purest color. There are also stones with a bluish tint here. In addition, minerals with a yellowish tint are mined in Zambia.
Compatibility with other stones
The gem belongs to the element of air and is not recommended to be worn together with the following water stones:
- topaz;
- opal;
- alexandrite;
- pearls
Of the gems of its element, emerald is least combined with amethyst: when worn together, these stones reduce the beneficial properties of each other. It is best to wear the green precious mineral along with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and peridots.
Description and external signs
The outdated name of the stone is smaragd, from the Latin word - smaragdus, from the Greek σμάραγδος - green stone. The modern name “emerald” in Russian came from Turkish, where zümrüt, in turn, was borrowed from Persian, from a word meaning “to shine.” The English equivalent of the name is Emerald. The stone belongs to the beryl group and belongs to the silicate class. The mineral owes its name to its bright and interesting color, as well as its characteristic shine. Along with diamond, ruby and sapphire, it forms the “magnificent four” of 1st order gems.
What does this gem look like? This is a very beautiful mineral of different shades of green with a characteristic bright shine. Natural stones have various cracks, inclusions of other minerals, and may be unclear. Absolutely transparent crystals of rich color are extremely rare; the value of some specimens exceeds diamonds in value.
Color options
The mineral, as a rule, has a green color of various shades: from yellowish to blue-green. The color scheme depends on the predominant type of impurity in the composition.
Iron ions color yellow-green, while chromium adds rich green notes and a beautiful shine. Vanadium gives a pleasant bluish color.
The end of the crystal is colored brighter than the base; there are stones with longitudinal alternating zones of color saturation. When heated to high temperatures, it loses its color.
Chemical composition
IMA class – silicates (beryllium and aluminum). Chemical formula - Be3Al2(SiO3)6, containing BeO - 14.1%, Al2O3 - 19.0%, SiO2 - 66.9%.
Characterized by an increased content of Cr2O3 (the higher the level of presence, the richer the shade), Fe2O3, V2O3 and, in a small volume, Na, K, Li, Rb, Cs, Sc.
Physical properties
The crystal has the following physical properties:
| singonia | Hexagonal |
| Hardness | 7,5-8,0 |
| Density, specific gravity | 2.69-2.78 g/cm³ |
| Molecular weight | 537.50 g/mol |
| Type | Uniaxial |
| Stroke color | White |
| Solubility | Stable in all acids except hydrofluoric acid. Extremely slightly soluble in KOH and NaOH |
| Selection form | Elongated, prismatic |
| Kink | Conchoidal, uneven |
| Shine | Glass |
| Transparency | Transparent, translucent. Presence of natural inclusions – present |
| Typical impurities | Fe, Cr, V |
| Cleavage | Imperfect |
| Maximum birefringence | δ = 0.004 – 0.007 |
| Refractive indices | nω = 1.568 – 1.602 nε = 1.564 – 1.595 |
| Special properties | Fragile |
| Color change | Yellowish-green to bluish |
How to wear and care
Mature women are recommended to choose jewelry framed in gold, and girls - in silver. To get the maximum effect, you should wear a set of earrings, a necklace and a ring with emeralds. Rings are worn on the little finger; single people should put them on the ring finger - this will positively change their personal life in the near future.
With frequent migraines, girls should give preference to earrings with gems, and men - pendants or bracelets. Emerald is highly durable and difficult to damage, but this gem still needs proper care:
- It is recommended to remove the jewelry while doing household chores: the stone does not react well to chemicals;
- wear jewelry after applying makeup: cosmetics negatively affect the condition of the mineral;
- Store emeralds in a cool, dark place and in a separate box or bag made of soft fabric.
The amulet with these stones should be cleaned with a mild soap solution, and any remaining moisture should be removed with a napkin. For maximum protection, jewelers recommend applying a special protective layer to the surface of the emerald: it will significantly extend the life of the product.
Stone care
This gemstone is fragile and sensitive to high temperatures, so caring for products with gemstones must comply with the following rules:
- Remove products when cooking, washing dishes, gardening, cleaning, swimming in the pool;
- Clean with products purchased at a jewelry store, or wash only in warm water, using a special brush or soft cloth;
- Do not use aggressive drugs, only soap solution;
- If the stone is taken to a jewelry workshop for cleaning, steam or ultrasonic treatment should be avoided;
- It is necessary to periodically transfer it to specialists to treat cracks and unevenness of the stone with oils;
- A product with a gem must be put on last and removed first; chemical compounds in cosmetics, varnishes, and mousses can damage the appearance of the crystal;
- Store in separate cells, laying velvet fabric along the walls, avoid proximity to stronger stones, so as not to damage the emerald.
Knowledge of these subtleties is the guarantee that the emerald will delight its owner for a long time and give him its magical influence.
How to spot a fake
Characteristics by which you can distinguish a counterfeit product from the original:
- Color. Emeralds have a rich green hue. If it is too light, you have beryl. A strong shine indicates a fake.
- Edges. A natural emerald has clearly defined and sharp edges; smoothed corners mean it is fake.
- Dichroism. When turned in different directions, the gem has a golden or blue tint; fake jewelry does not change color.
- Structure. The mineral has a uniform structure; large stones may have small cracks or inclusions on the surface. A layered structure is inherent in a low-quality product.
- Ultraviolet. Emeralds in most cases do not react to direct exposure to ultraviolet rays, and synthetic crystals develop an orange glow.
- Natural emerald does not change its color after prolonged exposure to water or direct sunlight.
- Peridots or evening emeralds turn yellow during the daytime and turn green under artificial light.
On sale you can find a mixed stone: in such a product, a thin plate of emerald is glued on top of a cheaper mineral. Such an imitation is revealed with the help of a magnifying glass: by examining the mineral from the sides, you can see the gluing line.
Emeralds are often treated with special resins to give them a more refined appearance. By washing such a mineral with water with the addition of washing powder, you can identify the real type of gem.
Regular use of a talisman with a gem for several months will help get rid of accumulated aggression and negativity. If the owner of an emerald is involved in scams, has bad habits, is unfaithful to his significant other, or often lies, the stone will have a negative impact on his life and lead him down the wrong road.
Story
The first deposits of emeralds were located in Egypt, in the middle of the Arabian desert; apparently, they began to be exploited under the pharaohs. The Egyptians revered the stone as a precious gift from God Thoth and worshiped it; products made from the mineral were found in burials dating back to 3 thousand years BC. The so-called "Cleopatra's Mines", a large deposit of emeralds near Aswan, are widely known. For many centuries they were considered only a legend, until in 1816 these abandoned mines and mining equipment were found.
Not only Cleopatra, who loved to decorate her clothes with scatterings of stones, was a fan of emeralds, but also Pliny, King Solomon. This gem was mentioned during the Old Testament, when it was used to decorate the robes of the Jewish high priests.
The second fame came to the mineral in the 16th century, when, during the South American conquests, the Spaniards discovered emeralds in Colombia and Peru among the Incas and Aztecs. The Indians developed deposits long before the arrival of foreigners, used stone products for religious purposes, and some tribes worshiped especially large specimens as a deity.
The first specimens on the ships of the Spaniards arrived in Europe, where they gained great popularity, after which expeditions were formed to extract the mineral in South America, which for many years waged bloody wars with local residents for the possession of this valuable gem.
As for Russia, emerald was known back in the 15th-17th centuries, and the year of discovery of the main deposit - the Ural Emerald Mines - is considered to be 1831.
The most famous gems in history are:
- Devonshire - a stone weighing 1,383.95 carats, long held the size record. Presented to the Duke of Devonshire by the Emperor of Brazil;
- Mogul - a dense green specimen, 218 carats, on one side there is a floral design, on the other there are several lines of Muslim prayer;
- Buddha is an emerald weighing 3,600 carats, after cutting 1,000, a statue of the deity is made from it, which is located in Thailand;
- Kokovinsky is a mineral of 2,226 carats, named after the surname of an outstanding Ural stone cutter;
- President - got his name thanks to B.N. Yeltsin, found in 1993, weight 5,860 carats;
- Bahia - Brazilian stone weighing 38 kilograms, transported to the United States, legal proceedings are underway to identify the owner.
What to wear with an emerald ring
An emerald ring will harmoniously complement any look. It can be worn both in everyday life and on special occasions. This stone is very self-sufficient. There is no need to specially emphasize it. The ring can be worn under an elegant evening or cocktail dress or business suit. At the same time, it is better to keep your wardrobe and jewelry in the same style - wear a ring of a classic design with clothes of strict tailoring, but modern emerald rings and rings can be worn with the most daring outfits.
Emerald rings go perfectly with thin chains and bracelets, but you should avoid other massive jewelry. You should not wear a large set of jewelry at the same time. For example, if you have a set of ring, bracelet, earrings and chain, break it up and combine two pieces of jewelry, for example, a ring and a bracelet.
