What is the highest grade emerald?

Emerald Grading Scale

Natural AAA: This is the highest quality. It represents are the top 10% of gemstones. Natural AAA emeralds are rich green, moderately to slightly included, and they exhibit very high brilliance. Natural AA: This is the second-best category for gemstones.

What are the grades of emerald?

Generally, there are three types of emeralds in terms of grading: Type 1: Very Slightly Included, Type 2: Slightly Included, Type 3: Included. However, eye and loupe-clean emeralds do exist, they are quite difficult to find and very expensive.

Which emerald is better Colombian or Zambian?

Zambian Emeralds have a better clarity and few inclusions. Zambian Emeralds are lower priced than they South American cousins, perfect for buyers on a budget. Colombian Emeralds have a better and longer lasting reputation for being of high-quality. Colombian Emeralds can be harder to cut.

What is the rarest color of emerald?

Emeralds range in color from deep green to pale green hues. The deep green gems are the most prized and expensive emeralds. The lovely variety of color is due to the exact amount of trace elements, Chromium, Vanadium and Iron, in the stone.

Is lighter or darker emerald better?

An emerald can have a light, medium or dark tone which means that it will be a light shade of green, a moderate green or a dark green in colour. The most valuable and most attractive emeralds have a medium to moderately dark tone.

Examples of high quality and low quality emerald gemstones

Which emerald is the best quality?

Colombian rough emeralds are known for the highest quality. These emeralds have a warmer and intense pure green color. Deep green emeralds are a rare occurrence in nature, hence are highly prized and sought after.

What clarity is best for emerald?

Clarity Grade

Emerald cut diamonds don't conceal imperfections well due to their long, open facets, so clarity (or lack of inclusions) is important. We recommend an eye-clean VVS1 clarity grade or higher.

What is the cheapest emerald?

Emeralds can range from less than $1 a carat to $100,000 a carat.

Are darker or lighter emeralds more expensive?

Though emeralds are classically green, they actually range from yellow-green to blue-green. Emerald color is defined based on three aspects: its hue (color), saturation (intensity), and tone (purity). The more vivid the green, the darker and purer it shows, the more valuable the emerald.

Are darker or lighter emeralds more valuable?

Darker emeralds are often considered more valuable, but if an emerald becomes too dark, it becomes less valuable. Emeralds with medium to medium-dark tones are the most valuable emeralds in the market.

Which country has the best emeralds?

Colombia, located in northern South America, is the country that mines and produces the most emeralds for the global market, as well as the most desirable. It is estimated that Colombia accounts for 70–90% of the world's emerald market.

Which country is best to buy emerald?

Colombia is celebrated for its emeralds and, by some estimates, the country accounts for up to 90 percent of the global emerald trade. While there are major mining operations around the world—notably in Brazil and Zambia—Colombian emeralds are known to be of particularly fantastic quality.

Where is the best emerald in the world?

The emerald mines of Colombia are still the most important source of high quality emeralds today. Colombian emeralds have a rich green color that glows in sunlight. Muzo has been the most important Colombian emerald mine for centuries. High quality emeralds are also mined in Brazil and Afghanistan.

Is AAA emerald good?

Emerald Jewelry

Natural AAA (Best) Natural AAA gemstones are the top 10% of gemstones in terms of quality. They are rich green, moderately to slightly included and exhibits high brilliance. They are comparable to that used by the top 5th Avenue or Rodeo Drive Jewelers.

What is an F2 emerald?

F2 is more serious, and means that the stone has likely been infused with a substance to enhance its color and clarity. F3 is heavily clarity enhanced and such a stone is of much less value.

What is the rarest type of emerald?

Trapiche Emeralds. The Trapiche Emerald is the rarest type of emerald. While there is plenty of information out there regarding emeralds, their various hues, places of origin, and possible inclusions; there is not much out there about this unusual variety of emerald.

How many carats of emerald should be worn?

The weight of the Emerald/Panna stone should be atleast 1.5 carats or ratti. Ideally, to get maximum benefit, the weight should be 5 carats or more.

Which emerald is better Colombian or Brazilian?

Emeralds from different localities tend to have different concentrations of elements, resulted in colour variation. To compare, judging its colour from the best emerald of both countries, the Colombian emerald has a pure and intense green. Whereas, the Brazilian emerald has a brighter and vibrant green.

Do emeralds have resale value?

Emeralds hold prices on the lower end of the investment scale with even the finest stones not quite reaching $5,000 per carat. Still might be decent as an entry point for low-level gemstone investors.

Is emerald worth more than sapphire?

Sapphires can cost anywhere from $1,000 to $11,000 per carat, but you'll find good-quality stones at $450 - $1,200 per carat. Emeralds range from $525 to $1,125 per carat. However, note that several factors affect the price of a gemstone, including color, carat weight, and clarity.

How do you tell if an emerald is real?

Shine a Blacklight onto the Emerald

A natural emerald will show a pure green or blue-green hue. With the light, it will either not have any backlight or a weak orange-red or green color. Synthetic emeralds fluorescence will showcase a dark red color. An imitation stone will have a yellow or brown undertone color.

What should I look for when buying an emerald?

Most gemologists agree that it all comes down to color when purchasing an emerald. Color should be evenly distributed and not too dark. Rare emeralds will appear as a deep green-blue, while lighter colored gemstones are more common (and therefore, often more reasonably priced).

When should you not wear emerald?

It is believed that people of the zodiac signs Aries, Cancer, Sagittarius and Pisces should never wear emeralds.

Is VS2 OK for emerald cut?

The clarity rating for an emerald cut diamond should be no less than VS2 clarity; otherwise the inclusions will be more visible. When purchasing step cut diamonds, make sure the color grading is no lower than H to I color. J to K color grades will make the diamond look slightly tinted.