| Emeralds are one of the most beautiful, valuable, | | | | are "real" in the sense that they have all the |
| and important gemstones on earth. Shopping for | | | | mineralogical qualities of earth-made emerald, but |
| one can be daunting because there are so many | | | | they are much less valuable. How to tell the |
| factors that affect its value. If you want to make | | | | difference: |
| sure you get a good deal, follow these 5 | | | | A. Most branded shops you go to will label these |
| guidelines. | | | | emeralds honestly (using names like "created", |
| 1. It's all in the Green | | | | "synthetic", "lab", or "Chatham"). |
| The main difference between an average emerald | | | | B. Too clear to be true. Created emeralds are |
| and an amazingly valuable emerald is its shade of | | | | usually much clearer and more sparkly than |
| green. The most valuable emerald is a green not | | | | natural ones. If you see a very clear sparkly deep |
| found anywhere else in the world of gemstones. | | | | green emerald for 69.99, you can bet it's |
| It should be intense glowing; not pale, not too | | | | synthetic. |
| yellow and not to blue. | | | | C. A nice large emerald set in silver or 10 kt gold. |
| 2. Size Counts | | | | Jewelers will usually not match a very precious |
| The other most important factor in determining | | | | stone with not so precious metal. So, you can |
| the value of an emerald is its size. Emeralds less | | | | check the stamp on the metal to make sure it's |
| than one carat are not exceptionally rare, so you | | | | at least 14 kt gold (or platinum). |
| should not pay premium for a small emerald. An | | | | 5. Manage the Mark-up |
| emerald over 2 or 3 carats, however and the | | | | Emeralds, like many precious stones, hold their |
| value of it significantly increases. In fact, good | | | | value through the centuries. But if you want to |
| quality emeralds over 5 carats will always | | | | buy an emerald as an "investment", you need to |
| out-price the best 1 carat diamond. | | | | be conscious of where you buy it. From the |
| 3. Let it shine | | | | cutter to your hand, the emerald can be marked |
| Another thing to look for when buying an emerald | | | | up as much as 300%. Mainstream jewelry chains |
| is how well it sparkles and reflects light from | | | | that offer free lifetime service and a well-known |
| inside. A stone that does not sparkle at all is | | | | brand are the places where your emerald will be |
| probably of very poor clarity. A stone that seems | | | | the most "marked-up". These stores usually carry |
| transparent but does not sparkle is a very poor | | | | average quality emeralds. Some of the best deals |
| cut. Both of these things diminish the value of an | | | | are on Ebay, garage sales and in pawn shops |
| emerald. | | | | where there is almost no mark-up. Of course, in |
| 4. Humans make them too | | | | places like this, you have to be savvy and vigilant |
| In recent decades, man has discovered how to | | | | to make sure you get what you think you're |
| make emeralds in laboratories. These emeralds | | | | getting. |