You can hardly resist the beauty of an emerald. But what is it, where does it come from and how does it manage to win so many hearts?

Emerald is a gemstone and is the most famous member of the beryl family of minerals. It stands out for its vibrant color. A deep, rich green that quickly makes its way into the soul and refuses to leave.

The emerald belongs to the category of the most valuable and coveted colored gemstones. Color is its most important characteristic, along with clarity. Deep green indicates a higher degree of appreciation, therefore more valuable. Its hardness, from 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, allows the creation of the most spectacular jewelry. Although it is more fragile than diamond, it is this characteristic that adds value. Emeralds have inclusions or even surface cracks, so emerald jewelry requires care, attention and meticulousness, as they can break very easily.

Where are the main emerald deposits?

It takes enough time and space to allow a quality crystal to grow. The natural emeralds that are mined today are actually relics of geological events that took place hundreds of millions of years ago, deep in the Earth's crust.

The main emerald deposits are currently mined from three major sources: Colombia, Brazil and Zambia. Colombia probably produces the best emeralds. As a general rule, Brazilian emeralds tend to be darker in tone and Zambian emeralds tend to have a more blush cast than Colombian or Brazilian emeralds.

Colombian emeralds will usually be the most expensive followed by Brazilian and Zambian emeralds. Color is the determining factor. Colombian emeralds get their color from the element chromium. Brazilian emeralds get their color from the element vanadium, and Zambian emeralds get their color from the concentration of iron.

Emerald – The stone of kings

The emerald quickly earned its title as a noble gemstone, dedicated to royalty, intelligence, power, ever since its discovery. Our ancestors saw emerald as a force of nature, a dignified and superior stone, something that has remained unchanged to this day. Cleopatra herself deified this precious stone with which she adorned herself, believing in the manifestation of fertility, wealth and even immortality. Egypt was the main source of emeralds until the discovery of Columbia, so the Egyptians "bathed" in the brightest color of the emerald, giving it some of the most powerful meanings. The stone quickly spread from Ancient Egypt to Greece and Rome and was equally prized. In the 16th century, the Spanish saw it for the first time and cherished it ever since.

Each culture has its own belief related to emeralds, but they all share the same admiration, passion and appreciation. According to mythology, it is the stone of the Goddess Venus, associated with romance, passion and unconditional love.

Emerald color – an infinite source of inspiration

Due to its color, the emerald is associated with the most lush landscapes. For example, Ireland is considered the emerald island. Seattle, in the US state of Washington, is the Emerald City. The reason why Seattle is considered an emerald city is the abundant greenery in the area that persists throughout the year. Among the most significant symbols in Thailand is the Emerald Buddha, even if it is carved in green jadeite. The Emerald Buddha was installed at Wat Phra Kaew on March 22, 1784, where it remains to this day, as a powerful symbol of the kingdom, but also of the people. The island of Thassos is also called the "Emerald of the Aegean Sea", due to the fascinating play of colors, green - blue. How beautifully this miracle of nature showered upon us...

Emerald – optical properties

The optical properties of an emerald exhibit birefringence, meaning that it refracts light in two different patterns. This causes the emerald to exhibit two distinct color patterns, usually being a green primary color with a bluish-green secondary color. This phenomenon, present in gemstones that have measurable birefringence (double refraction), is known as pleochroism. So, pleochroism is the ability of a gemstone to display two or more distinct colors when viewed visually.

Emerald – Therapeutic properties

Even though these properties are not proven and validated by scientific evidence, emeralds are believed to help through its energetic properties. These properties are the basis of crystal therapy, an alternative therapy that improves mood and relieves certain diseases by capturing energies and channeling them to our body.

Emeralds are considered to be stones that bring love, romance, faith, clairvoyance. The emerald is associated with the heart chakra, being considered a symbol of love and hope. Strengthens wisdom and reason. It acts as a tranquilizer for the agitated mind.

It is believed to help recovery from illness, improve eyesight and have a detoxifying effect on the liver. It stimulates memory and is believed to have the power to heal emotional and physical pain. It is a stone with strong energy, having the gift of regenerating, balancing and harmonizing the body and mind. The emerald is also said to represent a bridge between 2 people, when it is given out of love. Gives the wearer ideas and creativity in the creative arts.

The particularities of emerald:

· Energy: responsive

· Element: Earth

· Planet: Venus

· Deities: Diana, Artemis, Venus and Freyja

· Powers: money, protection and love

· Chakra: heart

· Color of the candle: green

· Zodiac stone: Taurus, Gemini, Aries

· Birthstone: for May, mystical birthstone for January, birthstone for 20s and 35s, ancient birthstone for June.

What factors determine the value of an emerald?

The factors that determine the value of an emerald, in order of importance, are color, clarity, cut and carat weight. Emeralds have inclusions, and these lead to the identification of natural emeralds. These inclusions do not detract from the emerald's value unless they adversely affect the color and brilliance.

How are emeralds cared for?

Emeralds must be protected from knocks, scratches or other actions that lead to collision with other hard materials.

Emeralds are not cleaned with strong solutions that could affect the luster or color. Cleaning must be gentle and does not involve abrasive materials or solutions. It is advisable that this cleaning be done when necessary so as not to affect the quality of the emerald.

Emeralds are kept in dry places, away from direct sunlight, strong sources of heat or moisture.

Where do you buy emerald jewelry?

If you have decided to give her an emerald jewel, Valmand is a reliable source, for which quality has become a modus operandi.

Therefore:

· We only use natural emeralds;

· Emeralds are imported directly from international gem exchanges;

· The emeralds we use are of the highest quality;

· Repairs, cleaning, exchange and other maintenance services of emeralds created or bought from our stores are offered free of charge.

Look in the section dedicated to emeralds, the gem that will leave her speechless. Valmand offers quality and an unforgettable experience.