Emerald is one of those precious gemstones which have always picked up the interest of royals. From kings and queens of the past to famous personalities of the present, everyone wants this green color stone in their jewelry. But, it’s not just the color of stone that makes it popular; different types of emeralds have earned their name due to their quality and purpose of use. The price and popularity of these natural gemstones also depend on their origin.
Generally, they come from exomorphism- a phenomenon that hardens or forms new minerals on a rock due to igneous intrusion. When beryl mineral undergoes this phenomenon along with chromium and other minerals, emerald is obtained. However, they are not hard or tough and have 7.5 to 8 levels of hardness on the Mohs scale. This low level of toughness is due to the heavy inclusion of other minerals which give it a lustrous appearance.
Inclusion is, usually, a natural phenomenon that helps identify a natural emerald gemstone from an artificial one. Even the real ones are treated to get more clarity or inclusion. And for buyers who want to get the best emerald gemstone knowing about all those available in the market is important. So, here we begin!
How Many Types of Emeralds Are There in the World?
On Basis of Origin
Colombian Emerald
Colombian emerald is the first one to pick if you really want to get masterpiece emerald jewelry. The stone is famous as the evening stone and comes after a wait of 10 years. Nature takes this long duration to produce the incomparable quality of emerald. Despite the time, Columbia is the largest producer of emeralds with 70-90 % of the share in the market. But there is a mystery about its discovery. Nobody knows when it was found in Colombia.
With time, emeralds from Colombia made their way to different parts of the world. They were highly desirable then among Mughal emperors and are also desirable today for their pure color. Due to this, they are also the most expensive emerald as well.
To distinguish a Colombian emerald from other types of emeralds, check for its vivid lush green color. It is also available in a warm bluish-green hue which makes it the most expensive emerald color in the world.
Color– Colombian emerald has warm and intense green color
Price per Carat in India – Between Rs 3200 to Rs 2 Lakhs
Brazilian Emerald
The second most popular type of emerald comes from Brazil which is continuously producing this natural gemstone since 1980. However, they were not fit for the selling purpose in the early days. With time and technology, popular mining areas of Brazil like Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Goias have managed to produce quality gemstones.
Today, they are popular among jewelry makers and known for their vibrant rich color, transparency, and glow. Unlike Colombian emerald, this one is not highly expensive.
Color– Vibrant rich green color
Price Per Carat– Brazilain Panna costs Rs 1000 to Rs 40,000 in India
Zambian Emerald
A new variety of emerald is making its name in the market and giving direct competition to the Colombian emerald because of its cool bluish green color. Zambian emerald comes of the highest quality and is known for its unique appearance. They are crystal clear and capable of reflecting light better than other natural emerald gemstones. However, this stone is not expensive and thus gives a good chance to new buyers.
Zambian emeralds have a reputation in the market due to many reasons. They are stronger, less brittle, durable, and porous than other types of emeralds. Their origin also makes them trustworthy as they come from Kagem mine. It is the world’s largest producer of emeralds and holds 25% of global production. The two most popular and rarest gems Inkalamu and Insofu also discovered here.
Color– Zambian Emerald has cooler bluish green color
Price per Carat- Starts from Rs 2500- Rs 40,000 in India
Tripache Emerald
Another best natural gemstone is a unique one and got its name from the Spanish word tripache which means spokes. It is because the stone has six spokes on the surface and looks a little dull. But, tripache emeralds are dearest to gem collectors and jewelry manufacturers because of this pattern. The spokes on their surface are the result of continuous development under hydrothermal conditions in mines. One might see these spokes as unwanted but they direct the way of light through the gem.
Several natural gemstones like ruby and sapphire also have asterism patterns.
Color– It has natural vivid green color
Price Per Carat– Tripache emerald price in India starts from Rs 7500 to Rs 70,000
Star Emerald
Another rare occurring emerald or Panna is this one. This is the rarest emerald type in the world and comes from the mines of Madagascar and Brazil. But due to its similarity to a cat’s eye emerald, miners get confused. One difference that set it apart from others is its shine. When light falls on the stone’s surface, it forms a star pattern on the stone.
Cat’s Eye Emerald
This emerald is more precious type than normal ones and sold at a higher price. Its ability to bring love, luck, and positive energy to the wearer’s life makes it the best emerald gemstone. Apart from this, the cabochon cut shape adds beauty and glow to the stone. However, not everyone can get a one as cat’s eye emerald is rare. And it doesn’t look the same as other types of panna stone because of its light green color.
Indian Emerald
One of the most demanded emerald types in the market is the Indian emerald. It got a second name from the locals and is known widely as Panna. They have a medium to dark green color with minimum inclusion and better transparency. Dark color emeralds are however not highly valuable, rather buyer prefer medium to medium dark tone panna or emerald.
Widely, it is famous for astrological purpose as a large number of people believes in its ability to improve their life. Jewelry and ornaments embedded with natural Panna stone are greatly in demand in India.
Panna usually comes from Rajasthan and its different areas like Kanj-ka-Kheda, Gudas, Tikhi, Bubani, and Muhami.
Emerald types On Basis of Treatment
Earth is not abundant in natural emerald gemstones. Even if they are found in bulk, not every single stone is useful for commercial purposes. So, it’s common that buyers will come across different types of emeralds other than the above-mentioned ones.
Treated Emeralds
The stones are treated in laboratories for appearance and clarity enhancement. Don’t worry; these synthetic emeralds are no less gorgeous and precious than natural ones. Their market value is also high and they are in demand as well.
Oiling is the most common and acceptable treatment for emeralds. It is a simple process that requires cedar oil to repair or clean emeralds.
Untreated Emeralds
Those with no oiling or treatment are known as untreated emerald type thus they are rare. Only 2% of all the raw emeralds are untreated however they are not clear like the treated ones.
This may reduce their quality and price, but they are still valuable and traded.
Synthetic Emeralds
The market is full of man-made emeralds that don’t come from nature, instead, they come from the laboratory. These are synthetic emerald types having properties similar to the natural emerald gemstone. One can only differentiate the two using some lab skills otherwise the two are ditto.
Other Varieties of Emeralds
Due to the high demand for emeralds and the rare availability of a few of its types; some emerald stone sellers use different green gems in name of emerald substitutes. Therefore buyers must be aware of the following types:
- African emeralds
- Uralian emeralds
- Medina emeralds
- Lithia emeralds
- Oriental emeralds
- Mother of emerald
Anyone can be confused with so many types of emeralds in the market. This makes it easier for sellers to dupe customers. A simple way is to trust only Colombian, Zambian, Brazilian, Indian, Star, Tripache, and Cat’s eye emerald. Rests are simply green gems.
Surbhi Gems is an ultimate destination for buyers and companies who wish to buy the finest quality Emerald Stone at Wholesale prices dwelled with the craftsmanship of Indian Jewellers. We are the precious and semi-precious stone manufacturers and traders who can provide you with the best quality gemstones for your Jewellery design and making. Get in Touch with Us Right now at surbhigems@gmail.com.
