Some Information About Emerald Rings

Emerald Rings have always been popular for many many years for a number of reasons.  They come in a variety of shapes such as round, oval, pear, trillion and square, and it is the traditional birthstone for people who were born in the month of May.  Rings that include emeralds in the design are often very popular for use at weddings and for engagements, and are also traditionally given to a married couple on their 55th wedding anniversary.

Emeralds are a form of an element widely known as Beryl, and the green colour it gives off is from small amounts of chromium and vanadium in the rock. The majority of emerald mining that is used to make into emerald rings comes from Columbia, but it is also mined in many other locations such as Australia, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Russia, Austria and Switzerland.  Emeralds are a difficult gemstone to cut, as there are alot of inclusions and fissures that occur in the rock.

There are very few emeralds that are naturally flawless,  so most emeralds that are mined need to be treated by being soaked in cedar oil or synthetic oil.  The oil’s refractive index matches that of the stone, therefore filling the fissures and improving the appearance of the emerald. This treatment of the rock is a long established technique, but the U.S Federal Trade Commission requires that wherever an oil treated emerald is sold, it must be disclosed that it has received this treatment.

Also, not unlike other gemstones, an emerald is graded using the 4 C’s of Colour, Clarity, Cut and Crystal, and are graded without magnification unlike diamonds, that need to be graded at 10x magnification.

Emeralds are quite a fragile gemstone, as there are a number of environments that can cause the rock’s appearance to diminish.  It is advisable to keep your emerald rings away from high temperatures or direct sunlight, as this can cause the oils in the emerald to dry up.  Also, do not use and detergents or cleaning chemicals when cleaning emerald rings, as this can once again affect the oils in the stone.  Ultrasonic cleaners that are quite commonly used to clean jewelry should also be avoided, as the fissures in the emerald make the prone to chipping or cracking.

The metals used to make emerald rings are usually gold and platinum, as these colours of metal compliment the green of the emerald very well.  Titanium is also used, as it is becoming fashionable as a ring due to its strength,  durability and its resistance to scratching and tarnishing. For some tips on how to care for mens emerald rings, click here