How Much is an Emerald Worth

Emeralds have been one of the most popular gemstones for over 4,000 years. Many historians associate emeralds with the last Egyptian pharaoh, Queen Cleopatra. Cleopatra was so fascinated by emeralds that she often used them to adorn her robes, jewelry, and crowns. Emeralds are about 20 times rarer than diamonds and are highly valuable. While you may not be looking to wear an emerald to your crown, you may still be in the market to buy or sell a fine gemstone. Before selling or buying an emerald, it is important to understand the elements that affect an emerald's value.

How Much are Emeralds Worth?

The price of emeralds is difficult to say because there is no universal or standard table for grading the quality of emeralds. Most grading is done based on four facts:

The carat weight or size of the gemstone

Color: Hue, Lightness, Hue and Saturation

Clarity: Visibility of inclusions and defects

Cut: how well the stone is cut

A fine emerald can be more expensive than a fine diamond of the same carat weight. Emeralds are relatively hard - on the Mohs scale of 7.5 to 8.0, but the presence of many inclusions and natural internal fractures can affect their strong structure.

Color

Color is one of the most important factors when evaluating emerald value. The more attractive the color, the more valuable it is. Bright and intense colors are more valuable than those that are dark or too bright. Colors that are dulled by brown are less than ideal. 

Colombian emeralds are among the most beautiful emeralds in the world, their vivid green often with a hint of blue. Almost all rough natural Colombian emeralds come in two shades—yellow and blue—and the shade of each cut emerald depends on its natural form found in the mine. If the angle of the cut can focus on capturing the combination of the two shades (yellow and blue), the stone will be a beautiful shade of green. If not, the emerald will be more yellow or blue depending on the angle of cut. Blue-tinged emeralds are more popular and more valuable. See photos below.

You will see many different terms describing color and quality on many different websites, such as: AAA Quality; Signature Quality; Top Green; Rich Grass Green; Green, Blue; Teal; Teal; Teal; etc. . Personal preference is more important. See how the gemstone looks on mounted or mounted (rings, pendants, earrings, etc.) and notice how it catches light at different angles. Think about how you feel about color. Do you prefer dark, medium or light green? 

Clear

Many gemstones tend to contain more than other varieties. For example, emeralds are known to be much higher in content than sapphires. The clarity of a gemstone is determined by judging the number and location of inclusions and flaws seen. Basically, the higher the clarity grade, the more valuable the gemstone is. Most gems are treated to enhance their appearance. Even if the treatments are common and acceptable, they should be disclosed to the buyer.

Most emeralds contain tiny natural features called inclusions, which are small grains of minerals (black carbon dots), gases, liquids, and other crystals that form during the crystallization of the emerald. In my personal opinion, these defects are defects of the same crystallization process, mostly invisible to the naked eye, and most easily seen under a magnifying glass such as a 10x magnifying glass. They are also called "gardens" or "gardens" because they look like branches and roots of plants. They are like unique fingerprints or birthmarks in each individual gemstone, with their own internal "garden". If inclusions and imperfections do not affect the brilliance, scintillation and fire of the gemstone, then they do not significantly affect the value of the gemstone. Remember, it is normal to see tiny imperfections and inclusions in emeralds, as it is a natural component of this gemstone.

Cut

Unlike diamonds, emeralds have variable optical properties and are not cut to a uniform ideal. A well-cut emerald is uniform in color, with minimal inclusions, good brilliance, and shows most of the carat weight when viewed from the top. A well-cut emerald should also have good polish and symmetry. The facets should line up with the girdle of the gemstone. Polishing conditions should be good with no visible surface pits and polishing lines.

Is Emerald Expensive?

Naturally mined emeralds cost an average of $169 per carat, much more expensive than other gems like rubies and diamonds. The most expensive emeralds have rare colors, perfect clarity and size.

Emeralds are actually 20 times less frequent than diamonds, making them one of the most popular gemstones in the world. Therefore, it is expensive due to its rarity and beauty.

However, in terms of value per weight, emeralds are not as valuable as sunset rubies, which hit an all-time high of $1,200,000 per carat.

Are Emeralds More Expensive Than Diamonds?

Emeralds are generally more expensive than diamonds due to limited supply. However, colored diamonds can cost more per carat than emeralds, depending on their unique characteristics.

Still, the cost is determined by the quality of each stone, and it is difficult to get an accurate price without further inspection. Although in general, emeralds are more expensive than diamonds of the same weight and quality.

Also Read: How to Clean and Care for Emeralds