Emeralds are loved for their vibrant green color and elegance. Although they are delicate in appearance, still these gemstones are usually worn every day. How? All because of their durability.
These are highly durable and beautiful gemstones. So if you are considering buying these green stones, you must know about this important characteristic.
Emerald’s durability adds value to their Jewelry Pieces
Durability makes emeralds a smart choice for people, who look for appealing as well as long-lasting jewelry pieces. If you are someone who loves to wear gems or someone into jewelry designing, then you must know about them. Those purchasing emerald jewelry for investment purposes should know how durable is their piece. If considering your jewel piece for day to day wear, then it's important to know how much damage it can withstand.
Durability of Emerald
Emerald’s durability is explained through 3 different parts that are hardness, toughness, and stability.
Hardness
Most of us consider hardness as the opposite of softness, thinking of how we feel about it. Like how much it can bend, scratch, or break when it drops down on any surface. But, actually, gemstone hardness is something different:
“It is a measure of how easily the surface of the gemstone can be scratched”. Gemstone hardness affects its wear-ability and appearance too. The beauty and quality of the gemstone are affected by any damage to the stone surface. Emerald ranks 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, which proves that it is a very hard and scratch-resistant gemstone. It can be easily chosen for day to day wear jewelry.
Toughness
Without breaking how well a gemstone can handle being bumped or knocked is measured in toughness. Emeralds have many internal flaws and are more likely to chip or break because of that. Aquamarine has fewer flaws and is much tougher. However, in everyday use, your finger would likely get hurt before your emerald ring breaks. Emeralds fall short in toughness, in comparison to other gemstones.
Stability
Stability is how stable a crystal is in various conditions against various chemicals. Emeralds are much more stable than other gemstones and they don't fade with daylight. Aquamarines and sapphires are also affected to some extent by lights and they are not that much stable. High stability doesn't mean that emeralds can be bleached.
Are emeralds okay for everyday wear?
Absolutely Yes! Although emeralds are prone to chips and scratches, they are at the same time very appealing too. So, if you love to wear your emerald ring daily then you can do it, by just paying attention to a few tips that can protect it from wear and tear and other issues.
Wearing Strategies
For long-life of your emerald jewelry, it is important to understand how to wear it: If it's an emerald ring, then try to wear it in your passive hand, which is less active. This can minimize its contact with elements that can cause wear and tear.
Wearing Your emerald jewelry should be always the last work to do on your list. As chemicals in cosmetics or deodorants can spoil ring texture.
Consider emerald necklaces or earrings for day to day wear, instead of emerald rings, as they don't come in direct contact.
Clean them regularly, to avoid any accumulation of dirt and grime. Regular monitoring can help you check loose prongs or other settings, which in some cases may lead to the loss of the stone.
A periodic check-up from an expert can ensure they remain in good condition. Wear it with care, don't stack it much with other jewelry pieces.
How hard is it to break an emerald?
Although emeralds are considered durable, they can break easily. If they experience any strong blow, it can result in chipping or cracks. A higher count of internal inclusions in emeralds is responsible for this. Even when dropped from moderate heights, they can shatter. Therefore, activities that put pressure on the stone should be avoided to prevent damage.
Are emeralds as durable as diamonds?
Emeralds are comparatively less durable than diamonds. Diamonds' score on the Mohs scale of hardness is 10, which proves they are the hardest known natural material. They are highly popular for day to day wear due to their durability and resistance to scratching. While emeralds score between 7.5 to 8 on the hardness scale, due to their internal flaws and lower hardness. Emerald jewelry needs more care and protection than diamond jewelry. If properly cared emeralds can also ensure longevity.
Emerald Quality Factors
The value of emeralds is generally based on the following quality factors.
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Cut: Cut of the gemstone enhances its brilliance and value. A well-cut emerald reflects light beautifully and highlights the deep green color and overall appearance of the emerald.
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Clarity: Emeralds with lesser inclusions or flaws are considered highly valuable. Emerald clarity is graded by eye, and the best stones are transparent, typically clear, and vibrant without significant inclusions.
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Color: The vibrant, rich green color of emerald makes it highly popular and is its most significant aspect. Any effect on its color, such as a yellowish or bluish tint, reduces its value and appeal. The finest emeralds have a pure, intense green hue, often described as a "deep green" or "vivid green."
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Carat Weight: Generally emeralds with larger carat weight are more valuable, but they are rare. If they also have excellent color and clarity, then they are valued the most. With the increase in size of the gemstone, the price per carat significantly increases.
What not to do with emeralds?
To ensure the long beauty and life of your precious gemstone, you should take care of the following things.
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Always remember to take off your emerald jewel piece, while performing any type of labor work. Like cleaning, gardening, or lifting heavy weights. While playing sports and working out, take them off.
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Protect them from harsh chemicals by taking them off in pools or taking showers too.
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Don’t expose them to harsh chemicals.
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Do not subject them to sudden extreme temperature changes. Take them off in hot tubs or chill places.
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Don’t store them with other gemstones or jewel pieces, store them in separate cases lined with soft cloth.
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While performing any type of adventurous activities, remove your emerald jewelry.
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Don’t soak them in any cleaning solutions for long.
Wrapping Up:
Emeralds's vibrant green hue and elegance make them a popular choice in colored gemstones. Emerald jewelry is suitable for day to day wear due to its remarkable durability. The durability of this green stone includes hardness, toughness, and stability, which ensures longevity and value in jewelry pieces. Emeralds resist scratches well due to their hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, but due to internal flaws they can chip or break. Despite being less tough than some gemstones like aquamarine, emeralds are still resilient for everyday use. To maintain emerald’s beauty, their jewelry should be handled with care, harsh activities should be avoided, and regular cleaning is a must. They are not as tough as diamonds, but their jewelry is quite trending. Emerald's value is calculated based on cut, clarity, color, and carat weight. Large carat weight, well-cut, transparent vibrant green colored emerald gemstone is usually highly valued and prized.