The Gorgeous Green Emerald Thread

[so_sofya1985]

Dear Emerald-philes
I’m seriously considering purchasing an emerald ring.
I’ve done a lot of research and am working with a trusted jeweler.
My big question to emerald-owners out there is wearability and care.
I hear soooo much about how soft emeralds are and that they get easily banged up and chipped.
So my question is do you actually wear your emerald rings? If so, how often? Do you do anything special to care for them?
I don’t want to spend this much $$ and be terrified of it and have it see only the inside of my jewelry box!
Thanks!

Ok I have a few emerald pieces and consider myself somewhat knowledgeable about emeralds. Indeed. They are not as tough as sapphires and rubies, diamonds but it’s not like they are as fragile as TQ or MOP. I think if you would really like to have an emerald ring, just go for it. Having said that, make sure the setting it is in is protecting the stone. I.e, it will last longer if corners of the stone are set into metal or have diamonds around them.
it also depends on how careful you are? I have cracked an E vvs2 3 carat diamond in my life by falling on it at a swimming pool, so if you are anywhere betterthan me - you have a good change of Not damaging your emerald ring! Hope it makes sense what I have written as I’m on the go lol

 

[Julide]

Unheated emerald and diamond bracelet

Do you mean untreated? Nice bracelet/cuff

 

[efleon]

Ok I have a few emerald pieces and consider myself somewhat knowledgeable about emeralds. Indeed. They are not as tough as sapphires and rubies, diamonds but it’s not like they are as fragile as TQ or MOP. I think if you would really like to have an emerald ring, just go for it. Having said that, make sure the setting it is in is protecting the stone. I.e, it will last longer if corners of the stone are set into metal or have diamonds around them.
it also depends on how careful you are? I have cracked an E vvs2 3 carat diamond in my life by falling on it at a swimming pool, so if you are anywhere betterthan me - you have a good change of Not damaging your emerald ring! Hope it makes sense what I have written as I’m on the go lol

Thank you for that great advice so sofya!
I think I am careful but I have had a couple bad knocks in the past and, more than anything, I like to wear my jewelry so that definitely puts it at risk.
This particular piece is vintage set in a ballerina style with the emerald cut emerald prong set slightly above the diamonds. So that may be an issue.
Then again, it’s lasted since the 1960’s!

 

[ale1987]

Dear Emerald-philes
I’m seriously considering purchasing an emerald ring.
I’ve done a lot of research and am working with a trusted jeweler.
My big question to emerald-owners out there is wearability and care.
I hear soooo much about how soft emeralds are and that they get easily banged up and chipped.
So my question is do you actually wear your emerald rings? If so, how often? Do you do anything special to care for them?
I don’t want to spend this much $$ and be terrified of it and have it see only the inside of my jewelry box!
Thanks!

I used to wear my emerald ring much more, but after having chipped the stone from seemingly small things (e.g. absentmindedly grazing the back of my hand against a wall, accidentally smacking my hand on a door), I find myself wearing it less frequently. I never thought of myself as particularly clumsy, but perhaps if you are much more careful with your jewelry, you could wear it more. My other emerald jewelry has fared much better, but rings go through a lot of wear and tear. I definitely recommend making sure any emerald ring you acquire is in a secure setting that will protect the sides from easily chipping. Lately, I’ve started wearing my ring a bit more because I just love the color so much, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I will probably have to change the center stone eventually the more I wear it.

 

[efleon]

I used to wear my emerald ring much more, but after having chipped the stone from seemingly small things (e.g. absentmindedly grazing the back of my hand against a wall, accidentally smacking my hand on a door), I find myself wearing it less frequently. I never thought of myself as particularly clumsy, but perhaps if you are much more careful with your jewelry, you could wear it more. My other emerald jewelry has fared much better, but rings go through a lot of wear and tear. I definitely recommend making sure any emerald ring you acquire is in a secure setting that will protect the sides from easily chipping. Lately, I’ve started wearing my ring a bit more because I just love the color so much, but I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I will probably have to change the center stone eventually the more I wear it.

I think your right that if I truly want to wear it then I must be ok with eventually replacing the stone.
Just a fact.
I’ve had bad knocks just opening the refrigerator but luckily it was a protected diamond so nothing happened. I just know in my heart no matter how careful we try to be life happens.
I think I’m ok with that.
Still thinking....

 

[Julide]

I think if you wanted to wear an emerald Ring everyday. I would put it in a bezel setting that would do the best job protecting it.

 

[so_sofya1985]

I think your right that if I truly want to wear it then I must be ok with eventually replacing the stone.
Just a fact.
I’ve had bad knocks just opening the refrigerator but luckily it was a protected diamond so nothing happened. I just know in my heart no matter how careful we try to be life happens.
I think I’m ok with that.
Still thinking....

I don’t think you necessarily will need to Replace the stone! A chip on a stone isn’t a crack, you can always polish it if it really bothers you.
Having said all of this, I don’t wear my emerald ring every day (not because I am scared of doing something to it but because I have other beautiful rings I like to wear (engagement ones).
also, dear, life is too short For over thinking it. Just get what you like and wear it!

 

[ElenaAlex]

My wedding present from my mom
View attachment 4755942

This is absolute gorgeous! I love it. And I love all the jewelry posted here.

I don't own any emerald ring, but I'm IGI GG and I have a good collection of gemstones and diamonds (that's why I studied at IGI) so I can share some of my emeralds with you later form my phone. I did think to create some beautiful pieces with them but as a gemstone collector I see it as such a waste of the stone (no logic, I know).

P.S.

Emeralds are very fragile and it is accepted that if they pass the cutting process, then they are good enough for jewelry. The question that you should ask is how treated it is. It is accepted that all emeralds, unless a reputable lab says the opposite, are fracture-filled with natural oils which is not a permanent treatment. There are other treatments that I can share if you want me to. So they can be not treated, minor, moderate and significant. This is what you mainly should be interested in. As it is not a permanent treatment, the oil can leak out and you can get a nasty stone if the treatment is significant. The oiling can be redone even at home but you should be aware of it. Also bigger fracture to fill means bigger chance of chipping or splitting as each fracture increases the fragility of the stone.

 

[so_sofya1985]

This is absolute gorgeous! I love it. And I love all the jewelry posted here.

I don't own any emerald ring, but I'm IGI GG and I have a good collection of gemstones and diamonds (that's why I studied at IGI) so I can share some of my emeralds with you later form my phone. I did think to create some beautiful pieces with them but as a gemstone collector I see it as such a waste of the stone (no logic, I know).

Love that you collect gemstones, so do I! But recently I have taken a few stones (smaller weight) and created some jewellery pieces that I envisioned! I would LOVE to see your gems

 

[ElenaAlex]

@so_sofya1985
Thank you

Because I edited my post up, I will attached 2 pics before and after of one significantly treated stone so you can get the point. First - before, second pic - after, I took it few weeks ago.

It is a Zambian emerald, oil treated and you can see on the first pic that the fracture is hardly visible. That pic is from the seller and it did look like that when it arrived. The oil now is out and you can see the actual fracture. I'd say that this stone may break when setting, if it doesn't then and you are careless - it will definitely split.

 

[so_sofya1985]

@so_sofya1985
Thank you

Because I edited my post up, I will attached 2 pics before and after of one significantly treated stone so you can get the point. First - before, second pic - after, I took it few weeks ago.

It is a Zambian emerald, oil treated and you can see on the first pic that the fracture is hardly visible. That pic is from the seller and it did look like that when it arrived. The oil now is out and you can see the actual fracture. I'd say that this stone may break when setting, if it doesn't then and you are careless - it will definitely split.

View attachment 4844691

View attachment 4844696

Yes I am aware of the treatments and what is acceptable and not. I do not have a proper education on it but I have been into gems for a long time and have read/worked with gemologists and gained knowledge but also have been burnt in my life on buying wrong stones too
Buying a stone online is always tricky, I would be VERY sceptical at any pictures online of emeralds as sellers modify them! But not only that, they fake certificates (I learnt the hard way).
This stone you are showing right here I would not purchase as it is not the colour I like but it is a great example of what piling can do! I suspect this stone was heavily oiled prior to sale. Also I presume you did not pay much for this stone - maybe a few hundred?

 

[ElenaAlex]

Yes I am aware of the treatments and what is acceptable and not. I do not have a proper education on it but I have been into gems for a long time and have read/worked with gemologists and gained knowledge but also have been burnt in my life on buying wrong stones too
Buying a stone online is always tricky, I would be VERY sceptical at any pictures online of emeralds as sellers modify them! But not only that, they fake certificates (I learnt the hard way).
This stone you are showing right here I would not purchase as it is not the colour I like but it is a great example of what piling can do! I suspect this stone was heavily oiled prior to sale. Also I presume you did not pay much for this stone - maybe a few hundred?

This is for everyone else with not much knowledge. I didn't know much before and I know how hard it was for me to understand sometimes.
It is an interesting stone for me to look under the microscope, education is good but seeing the stones, holding them, measuring them is actually the real education.

Fake certificates are a problem and also fake sellers. I've got a fake diamond, when I started to collect stones, good it was cheap and that's why it was cheap. Now I only shop from trusted sellers and they should have a proper shop somewhere, not to sell online only.

I was aware of the treatment and I paid $150 - it is a good price and it is 1.97 ct. Plus the color is not correct on neither one of the pics - too green and too blue, it is somewhere in between, more green - typical Zambian bluish green stone

I'm actually quite happy the oil leaked out, I'm planning to try to re-oil it - it is kind of a study stone for me

 

[miss_chiff]

Hi all. I thought I’d post photos of my emerald ring. I too, had concerns about dinging the stone. The jeweler came up with this solution. The ring itself was a ring I already had that I took the center stone out and reset. It is 14k white gold with two diamond trillions on the side. The emerald was purchased in Colombia, I think it’s just under 1 carat. It’s deep green in color. The emerald is set in yellow gold. As you can see, it protects the edges of the emerald. I’m sure I have caused a few scratches on the surface though. And the ring could probably use a cleaning.
Hope this helps.

 

[ElenaAlex]

@miss_chiff
Its beautiful

Here some of my stones.
5.59 ct Brazilian cat eye
3.21 ct Colombian emerald
16.12 ct again Colombian stone

 

[miss_chiff]

@ElenaAlex , thank you
How fun for you to have all these beautiful loose stones. Easy to get lost online looking at all the stones available. Though, as mentioned, one has to be cautious of fakes. I lost my moms ring that was from Thailand, was a gorgeous black star saphire. Had fun looking online for a loose stone. Hard to see how sharp the star is in pictures though.