10 Nifty Facts About Emeralds
- Emerald is one of the four recognized precious gemstones. The others are ruby, sapphire, and diamond.
- Emerald is the birthstone of May.
- Emerald is made from beryl just like the gemstone aquamarine.
- Emerald gets its green coloring from trace amounts of chromium and/or vanadium.
- Though they are durable stones, emeralds are susceptible to chipping and cracking. This makes emeralds more expensive to set into jewelry due to the risk involved.
- The first known emeralds were mined in Egypt around 1500 BC.
- Emeralds were first discovered in North America in the Yukon Territory in 1997, though large emerald deposits in the United States and further north are very rare.
- According to ancient folklore, putting an emerald under your tongue would help one see into the future.
- Due to the inclusions within an emerald, it is not wise to clean these gems in an ultrasonic cleaner. Instead, clean gently by hand using warm water.
- Emeralds usually have more inclusions than any other kind of gemstone. Most emeralds have not only numerous internal inclusions and fractures but also tiny surface breaking fissures or cracks. For this reason, the vast majority of emeralds are treated to improve their clarity. This practice is widely accepted in the trade.
