- Brand: Casa de plata
- Product Code: CSR-213
- Availability: By Order
Emerald is the most precious stone in the beryl group.
The name comes from the old French word 'esmeralde', which was derived
from the Greek word 'smaragdos' meaning 'green stone'. By definition,
emerald is any medium to dark green beryl colored by chromium. Green
beryl colored only by vanadium is not considered to be true emerald, but
rather as simply green beryl. Since the 1960s, the American jewelry
industry changed the definition to include vanadium colored beryl as
'emerald', but in the UK and Europe, they are still not recognized as
such. The historical green color of emerald is unparalleled in the world
of gemstones and it is considered as one of the most 'precious four'
of all gemstones, which also includes sapphire, ruby and diamond.
Although emeralds are one of the most valuable gemstones available
today, most are very heavily included, rendering their resistance to
breakage as generally poor. According to GIA, emerald is a Type III clarity gemstone, which means that even good quality emerald used in fine jewelry today is in the I2 to I3 range.