éMERAUDE

Emerald is one of four gemstones, alongside diamond, sapphire and ruby. It is an exceptional stone born of the union of chromium and beryllium, normally incompatible elements. Emerald requires extremely special conditions to come into being. This stone has always fascinated thanks to its unique color derived from chromium and its sparkling reflections, which have made it the queen of stones in Egypt.

What is emerald made of?

Emerald is a gemstone of the beryl family. The stone is particularly common in Colombia, Brazil and Zambia, where its natural, brilliant green color makes it both rare and authentic.

Its green color is due to the chromium naturally present in the stone. Unlike diamonds, whose inclusions are visible with a x10 magnifying glass, emeralds' inclusions are visible to the naked eye. These inclusions are known as the stone's "garden". An emerald without inclusions is a completely pure emerald that is virtually impossible to detect.

When mined, the stone has a rectangular cut that cutters transform into an octagon. This is known as the "emerald cut", the only gemstone with a cut dedicated to its name!

Although emerald is an extremely popular and sought-after gemstone, it has one major drawback: its fragility. Indeed, the presence of numerous inclusions (and chromium) makes it far more vulnerable to shocks than stones belonging to the corundum family, for example.

origins and symbolism

Cleopatra was the first queen to wear emerald to enhance her beauty. Since her reign, emeralds have been worn by kings and queens of the Ottoman and Aztec empires to signify their power. Emerald is seen as the stone of the all-powerful.

Emerald's brilliant green is a symbol of rebirth, fertility and wisdom. Linked to the heart chakra, emerald promotes harmony and harmony between people. It is also the stone of the month of May and of the Gemini zodiac sign. The green gemstone also symbolizes 40 years of marriage.

Which metal to match with emerald?

Most of the time, emerald is associated with yellow gold, the two colors being perfectly complementary. But to bring out the dazzling luminosity of green even more, emerald also pairs perfectly withwhite gold and platinum; especially for rings.

how to care for emeralds

Emerald is a 7.5/10 stone on the Mohs scale. It is advisable to avoid blows that could crack or break the stone.

It is also sensitive to temperature variations. During your vacations, for example, it's best not to take your emerald jewelry with you, as temperature changes at the sea or in the mountains could damage and weaken your green stones. It's best to keep your emerald jewelry away from sources of heat such as ovens, fireplaces, etc.

Keep this precious stone away from chemical baths that you may have to use on another piece of jewelry tomaintain it, as well as any chemical or toxic substances such as perfume, creams, chlorine, household products...