Education on emeralds

[Gloria27]

I have a question for fellow Pricescopers:

Would a well cut, ideal colour, clean, approx. 1 ct (not Colombian) emerald be considered expensive at the price of 2k?
Not in the market for one, but I saw something and I not familiar with emerald prices at all, just wondering.

 

[voce]

Russian and Afghani (Panjshir) emeralds are more expensive than all but the highest quality Muzo emeralds.

 

[Gloria27]

No, nothing special about the origin.
The stone was nice, and I keep thinking about it, but can't judge if it's overpriced or not.
The quality seemed good, very little jardin, minor oil, colour slightly blue-ish, no yellow.
I have no idea what Emerald prices are, don't know what 1ct good quality stone goes for these days. Basically that is my question.

 

[T L]

I have a question for fellow Pricescopers:

Would a well cut, ideal colour, clean, approx. 1 ct (not Colombian) emerald be considered expensive at the price of 2k?
Not in the market for one, but I saw something and I not familiar with emerald prices at all, just wondering.

Ideal color is subjective, unless you know a great deal about emeralds. Don’t take a vendor’s word for ideal color unless they have a great reputation in the trade for emeralds, and they’re trustworthy. Then there’s treatment to consider.

An ideal color, clean, barely to no treatment, one carat emerald from the Muzo mine could be $10k or more. Larger carat sizes go up in price per carat.

 

[Burmesedaze]

I just visited Egypt last month and read that the emeralds were first found in Egypt and the Romans used that as their primary source. Eons ago. Mines are depleted or no longer viable.

Just curious. Has anyone seen Egyptian emeralds IRL? I didn't see any in the Egyptian Museum (or I may just have been overwhelmed with the plethora of stuff within) and only had a couple of hours there. Saw plenty of semi precious stones used to decorate the jewellery and sacrophagus but as far as I can recall, nada emerald. Or they may have been looted and brought away earlier?

 

[Gloria27]

Ideal color is subjective, unless you know a great deal about emeralds. Don’t take a vendor’s word for ideal color unless they have a great reputation in the trade for emeralds, and they’re trustworthy. Then there’s treatment to consider.

An ideal color, clean, barely to no treatment, one carat emerald from the Muzo mine could be $10k or more. Larger carat sizes go up in price per carat.

Ok, I understand.
Found something similar in colour (slightly better) and clarity, but bigger (1.45ct), about the same price as the 1ct one.
I'm not in the market for one, but sometimes certain stones make me feel like they might be worth it because they are not the usual ebay/commercial quality and might not find something similar anytime soon.
Finding something slightly better in less than 10 min search is either luck or I've got a lot to learn about emeralds.
Probably the latter.

Thank you for your replies everyone!

 

[voce]

I've heard it said that Egyptian emerald was actually what is known today as peridot.

 

[T L]

Ok, I understand.
Found something similar in colour (slightly better) and clarity, but bigger (1.45ct), about the same price as the 1ct one.
I'm not in the market for one, but sometimes certain stones make me feel like they might be worth it because they are not the usual ebay/commercial quality and might not find something similar anytime soon.
Finding something slightly better in less than 10 min search is either luck or I've got a lot to learn about emeralds.
Probably the latter.

Thank you for your replies everyone!

I can’t really comment on the stones without seeing them and the lab report, but yes, it’s not that easy finding a great emerald for an inexpensive price.

 

[Gloria27]

I can’t really comment on the stones without seeing them and the lab report, but yes, it’s not that easy finding a great emerald for an inexpensive price.

This is the better stone I was talking about:
https://www.luxedogems.com/shop-gemstones-jewels/emerald-cushion-cut-1-45-ct/https://www.luxedogems.com/shop-gemstones-jewels/emerald-cushion-cut-1-45-ct/

I think it's stunning.
Unfortunatelly not for me at the moment.

 

[T L]

This is the better stone I was talking about:
https://www.luxedogems.com/shop-gemstones-jewels/emerald-cushion-cut-1-45-ct/https://www.luxedogems.com/shop-gemstones-jewels/emerald-cushion-cut-1-45-ct/

I think it's stunning.
Unfortunatelly not for me at the moment.

1) it’s Zambian, so not as much of a premium as a top Muzo stone.
2). It’s medium toned. The finest emeralds are Muzo stone with a dark velvety slightly bluish green color.
3) i don’t care for in house lab reports. It would need an AGL, GIA, GRS or SSEF report with the amount and type of clarity.
4) I’m not crazy about the cut

However, it’s a pretty emerald, but I’m not blown away by it. I think the price is fair, but that proper lab report is essential.

 

[Gloria27]

1) it’s Zambian, so not as much of a premium as a top Muzo stone.
2). It’s medium toned. The finest emeralds are Muzo stone with a dark velvety slightly bluish green color.
3) i don’t care for in house lab reports. It would need an AGL, GIA, GRS or SSEF report with the amount and type of clarity.
4) I’m not crazy about the cut

However, it’s a pretty emerald, but I’m not blown away by it. I think the price is fair, but that proper lab report is essential.

Thanks for the info.
I thought the medium colour is ideal, not dark. Anyway, I have much to learn.
The other stone was blue-er, octagon cut.

 

[T L]

No, in emeralds, dark tone, sometimes referred to as “duck neck” green (ever see a make mallard duck neck?), are highest prized, and the best of these come from the Muzo mine of Colombia.

I saw the smaller octagon cut, that was more included, but it definitely had that Colombian color. The Zambians look more tourmaline like to me.

Here’s an example of a Muzo “duck neck”’emerald. In person, they have a gorgeous satin sheen unlike anything else, it’s almost metallic looking. Notice the darker tone. Videos or photos don’t do them justice.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzggasaDQBF/?igshid=xlvon17770ww

Thanks for the info.
I thought the medium colour is ideal, not dark. Anyway, I have much to learn.
The other stone was blue-er, octagon cut.

 

[Gloria27]

No, in emeralds, dark tone, sometimes referred to as “duck neck” green (ever see a make mallard duck neck?), are highest prized, and the best of these come from the Muzo mine of Colombia.

I saw the smaller octagon cut, that was more included, but it definitely had that Colombian color. The Zambians look more tourmaline like to me.

Here’s an example of a Muzo “duck neck”’emerald. In person, they have a gorgeous satin sheen unlike anything else, it’s almost metallic looking. Notice the darker tone. Videos or photos don’t do them justice.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BzggasaDQBF/?igshid=xlvon17770ww

wowzer
I like it even more.

 

[Burmesedaze]

I've heard it said that Egyptian emerald was actually what is known today as peridot.

Not sure about that but who knows, with the spinel/ruby mixup too.

Found an interesting article on it which says not much was used in Egypt but mostly exported elsewhere or brought elsewhere.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/flight...0/the-gold-and-emeralds-of-ancient-egypt/amp/

The mines are still present but not viable for commercial mining so I think with today's tech they can differentiate both stones

Just very, very curious to see what tone/hue/green/clarity they are compared with the finds of today about the world!

 

[voce]

Not sure about that but who knows, with the spinel/ruby mixup too.

Found an interesting article on it which says not much was used in Egypt but mostly exported elsewhere or brought elsewhere.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/flight...0/the-gold-and-emeralds-of-ancient-egypt/amp/

The mines are still present but not viable for commercial mining so I think with today's tech they can differentiate both stones

Just very, very curious to see what tone/hue/green/clarity they are compared with the finds of today about the world!

According to one of the slides on the first slide show...

Amazonite like this is what some Egyptian “emeralds” actually are. It’s a green type of feldspar, not green beryl.

Doubtless there were some green beryl, but the word in ancient times was also used for peridot and green feldspar.

https://www.gemporia.com/en-us/learning-library/terms/cleopatra’s emeralds/

 

[Nick_G]

Not sure about that but who knows, with the spinel/ruby mixup too.

Found an interesting article on it which says not much was used in Egypt but mostly exported elsewhere or brought elsewhere.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/flight...0/the-gold-and-emeralds-of-ancient-egypt/amp/

The mines are still present but not viable for commercial mining so I think with today's tech they can differentiate both stones

Just very, very curious to see what tone/hue/green/clarity they are compared with the finds of today about the world!

Mindat has some photos of rough emeralds in the host rock from Egypt here:

https://www.mindat.org/gallery.php?...ywords=&orderxby=0&submit_pager=Filter+Search

They are all rather pale and pretty opaque, so nowhere near the quality of emeralds from Colombia, Zambia, Afghanistan, Russia etc.

 

[Gloria27]

OMG somebody snapped the other stone I was talking about! It's been for sale for years and somebody probably a lurker got it, this cannot be a coincidence!

 

[Burmesedaze]

Mindat has some photos of rough emeralds in the host rock from Egypt here:

https://www.mindat.org/gallery.php?...ywords=&orderxby=0&submit_pager=Filter+Search

They are all rather pale and pretty opaque, so nowhere near the quality of emeralds from Colombia, Zambia, Afghanistan, Russia etc.

Thank you!

 

[Atwater]

Some updates and a call for help:
The lady who was interested in the 1.52ct muzo changed her mind again and I was more than happy to have it. It went to AGL and an AGL prestige report verifies the treatment is minor. AGL shipped the stone directly to me and I received it this morning. But to my disappointment, I found a chip along one side. I immediately let George know. He was not sure when it got there but he asks me what I would like to do. He says that the chip could be easily fixed by repolishing and it would not affect the weight.

I do not really now what to do yet. I did wire the money already but we agreed that if there is any damage upon receiving I can return and get refund. I am posting some pictures (looking through a loupe) here and your advice will be appreciated.

The chip is at around 9 o'clock in the picture below:

The chip is at around 3 o'clock in the picture below.

 

[T L]

Are you out the cost of the AGL if you return it? Also, the fracture along the top of the stone, in the top image, is that internal, or reaching through to the table?

 

[Atwater]

Are you out the cost of the AGL if you return it? Also, the fracture along the top of the stone, in the top image, is that internal, or reaching through to the table?

George paid majority of the AGL cost, and there is no mentioning that I will be charged with the AGL cost should I return it.

I louped the stone again and I do not think anything reaches the surface. The surface feels smooth to touch too. Is there other ways that I can be sure?

To be honest, I remembered the stone to be clearer; I did loupe it during my meeting with George. I think it is the same stone; maybe my memory is playing tricks?

 

[T L]

You would have to look at the surface with a light shining on it and reflecting off the surface, and a loupe or decent MagnifyGlass to see surface reaching fractures. There should be none along the table. It’s hard to see with the naked eye. The stone looks otherwise very clean.

It’s hard, because I don’t know what I would do about the chip. If you do decide to keep it, I would have George polish it out. It doesn’t look that significant.

 

[Rad_Fan]

I tried to eye ball your earlier posts of this stone but the images were small and non-expandable for a closer look. Have you checked your original pictures of it?

Do you like it if the chip is polished out?

 

[Atwater]

You would have to look at the surface with a light shining on it and reflecting off the surface, and a loupe or decent MagnifyGlass to see surface reaching fractures. There should be none along the table. It’s hard to see with the naked eye. The stone looks otherwise very clean.

It’s hard, because I don’t know what I would do about the chip. If you do decide to keep it, I would have George polish it out. It doesn’t look that significant.

I tried the method using a flash light and I looked though the loupe. I was trying to look for uneven surface, changes in light reflection, or just anything that would caught my attention. I did not see anything abnormal at the surface.

 

[T L]

I tried the method using a flash light and I looked though the loupe. I was trying to look for uneven surface, changes in light reflection, or just anything that would caught my attention. I did not see anything abnormal at the surface.

Good!!

 

[Atwater]

I tried to eye ball your earlier posts of this stone but the images were small and non-expandable for a closer look. Have you checked your original pictures of it?

Do you like it if the chip is polished out?

I did that too while in office and could not tell either. I now pulled out the original images and I see the chip was indeed there. I just did not notice it then.


Since it is not damage upon receiving, I will not return it. Yes, I do like it; I now need to decide what to do with the chip. Does anyone know if it can be polished out? Or once I have it set the chip would be almost invisible?

 

[T L]

I did that too while in office and could not tell either. I now pulled out the original images and I see the chip was indeed there. I just did not notice it then.


Since it is not damage upon receiving, I will not return it. Yes, I do like it; I now need to decide what to do with the chip. Does anyone know if it can be polished out? Or once I have it set the chip would be almost invisible?

I would ask a very experienced lapidary like Jerry Newman. Email and send pics, unless you’re not in North America. I’m not sure who to send it to then.

 

[Atwater]

I would ask a very experienced lapidary like Jerry Newman. Email and send pics, unless you’re not in North America. I’m not sure who to send it to then.

T L, Thanks a lot! I emailed Jerry today.

I've been examining the stone without the loupe today. Unless I looked at the stone really close and deliberately looked for the chip, I would not notice it. What if I do not fix the chip and just have it set as it is? Is there any harm in the long run?

 

[qubitasaurus]

Honestly I would send it back to them to polish out the chip -- they presumably know the stone best and have the most experience with faceting emeralds. For instance if it should not be polished out (due to proximity to the internal inclusions or something like that) then they are most likely to know. They will probably be happy to help -- as regaurdless of whether the chip occured before or after the posted it to you they should stand behind the quality of the products they are selling (including repairing any nicks incurred while it was in their inventory).

Whoops I forgot to say, it is gorgeous congratulations .

 

[T L]

T L, Thanks a lot! I emailed Jerry today.

I've been examining the stone without the loupe today. Unless I looked at the stone really close and deliberately looked for the chip, I would not notice it. What if I do not fix the chip and just have it set as it is? Is there any harm in the long run?

I’m guessing you don’t want the hassle and expense of sending a valuable gem back to Colombia to have George polish it out??? Otherwise I agree that they should polish it, However, that being said, the chip is not in a place that a prong will go, and it probably won’t be an issue if you set it. The most important thing is to tell your jeweler, and make sure that he/she is experienced with emeralds. Also tell the jeweler absolutely NO ultrasonic or stream cleaning on the stone whatsoever!!!