Emerald help please?

[Indylady]

I’m looking at a few emeralds now and can’t decide if I should go for a Chivor emerald, which is a mine that is known to produce emeralds with great clarity, or if I should go for another mine (probably Mizo). I don’t ever usually focus on something like the exact mine—I really just go for color, followed by locale—but I’ve both read and seen easily the differences between emeralds from these two sources. Chivor tends to be really clean, and from my eye, more of a pure green and less of a blue modifier (which I like very much), and also often lighter in tone. Muzo seems like it often has more visible inclusions but also more blue modifiers. Do you have a preference, or an emerald that you love from either of these places? Would you prize clarity or a blue modifier?

 

[lovedogs]

I would personally prize blue modifier over clarity, but that's just me. I prefer emeralds that aren't "forrest green", and instead are lighter with a hint of blue. But I'd go with whichever speaks to you the most!

 

[JPie]

If you're shopping directly from retailers, I think shopping by mine could help you narrow the range of options for the color & clarity you prefer. If working with a dealer, I would ask for specific color & clarity within my budget and let the dealer do the legwork of narrowing down the selection. In that case, it would matter less which mine it's from as long as it's within parameters given for color & clarity.

 

[Indylady]

Thanks lovedogs and Jpie! I have also always prized ‘blue’ modifiers, but greens are just so hard to evaluate online. I’m looking at traditional retailers. Interestingly, my favorite emerald has been a small round Zambian emerald precision cut by Gene, but I lost it years ago, very very very sadly. It just had the most amazing flash. I normally do really like locale but am wondering if I should abandon it for emeralds.

 

[lilmosun]

Not an emerald expert -- but type and degree of treatment is of high importance. Assuming this is a significant purchase, I would only buy an emerald from a jeweler/dealer who will guarantee only minimal/moderate treatment (oil or modern depending on your preference)...then send to AGL for validation. That being said, I wouldn't compromise on desired color either.