Hey guys, I could use your help

[Randyy1]

(Hopefully this is the right forum for this topic)
Hey everyone,
I'm an editor at RapGenius (although I'm not here to officially represent the site), and we basically explain the meaning of lyrics to anyone who's interested.
I've been trying to explain this one line by Eminem, where he said:

The last Mathers LP that went diamond
This time I'm predicting this one will go EMERALD

He's referencing his old album that sold over 10 million copies, meaning it got the diamond RIAA certification, and in the next line he says his current album will go "emerald".

Now, emerald is not an actual RIAA certificate, and I've never heard of emeralds before, so I'm wondering - how do emerald prices compare to diamond prices?
I'm guessing the question is pretty vague to an expert, but hopefully someone could tell me which is more valuable/expensive?
Or if you could guess what he meant, that would be cool too.

Thanks

 

[FrekeChild]

What an interesting question. Maybe he just likes green?

Just kidding. Beautiful clear emeralds are much rarer and more expensive than diamonds. Diamonds are actually pretty common. Certain kinds of diamonds, colorless and Type IIA, like Kim Kardashian's new acquisition, is going to account for less than 2% of all of the diamonds in the world. Emeralds are rarer than diamonds, and really high quality emeralds...yeah. Rarer still.

So, I vote that Eminem has been hanging around here in the Colored Stone forum. Because we've been saying that kind of stuff for years!

 

[Randyy1]

What an interesting question. Maybe he just likes green?

Just kidding. Beautiful clear emeralds are much rarer and more expensive than diamonds. Diamonds are actually pretty common. Certain kinds of diamonds, colorless and Type IIA, like Kim Kardashian's new acquisition, is going to account for less than 2% of all of the diamonds in the world. Emeralds are rarer than diamonds, and really high quality emeralds...yeah. Rarer still.

So, I vote that Eminem has been hanging around here in the Colored Stone forum. Because we've been saying that kind of stuff for years!

Thanks for the answer, that was quite well put. I'm gonna quote you if you don't mind

 

[chrono]

Indeed! High quality emeralds (untreated with top colour) is far rarer and more expensive than diamonds), easily reaching into the $10k/ct price and higher.

 

[FrekeChild]

Don't mind at all! Quote away.

 

[GregS]

May have simply been a reference to color, going (Emerald) green , money is green, Emeralds are green, if he sells a lot of albums he will get a lot of green.

 

[minousbijoux]

Either way, it works. Just think of the Emerald City In any case, its one thing that Eminem and I agree on - we'd rather have emeralds than diamonds!