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The Exquisite Emerald
Author: Priyanka
Arora
Emerald is both the traditional and modern May birthstone. Emerald
would be the only other semi-precious stone, aside from Topaz which
is listed in all the ancient birthstone tables. It is suggested to be
the anniversary gift for a 20th or a 35th anniversary and also as an
alternative stone for a 55th wedding anniversary.
Emeralds are green stones that have a hardness of around 7.5 to 8.
Its name has been derived from the French word
"esmeraude†as well as from the Greek word
"smaragdos†that basically means “green
gemstoneâ€. The emeralds that are of
higher quality would have a deep grass green color with some kind of
bluish cast. On the other hand, those stones of lesser quality have
lighter shades of green. They could also have a slightly more
yellowish tone.
These stones are mined in numerous countries but the major producers
would be Brazil and Columbia, which has been recognized to be the
source of the finest stones. They could also be found in Russia,
Pakistan, Australia, India, South Africa, the United States and Norway.
As emeralds generally have numerous cracks, inclusions and fissures,
most of these stones
have to be “oiled†or treated
with oil. This would mean that they need to be immersed in oil, as
this process would reduce the visibility of such imperfections and
flaws. It could also improve the gemstone’s clarity.
You must also know that emeralds are relatively brittle stones and
so, proper care must be done as they are worn and cleaned. They
should also never be subjected to steam cleaning or dipped in an ultrasonic.
Emeralds have also been used as amulets that could ward off cases of
epilepsy in the young. They have also been thought to cure diseases
and other conditions of the eye. There are some claims that suggest
these stones could enhance memory, clairvoyance and intelligence.
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