What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of emeralds? For many, the vibrant green color is the first thing that comes to mind. But what makes this hue so special? And why are emeralds such a popular choice for jewellery? Keep reading to find out more about this iconic gemstone.
The emerald is the head of the beryl family, the green color is given by the small amounts of chrome or vanadium in different proportions, because in the stones we find colors that look like white and transparent stones that have almost no color until emeralds with a dark, bluish, light and yellowish green tone among others. In the same way, the color of the rough stones is not found on all sides or is not distributed in equal proportions in all the stones. For this reason, facetors must observe, analyse and identify where the colour is and what should be the best cut so that the stone contains the greatest facet focus.
“The homogeneously coloured stone is very rare. With an increase of ten diameters, in thin preparations and with green light, it is observed that the marginal coloration of the stones is formed by a series of lines of coloration that are more intense the closer to the side of the emerald.
These series of lines form hexagons inscribed one inside the other in a very regular way, which together form a hexagonal network around a lighter zone that continues towards the interior of the stone, also formed by paler lines, and this is covered by the central one, likewise formed by lines of an even paler coloration and which forms the core of the stone”.
The philosopher and mathematician Rene Descartes created a system by which the coordinates in a Cartesian plane for the faces of the crystals and their respective relationship could be analysed. This system is what is known as the X axis, the Y axis and the Z axis, which represent the three dimensions of a body in space.
“In the case of crystals of the hexagonal system, among which beryllium is included, it is more convenient to define the three horizontal axes, instead of the two basic fundamental ones. These three horizontal axes reflect the placement or symmetry of the atoms in the beryllium structure. The fundamental shape of the hexagonal system is a honeycomb-like cell (Hexagonal), when the set of all the cells of the structure is well formed, a geometric object called a hexagonal prism is produced.
this beautiful stone can be found all over the world, but some of the finest specimens come from Colombia. If you’re lucky enough to own an green bluewish stone, make sure to take care of it so that it will stay looking its best for years to come.