This member of the beryl family ranks among the traditional "big four" gems along with diamonds, rubies and sapphires. Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium. Most emeralds have lots of material trapped inside during the gem's formation, so their toughness (resistance to breakage) is classified as generally poor. The word "emerald" is derived (via Old French: esmeraude and Middle English: emeraude), from Vulgar Latin: esmaralda/esmaraldus, a variant of Latin smaragdus, which was via Ancient Greek: «σμάραγδος» (smáragdos; "green gem") from a Semitic language. According to Webster's Dictionary the term emerald was first used in the 14th century. Properties determining value: color, clarity, cut and carat weight Cut emeralds: Emeralds, like all colored gemstones, are graded using four basic parameters known as "the four Cs": color, clarity, cut and carat weight. Normally, in the grading of colored gemstones, color is by far the most important criterion. However, in the grading of emeralds, clarity is considered a close second. A fine emerald must possess not only a pure verdant green hue as described below, but also a high degree of transparency to be considered a top gemstone. Color : Emeralds occur in hues ranging from yellow-green to blue-green, with the primary hue necessarily being green. . Only gems that are medium to dark in tone are considered emeralds; In addition, a fine emerald will be saturated and have a hue that is bright (vivid).
Energy healing properties:
Vibrant and gleaming with pure unconditional love and health, just holding the Emerald stone can fill you to the brim with a bounty of joy. Even in ancient times, this stone was revered for its healing nature and worn by children of noble kin to keep them flushed in physical and mental finery. It’s a stone of regeneration, renewal, and recovery but also comes riddled with the ripest themes of harmony, compassion, love, and illumination. It shares the ruling planet of Mercury - the planet of intelligence and wisdom. For those seeking a stone that elevates and nourishes in many different ways, Emerald is here to brighten your energy. Emerald is a heart chakra stone, meaning that it is always here to help clear that tightly wound space around your heart and to make sure that you aren’t throwing up any roadblocks to love and self-care in your own way. When our heart chakra is closed or out of balance we may feel timid in our approach to people. We may struggle with empathy or compassion and we may judge ourselves and others too harshly. We may also have problems with forgiveness and trust which can keep us closed off and locked in loneliness. When our heart chakra is wide open, we can trust in our own choices, we can love deep and wide, and we practice healthy self-care and compassion, cutting out the inner editor, and making sure that we remain kind and considerate to others and to ourselves. With this practice comes the chance for deepening into divine love and saying yes to universal blessings. There are also themes of eternity tied up in the Emerald stone which speaks to our sense of spiritual timelessness and letting go of mortal fears.
