Natural Emerald 3.73 cts.(E-3209)

The emerald is a member of the beryl family. It is very rare and commands relatively high prices on the market. Because inclusion-free emeralds are extremely infrequent, the detection of inclusions minimally impacts the value of an emerald, if at all; only very severe and deep inclusions will reduce an emerald's value. The most highly-priced emeralds exhibit a bright grass-like green. Emeralds have a very good hardness of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale. They are known worldwide for their exquisite green hue and have been embraced by mankind for over 4,000 years. Mentions of emeralds appear in the myths, legends and rituals of the Incas, the Egyptians, the Indian Moguls and the Ancient Greeks. They are believed by many cultures to have positive supernatural powers. Their green color can range from a very light yellowish green to a deep, dark, sometimes bluish tint. Currently, most emeralds are mined in Columbia, Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Madagascar. The emerald is the May birthstone in the United States.