Emerald Pricing Guide 2024 (What Determines It’s Price)
Their shimmering green color is capable of entrancing the imagination, and their timeless beauty make them highly sought-after by purveyors of all things opulent. They also share the reputation of being one of the “Big Four,” along with diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. Emeralds have been one of the most treasured objects over the centuries for humans to possess, and it’s easy to see why.
Just on appearance alone, emeralds have a fascinating quality that make them coveted objects for a variety of jewelry. The color of an emerald plays the biggest role in what it is valued at, but there are several more factors to consider when determining how much it is worth.
Are emeralds rare? Are emeralds expensive? How much are emeralds worth? Naturally, you may have several questions and it might seem daunting to find where exactly to start your information search.
If you are curious about finding out expert insights into buying an emerald, you’ve come to the right place. Our emerald pricing guide will be an easy-to-understand and invaluable resource into learning industry-level insights about things you should consider before making a decision to purchase an emerald.
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Color
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Clarity
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Country of Origin
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Size/Carat
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Treatment
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Cut
Let’s understand how the above affect an emerald’s worth.
1. Color of Emeralds
An emerald’s most distinctive quality is its shimmering green color. The most prized emeralds possess a color that’s similar to young, green grass. The vibrant green in these stones is complemented by a faint blue tint, when combined is known as “Muzo green,” a term reserved for emeralds of this color specifically from Colombia.
Muzo green emeralds are second to none in the emerald value hierarchy. Vivid green emeralds are also extremely valuable and are only second to Muzo green. The accepted rule is – the more vibrant the green of an emerald, the higher its value.
The slightest variation in the color and tone of green in an emerald can have a telling influence in its value. For example, the price of a dull colored emerald, when compared to an emerald with a livelier appearance of the same size and shape, can be up to 40% cheaper than the more vivid colored stone. Emeralds with a lighter appearance are much cheaper, with slightly green to off-white green emeralds usually being the cheapest among these gemstones.
We at Gemdaia advise any prospective emerald buyer to avoid light green emeralds. Stones with lighter colors cannot be considered investment grade and are mostly used in commercial jewelry.
2. Clarity of Emeralds
he clarity of a stone refers to its presence, or lack of inclusions. Inclusions are minerals that are trapped inside another type of mineral when it is being formed. Inclusions can affect the appearance of a stone and indicates its durability (or lack thereof).
Emeralds are known to contain inclusions, and it is extraordinarily rare to find an emerald without any flaws in it. A flawless emerald is so rare that stones without any flaws are generally suspected to be synthetic. However, there are some kinds of inclusions in emeralds that can diminish its value.
Inclusions closer to the stone’s surface can reduce its overall value. These types of inclusions also make the stone more susceptible to chipping and breakage. This is particularly true for flaws that are positioned closer to the edges or the top of a stone. Inclusions in these areas are more exposed when set in jewelry and are more prone to damage.
Some emeralds can have black inclusions on the face of the stone. These types of inclusions also devalue stones, and naturally, they do not have the same visual appeal of a stone without visible inclusions. A large number of inclusions inside can also affect the sparkle and liveliness of an emerald.
At Gemdaia, we pay close attention to selecting only the best emeralds with the highest clarity for our clients. Our emeralds are carefully scrutinized to ensure they do not contain black inclusions, surface reaching flaws, or a high number of inclusions such as this dazzling pair of emeralds set in this beautiful halo earring.
3. Country of Origin
As with most other types of gemstones, the country of origin of an emerald also plays an important part in determining its value. Different regions of the world produce emeralds of varying intensities of color.
Colombian emeralds are the most expensive emeralds in the world, and they are known for their intensely rich green color. Emeralds from Zambia, Afghanistan, and, since recent times; Ethiopia, have fetched high values and are considered equally impressive to Colombian stones in their visual beauty. For example a fine Colombian emerald of 1 carat can cost upto $15,000 where a fine Zambian emerald with similar quality and enhancement would approximately cost upto $6,000.
4. Size of Emeralds
Just like any other gemstone where bigger sizes go for higher valuations, the value of an emerald increases exponentially with its size. The finest quality emeralds are rare to find, and something like a 1 carat Colombian emerald for example, is not as easy to find as you may imagine. Fine emeralds that are above 5 carats are exceptionally rare and cost anywhere between $90,000 – $150,000 for a fine piece. They are much rarer and generally more expensive than diamonds of the same size.
5. Treatments
A majority of gemstones of all varieties go through some form of treatment to enhance their appearance, and the same could be said of emeralds. There are beautiful emeralds of the highest quality that have not been treated, but these are extremely rare and valued at astronomical prices.
Emeralds are treated in a process called “oiling” to reduce the visibility of inclusions and enhance their clarity and color. The practice of oiling is an age-old one that stretches back to early Greek times. Almost all emeralds are treated through oiling, but the value of the stone can decrease if it has been oiled too much.
Natural emeralds that have not been oiled but display a high brilliance and are free of visible inclusions are extremely scarce. These are the kinds of stones that grab headlines and are auctioned off for amounts ranging in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
6. Cut
The cut of an emerald can play a big part in enhancing or diminishing the value of a stone. Emeralds that are cut well can enhance the stone’s inherent features such as its brilliance and color.
The most common shape for the emerald is a rectangular or square step cut known as the “emerald cut” and Asccher cuts, such as this beautiful piece mounted on a ring in our store. Round and oval cuts are rarer to find because of the amount of rough stone that is discarded to make these cuts.
A uniform cut with pleasing symmetry and orderly facets fetch a higher value while emeralds that are too shallow, transparent, and of disproportionate shape go for much cheaper prices.
Conclusion - Our Insights For Emerald Purchasing
Alternatively, book a free consultation with our jewelry specialists to discuss anything about emeralds