Rarely does anyone doubt whether an emerald or a diamond is more expensive. If you ask such a question to a person inexperienced in jewelry, he will most likely answer: “Of course, a diamond!” It is difficult to say why such injustice arose, because a diamond, although rightly considered a valuable stone of exceptional beauty, is not at all “the very thing”. There is an opinion that the marketing efforts of sellers are to blame. The jewelry market is literally flooded with diamond products. The diamond sparkles everywhere, leaving other precious gems in the shadow: sapphire, ruby and emerald. It’s as if no one will remember the latter. But let's correct this misunderstanding.
What kind of stones are emerald and diamond?
Nature gives people many precious stones. Among them there are those from whom it is impossible to take your eyes off. And their cost surprises even millionaires. Emerald and diamond are one of them.
Helpful information
Emerald has accompanied humanity for thousands of years. In Rus' it was called smaragd, green ice. And in Persia - zimmurud, which means green stone.
Pragmatic mineralogists give the crystal the following characteristics:
- Belongs to the beryl group.
- The color range of the gem does not go beyond green, but there are many shades of the gem: grassy, blue, yellowish, dark green. Moreover, the natural color of emerald does not change either in artificial or natural light.
- Ideally pure (first-class) zimmuruds are very rare. Such an event always becomes a sensation among jewelers and jewelry lovers. Most often, minerals have tiny cracks, inclusions, and air bubbles.
Moreover, masters do not consider them defects, because this is evidence of the natural origin of precious stones. Emeralds of deep green color, even with minor impurities, are also classified as the highest category. They are valued higher than transparent ones, but lighter.
Diamond has also been known to people for many centuries. In Ancient Greece it was called adamas, that is, indestructible, unsurpassed. In Italy - diamond. Moreover, a diamond differs from other precious stones not only in its beautiful appearance, but also in its physical properties:
- Consists only of carbon.
- It is the hardest crystal.
- Some jewelry minerals can fluoresce, that is, glow in ultraviolet rays. This glow can be blue, orange, green, yellow, red.
Many people's idea that Adamas is colorless is incorrect. The most common crystals are cognac and yellow in color. Less common are examples of brown, pink, and black shades. And indestructible minerals of fancy color (purple, green, blue) are single specimens.
Color choice: versatility versus simplicity
Diamonds are better than other stones and match any color of clothing. Their purity and transparency allow them to decorate clothes of different colors, textures and styles. They are perfect to wear from morning to evening, in a variety of fabrics and styles. A diamond is an indispensable assistant that will add elegance and light shine to your image.
Emeralds, unlike diamonds, cannot boast the same versatility of use. The dark green color of this stone, when combined with other bright colors, can easily get lost. This stone is best set off by clothing in gray and white colors. The classic combination with emerald is black. Due to this composition, the image turns out rich and rich. In order for an emerald to attract the attention of others, you need to highlight it with the shades of properly selected clothing. All elements of the overall composition should serve as an advantageous backdrop for such a stone.
What is more expensive - emerald or diamond?
To the question: “Whose cost is higher - an emerald or a diamond?” You may get several answers. A person inexperienced in jewelry rarely has doubts. “Of course, the second stone. The jewelry market in Russia and the CIS countries is filled with diamond jewelry. Diamonds of different cuts, framed by precious metals, sparkle everywhere. They are considered the most beautiful. But far from the most expensive.
Helpful information
Experienced masters answer the question like this. Some emeralds are worthy competitors to the hardest gems. If green emerald is born in nature with a rich color and exceptional transparency, without defects, then it is valued much more expensive than diamonds.
Why is this happening? But because such emeralds are found in the bowels of the earth much less often than diamonds.
The cost of green precious ice depends on the deposit in which it is born. A Colombian mine called Muso supplies the world jewelry market with the best emeralds of the highest quality. A carat of such a stone costs more than a carat of a diamond, several thousand dollars.
Ring with Colombian emerald
But in general, diamonds are sold for a higher price than emeralds.
Classification of mineral representatives
Regarding their belonging to jewelry groups, stones can be classified according to the following classification:
- jewelry gemstones;
- jewelry and semi-precious stones;
- ornamental stones.
Of course, the most expensive is the first group, which includes such representatives of minerals as:
- 1st order - diamond, emerald, blue sapphire, ruby;
- 2nd order - alexandrite, sapphire, pearl, noble black opal;
- 3rd order - demantoid, noble spinel, noble white and fire opal, aquamarine, topaz, adularia, red tourmaline;
- 4th order - tourmaline of other colors, peridot, zircon, beryl (yellow, golden and pink), turquoise, amethyst, pyrope, almandine, chrysoprase, citrine.
It is not for nothing that these four stones are included in the first order - they are rare representatives with an unusually beautiful appearance, and these minerals are always popular and do not lose popularity.
Their similarities and differences
Emeralds and diamonds have differences:
| Emerald | Diamond | |
| Color | Always a green tint. | They can be completely colorless or colored. |
| Chemical composition | The color intensity is determined by the chromium oxide content. | The presence of shade depends on the percentage of nitrogen. |
| Mohs hardness | 7.5-8.0 units | 10 units |
| Transparency | May be cloudy. | Jewelry samples are always transparent, but may have inclusions of a certain color. |
Moreover, diamonds never have cracks, and defective emeralds are very common. Jewelers fill cracks and splits with special resins or oils, which give the crystal an ideal appearance. But if certain conditions are not met, these oils and resins can evaporate after a few years, making green ice unattractive.
Emeralds and diamonds are similar in that they are among the most expensive precious stones. They also have powerful magical and healing properties.
Pink ones are cheaper
Rubies and emeralds of the same size and quality are valued according to the same criteria as indicated above for other precious minerals. Among the red yachts, those caught in Myanmar (formerly Burma) are valued. The special chemical composition makes Burmese crystals burn with fire.
Having such an amazing visual effect, Burmese rubies force jewelry lovers to pay tens of times more money for them than, for example, for Thai stones. In daylight, these minerals acquire a brownish tint, which causes sellers to lower the price.
Only pink rubies are cheaper than emeralds, and the blood-red stone seems to shout: “Choose me and don’t spare the money.” Which is what wealthy buyers end up doing. And those who cannot afford it choose, for example, topaz inserted into a gold frame.
Properties of emerald and diamond
Green ice is of great importance to humans. Psychics recommend wearing it to anyone who suffers from chronic diseases. After all, this stone nourishes and enriches the aura, and people struggling with the disease are defenseless from any external influence. Emerald also has a beneficial effect on the condition of nervously exhausted individuals. It suppresses anxiety and stress, an apathetic state, and helps reduce outbursts of anger in emotionally unbalanced people. Also among the medicinal properties of emerald is maintaining the host’s immunity during periods of outbreaks of influenza and ARVI.
Improving night sleep is another miraculous property of the stone. Residents of the metropolis are constantly fussing and are in a stressful state. And the crystals will reduce the load and allow you to get all anxious thoughts out of your head at the end of the day. It is enough to turn on calm music and look at the mineral for half an hour.
Psychics note the powerful magical properties of emerald. He is capable of:
- restore peace of mind;
- give persistence in solving complex problems;
- increase self-esteem;
- help self-development;
- reveal talents that a person did not even suspect about;
- protect the owner from slander;
- neutralize the black energy emanating from envious people.
If a married couple buys paired rings with green crystals, they will regain lost love and improve sexual relationships. And if a lonely person puts on a talisman with this stone, he will definitely find a soul mate.
Sorcerers advise students and businessmen to take an emerald amulet for tests, exams, important meetings or interviews. The mineral will give a person self-confidence and bring good luck.
Modern sorcerers quite widely use diamonds in magical rituals. After all, an indestructible gem has powerful energy. In the hands of magicians, adamas can become a very powerful force. But, if the mineral is not used for the benefit of people, then it will certainly punish the black sorcerer.
Diamond helps to communicate with spirits. For many centuries he has been becoming a “guide” to the other world. If certain rituals are followed, it helps to establish contact with the souls of dead people. But these complex rituals can only be performed by experienced psychics. After all, the hardest crystal gives out a huge amount of different information during a session. For an untrained person, working with a diamond is very dangerous.
The gem has the ability to enhance magical power. It penetrates the psychic's soul and cleanses his aura. So the mineral greatly increases the magical abilities of its owner.
Some magicians love black diamonds and call them dark luminaries. After all, powerful light energy is concentrated inside the mineral. It is extracted by experienced healers. The ritual of extracting healing energy is performed only if safety precautions are observed.
The indestructible crystal also helps ordinary people. He gives his owner:
- Activation of vital energy.
- Awakening in the human body protective forces and the ability to self-heal.
- Optimism and the ability to maintain a good mood even in the most dire situations.
Representatives of the stronger sex, having a diamond talisman, will never lose confidence in their own abilities. And the beautiful half of humanity believes in their attractiveness.
Ruby
The stone, which has received the attention of crowned persons since ancient times, has an ancient history. Rubies are relatives of sapphires. They were valued by the ancient Greeks and Romans, and in India from time immemorial it was believed that rubies have magical properties. Stones are mined on all continents except Antarctica. Asian stones, the color of which is called “pigeon blood,” are considered the most valuable.
The most expensive ruby is a stone weighing 25.5 carats. The buyer paid $30 million for it, and so far this case is considered a record.
Who should wear it
Products with green ice and an indestructible gem can be worn by all zodiac signs without exception. Precious stones will be able to give:
- Unrestrained Scorpios - a sense of tact. People will learn to build mutually beneficial relationships with both subordinates and superiors.
- Indecisive Virgos - self-confidence. They will stop paying attention to the opinions of others. And when an individual is full of positive energy, then the brain works more efficiently. Things will go uphill for those who own minerals.
- Taurus - by willpower. Self-discipline will be their watchword. Shy representatives of humanity will have the ability to refuse without remorse.
- Young Aquarius - strong memory and mental abilities. People's aspirations will become clear to them, they will be able to guess the thoughts and feelings of others and act in accordance with them.
- Sagittarius - external attractiveness.
- Pisces - the desire to work hard and move up the career ladder. People will find physical and moral strength to help colleagues, to fulfill their direct professional responsibilities, and to solve additional tasks from their superiors.
- Rakov - excellent intuition. Those born under this zodiac sign will be able to solve a complex professional or personal problem and find a way out of any life situation. They will feel which tasks are worth doing and which tasks are better to refuse.
- Aries - motivation to do useful things. Everything planned will be completed in a short time. And the desire to work will not disappear throughout the working day.
- Capricorn - the ability to accept things as they are.
- Libra - sincere joy for the achievements of others. They will be able not to envy when an acquaintance receives a promotion, or a colleague receives an increase in salary.
- Irritable Gemini - calmness. Inner harmony will become their constant companion.
- Lviv - self-esteem. People will stop humiliating themselves in front of higher officials and will engage in self-realization.
Emerald and diamond are two precious crystals, approximately the same in cost, beauty and magical abilities.
Useful tips
How to check the authenticity of a diamond?
The easiest way to find out if the diamond in front of you is real is to place a drop of water on its surface (this can be done with a toothpick or a needle). A drop will not spread on a real diamond.
It is also worth taking a close look at the structure of the stone - diamonds (except for very expensive and rare ones, which are sold only at auctions) have inclusions and small heterogeneous areas, which fakes do not have. From all sides (when held up to light) the diamond should shine equally.
Another unpopular way to determine authenticity is to evaluate what colors the stone shines with. Unlike cubic zirconia, glass or plastic, under direct rays of the sun or lamp, a diamond always has a gray reflection; the entire spectrum is not available to it.
How to check the authenticity of an emerald?
Emeralds are graded in three categories - tone, saturation and transparency. In ancient times, emerald was worn in the rings of thinkers and orators, as well as great rulers. Large emeralds were used to decorate household items - cutlery, vases. Sometimes the stone became a decoration for the entrance portal to a castle or other residence. When exposed to ultraviolet light, natural emerald acquires a brown tint.
Almost all natural emeralds have inclusions that can be seen under a magnifying glass - in fakes they are imitated using easily visible air bubbles.
Padparadscha
It is not easy to recognize this type of sapphire among many stones, but it is possible. It is not for nothing that the stone is called Sunrise, because its edges play with red, orange and pink highlights.
There are also two-color sapphires; they can be called by the same name, but they cost less. But an attempt to pass off a single-color sapphire as a padparadscha is an outright falsification.
30 thousand dollars is the minimum price per carat of a gem.
Grandidierite
This stone is not only one of the ten most expensive, but also one of the rarest in the world. Currently, only 8 gemstones are known that meet the standards of grandidierite.
The color is dominated by unobtrusive delicate tones of green, blue or turquoise. It is incredibly difficult to judge the price, because in the vast majority of cases, grandidierites go to a new owner at auction, where serious battles break out for them. The price per carat cannot be lower than hundreds of thousands of dollars. In other words, grandidierite stone costs as much as real connoisseurs are willing to pay for it. And the most expensive specimen is considered to be one that has almost no tint and has excellent transparency.
