Emeralds are a fascinating stone, although increasingly overlooked over the last century in favor of diamonds, which have been hyped relentlessly by the diamond cartels. However, Emeralds are just as rare, just as beautiful, and certainly just as worth having in a ring! For those who appreciate something a bit different, these stones make simply beautiful jewelry for use in either rings, necklaces, or earrings. When choosing an emerald, you have an important choice to make – natural or lab created? In this article we will look at some of the points to consider so that you can pick the right type of stone for you. Lab created emerald rings can be very beautiful, just as much as the real thing – but there are differences to take into account.
Natural, mined Emeralds are notorious for the high level of inclusions in common stones. Inclusions are the technical term for tiny cracks and faults that can occur in any jewelry. These are dealt with by either injecting an artificial sealant, setting the stone carefully, or cutting away large parts of the stone – or just accepting the natural inclusions as part of the character of the piece. In contrast, created Emeralds can be produced that are nearly or completely faultless in comparison, and this is one of the biggest points in favor of the synthetic stone.
Environmental considerations also come into play, with the fact that mined Emeralds must be taken from the earth, with implications for the area which is mined. Chemically the two gems are identical as they are made from the same material and have a very similar crystalline structure. Created stones have the clear benefit in terms of cost though, at a fraction of the price of a natural stone.
The chief benefit of a natural stone is the value. If you are buying as a family heirloom or investment, a good quality natural stone will have a much higher value down the track than a synthetic stone. It’s important to weigh up these considerations when you are deciding on a purchase, but for many the positives of buying a created Emerald far outweigh the negatives. At the low prices of synthetic gems, you could even buy a man made version to see if you like the color, style or appearance of a ring before upgrading to a natural stone later on – unless of course you decide you like the created stone enough to keep it forever.
