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May’s birthstone, Emerald, is upheld as a symbol of devotion, contentment and undying love. Emerald is revered as a talisman of good fortune, believed to bring health and wealth to its owner. The sister to Aquamarine and a member of the beryl family, Emerald is known for its distinctive color. The shades of green in which Emerald is found can vary from light to dark, sometimes revealing a cool blue-green or warm yellowish-green. The more vivid the color, the more valuable the Emerald.
Colombia has been the source of the finest Natural-Mined Emeralds for more than 500 years, and Colombian Emeralds are the standard by which all others are measured, both in quality and value. In 2017, a new type of Emerald was discovered in the Panjshir Valley of Afghanistan. These Emeralds are often of very high quality, matching the best Colombian Emeralds! This makes accurate origin attribution even more important than in the past, when easier separation by location was possible. Emerald mines are also found in the state of Minas Gerais (Brazil), Zambia (Africa) and Pakistan.
Natural-Mined Emeralds typically contain inclusions that are visible to the unaided eye. Because of this, trade members and some consumers understand and accept the presence of inclusions in Emeralds. Eye-clean Emeralds are especially valuable because they’re so rare. Traditional Emerald enhancements include oil and resin, which help fill natural fractures and inclusions, thereby stabilizing the gemstone and softening the appearance of the inclusions.
An alternative to Natural-Mined Emeralds is Chatham Lab-Grown Emeralds.
A Chatham Lab-Grown Emerald is the finest quality lab-grown Emerald possessing the same chemical, physical and optical properties as its mined counterpart. By duplicating the conditions deep within the earth – the temperature, pressure and chemical makeup, Chatham succeeds in growing Emerald crystals inside a laboratory over a course of a year’s time.
Chatham Lab-Grown Emeralds started from the crystal seed of the best mined Emerald source on the planet: Colombia. The controlled conditions of a laboratory result in crystals which exhibit a lush green hue the color of high-quality Columbian material with little to no internal impurities (inclusions) making them less prone to breakage. Chatham cutting standard is known to be one of the best in the industry adding to its superior grade. About 80% of the rough crystal is lost in the cutting process to exclusively deliver maximum color and clarity every time.
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