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How to Identify Synthetic Emeralds

A member of the beryl family, emeralds have long been coveted by jewel and gemstone enthusiasts. The rarest of all gemstones, emeralds are characterized by a rich green hue. While diamonds may dazzle the wearer with fire and light, an emerald seduces with its depth and intensity. In 1935, American inventor Carroll Chatham created the first synthetic emerald, and today the marketplace is flooded with imitation and synthetic emeralds of excellent quality. It can be extremely difficult to identify a synthetic emerald at a glance.

Instructions

- 1
  Thoroughly examine your stone with the naked eye or a jeweler's loupe, if available. If the color is lustrous, the cut without flaw and there are no visible inclusions or flaws in the stone, chances are you are looking at a synthetic emerald. Flawless emeralds are so rare in nature that the chances you possess a perfect natural stone are slim.
- 2
  Check the price of your stone and compare it to the going market rates for emeralds. The chances that your emerald is natural instead of synthetic get narrower if the price is less than several thousand dollars. In 2011, a fine grade one carat emerald can command a price between $1,125 to nearly $3,000.
  
  You will not find a natural emerald of quality for much less. However, price is not the only indicator of an emerald's authenticity. A cursory search of the Internet turns up many vendors selling synthetic emerald rings for several thousand dollars.
- 3
  Familiarize yourself with the terms for synthetic emeralds before you purchase a stone. Synthetic emeralds are also called "created" emeralds and "Chatham" emeralds. Chatham refers to the inventor of the synthetic emerald process. Many emeralds will be marketed as "Chatham Emeralds," especially on the Internet, but this is simply another way of denoting that the stone is synthetic.
  
  It does not give your emerald a particular cache or add value to the stone. "Cultured" emeralds refer to emeralds whose crystals have been grown in a laboratory instead of a mine. These are not technically considered synthetic stones.
- 4
  Consult a professional jeweler if you have doubts over your emerald. A jeweler will have techniques and equipment not available to the average person. Placing the stone in a refractometer, viewing the stone through a Chelsea filter or subjecting it to intense microscopes help a jeweler determine whether or not the stone is synthetic.
  
  The required equipment is not readily available to the average consumer, and the results are difficult to interpret. A professional jeweler is trained to make these assessments and is your best chance at authenticating an emerald.

Numerology