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Green Coloured Gemstones

Posted on: 09/27/2020
 

Author: Magdalena Kořínková

When you think of green gemstones, the stunning emerald, moldavite, or peridot likely come to mind. However, many other gemstones also boast a green hue, such as tourmaline, chalcedony, or garnet. Green is the colour of hope, symbolising nature, abundance, and freshness. It is highly elegant and eye-catching, and a woman adorned with a green gemstone exudes unique taste and a free-spirited nature. Let’s dive into the world of green gemstones together!

 

Emerald: A Gemstone with a Rich History

Emerald is one of the precious gemstones that people have adorned themselves with for thousands of years. Archaeologists have discovered emerald mines dating back to the Egyptian era (circa 2,000 BC) in Wadi Sikait. It is likely that Egypt was the only source of emeralds for ancient European civilisations.

On the other side of the world, in Asia, emeralds were carved into Buddha statues, and in Central America, they were considered sacred stones by the Inca and Aztec civilisations.

Since the Spanish conquest of South America, Colombia has been the most significant source of emeralds, although they are also mined in Brazil and Zambia. In 2017, a 360 kg emerald was unearthed in Brazil!

 
jewellery with emeralds

About the Emerald

The emerald owes its stunning colour to traces of vanadium and chromium. It is among the four most valuable gemstones in the world (diamond, sapphire, ruby). While today we know “emerald is unique,” in the past, all beryl gemstones were labelled as emeralds. On the Mohs scale, emeralds rate between 7.5–8, making them delicate. They are the most fragile of beryl gemstones, requiring extreme care during cutting and wearing, and are best reserved for special occasions.



Did You Know…
… emerald jewellery was adored by iconic women such as Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy, and modern idols like Jessica Alba and Angelina Jolie?


 

The Rarest Emeralds

The Mogul Emerald – A 10 cm plaque weighing 217.80 ct, sold for $2.2 million to an anonymous buyer at a London auction in 2001.

The Patricia Emerald – This 632 ct emerald can be seen at the New York Museum of Natural History.

The Hooker Emerald – A relic of the Ottoman Empire once worn by Sultan Abdul Hamid II. Later reworked by Tiffany, it is now displayed at the Smithsonian Institution.

The Andean Crown – Even if museums aren’t your thing, the Metropolitan Museum is worth visiting for this breathtaking piece. A combination of 2 kg of gold and 450 emeralds is certainly worth seeing.

The emerald reserves of Bogotá’s banks are also impressive, though access to them is restricted…

 

Did You Know…
… emeralds are used in cosmetics, such as in eye creams and shadows? In traditional medicine, they were believed to have healing properties, particularly for eye conditions.



emerald jewellery 2

 

Peridot, also known as olivine

This light green gemstone owes its stunning colour to the presence of magnesium and iron. Depending on its intensity, it displays different shades of green with hints of other colours. The most beautifully coloured specimens are usually found in sizes over 10 carats.

 

Did you know…
… peridots are found in the vicinity of Semily? They appear during gravel stone mining but are not further processed, ending up as part of road aggregates. Such a shame!


 

The highest quality peridots in the world come from Myanmar and Pakistan. In the past, the famous, but now exhausted, source was the Red Sea island of Zabargad. The most famous peridot, weighing 312 carats, comes from here! The “Green Goddess,” weighing 154 carats, also originates from the Zabargad deposit.

 

Tsavorite

Surprisingly, tsavorite is a rare green variety of garnet. Its beautiful green colour sometimes leads to confusion with emeralds and other gemstones. Tsavorite comes in various shades, including Mali garnet or mint garnet, with its stunning light green hue.

This gemstone is tied to an interesting history. In 1967, Scottish gemologist Campbell Bridges embarked on an adventurous journey to East Africa. During his trip, he encountered a herd of buffalo in the Tsavo region (hence the gem's name) and avoided them by hiding in a gorge. There, he noticed the surrounding rocks gleaming light green. It didn’t take long before Bridges, along with Tiffany & Co, introduced the world to this new gemstone. Sadly, the gemstone didn’t bring Bridges much luck – he was killed by an angry mob during a dispute over mining rights.


diamond art deco bracelet with emeralds 

Verdelite

Did you know that tourmaline can also be green? In that case, it is called verdelite, and according to the GIA, it falls under the elbaite category. Tourmalines are significant stones in Indian mythology, and it is said that they give life force and can transform negative energy into positive.

One of the deposits of verdelite can be found in the Czech Republic, specifically in Dobrá Voda or Řečice in Vysočina. If you were to take a trip there and find a green stone, you could have it transformed into a beautiful piece of jewellery. Our jewellers truly have golden hands!

Many other green-coloured gemstones can also bring you joy, including jadeite and nephrite (especially valued in East Asia), as well as chrysoprase and malachite.