When you think of green gemstones, you probably think of Emerald, right? But, really there are loads, we’ve pulled out some of our favourites to give you some fun facts about each.
Emerald
Emerald is one of the most well-known green gemstones, but what you might not know is that it is actually one of the rarest and most valuable. It is classed as one of the ‘precious four’ gemstones – this includes Ruby, Sapphire and Diamond. The gemstone nearly always has its colour and clarity enhanced as well to really bring out the green, this is done through a routing process and normally at the mining source.
Garnet
The Garnet group is considered to be one of the most important gem groups and there are different varieties of it. Garnet can be found in many different colours, most typically red. Some of the most popular green Garnets include Demantoid Garnet and Tsavorite Garnet.
Jade
Jade is mostly known for its green variety, the term ‘jade’ is in fact a term that encompasses a number of gemstones. It is popular because of its green colour and also, it’s greasy lustre. Many cultures consider Jade to be precious and, in some cases, more valuable than Gold!
Peridot
We bet you didn’t know that Peridot is in fact one of very few gemstones available in just one colour. It does however vary in shade and can range from a yellow-green to a dark-brown green. Peridot is also one of the oldest gemstones to be known with records dating back to as early as 1500BC!
Sapphire
This one might come as a shock as blue is the most traditional colour for this gemstone, however you can in fact get it in different shades of green. Previously, green Sapphire was traded and known as ‘Oriental Peridot’, but this is a term that is no longer used today. This stone has superior hardness and durability making it a favourite as it is only surpassed by diamond. Green Sapphire can be slightly denser and tougher than other colours due to a higher concentration of iron but is also classed as rare.
If you would like some more information about any of these stones or are thinking about having one incorporated into your very own piece of bespoke jewellery, then get in touch or pop into the workshop. We will be more than happy to help.