November 2007
Enhanced Emeralds —
The Clever Cover-up
When it comes to gems, "enhanced" sounds good, but that word signals a cover-up. Here’s the skinny on the good, the bad, and the ugly of emerald enhancement.
Emerald is one of the four "precious gems" (along with diamond, ruby and sapphire), so most people assume emeralds are expensive. Well, some are and some aren’t.
Emeralds, lovely as they are, often have inclusions or fractures. That’s the nature of this gem material. In fact, a natural emerald with only minimal fissures is so rare that it’s worth far more than a diamond of similar carat weight and clarity.
2.38 carat
Emerald-Cut Diamond
$21,000 2.03 carat
Emerald-Cut Emerald
$30,000
Many good-quality emeralds used in jewelry have minor surface flaws. Oiling, a routine practice that’s been done for hundreds of years, improves the appearance of the stones and does not affect their value or durability.
Read the rest of the story to find out about emerald enhancement
-- and what it means to insurers
_______http://www.jcrs.com/newsletters/2007____________________
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