Muriel Hurtis Jewelry

What

Medium to dark green beryl which derives its color from chromium and vanadium. Emerald has a hardness rating of 7.5.

Care

Use a soft, dry cloth to clean your Emerald jewelry. Avoid sudden temperature changes, household chemicals and ultrasonic jewelry cleaners.

Treatments

Emeralds are often treated with oil to fill fissures and fractures that are characteristic of emerald. Hence, you should never clean emerald jewelry in an ultrasonic cleaner because this oil could be removed or damaged, making the fissures more visible. In addition, do not clean emerald jewelry in hot soapy water since it too can remove this oil.

Emerald jewelry is often irradiated for clarity.

Misleading Terms

Reputable dealers will not use the following misleading terms. However, for your protection, I am listing them here:

“African emerald” is really green fluorite from South-West Africa
“Cape Emerald” is really prehnite found in South Africa (not to be confused with true emerald from South Africa).
“Evening Emerald” is really peridot.
“Indian emerald” is really green-dyed quartz.
“Medina Emerald” and “Spanish Emerald” are really green glass.
“Mt. Saint Helens Emerald” is green glass that is man made by fusing volcanic ash.
“Scientific Emerald” is really synthetic stones or paste.
“Uralian Emerald” is really green garnet.
“Zerfass Emerald” is synthetic emerald.

Birthstone Months with Emerald

• January Birthstone: Mystical Birthstone
• May Birthstone: Modern Birthstone, Traditional Birthstone
• Taurus (Apr 20-May 20): Birthstone/Planetary Stone
• Gemini (May 21-Jun 20): Lucky Charm
• Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22): Birthstone/Lucky Charm