Gemstone Enhancements "What You Should Know".

E m e r a l d. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Emerald, to many, symbolizes rebirth and the abundance of thelife force. The rich green hue brings to mind the regenerationof life in spring and hope of new possibilities.Spring can also be seen in the network of inclusions in the depthof the emerald that the French call the jardin, or garden, becauseit resembles foliage. The inclusions are like a fingerprint, givingeach emerald a distinct personality and distinguishing them as trulynatural gemstones.Early gem merchants sought to purify the transparency of theiremeralds by immersing them in clear oils or paraffin. They foundthat clear oils and waxes rendered surface fissures less visible tothe eye. Today, we have many sophisticated technologies with whichto clarity-enhance emeralds. In addition to the oils and waxes ofancient methods, we now use clear resins to penetrate the openfissures surfacing in the stones. Hardeners are often added tosolidify these liquids. This step prevents the resin from evaporating,thus making the clarity enhancement more permanent than oilingor waxing the gem.Although emerald itself is quite durable, the garden ofinclusions may make individual gems vulnerable to damageif handled roughly. Ask your jeweler for informationregarding your emerald selection and care. Tounderstand the journey your emerald has traveled fromthe earth to you is to gain special insight into its magic.The ancients believed emeraldsempowered their ownerwith foresight into the future.