Which Color is the Gemstone Emerald?

Emerald gemstone also known as panna in Hindi comes from the beryl mineral family. It is known for its beautiful green hue which reflects nature’s color closely. There are numerous stones available in the market, which are sold as beryl stones at the same price as Panna stones. Thus, it is important to find out which color is the gemstone emerald. This blog highlights the specific colors in which you will find these precious gemstones.

Explore More Here: A Beginner's Guide to Understanding Emerald Stones

Colors that natural emerald stones come in

The word comes from the ancient Greek word “smaragdus” which means “green”. So is emerald green? The panna stone is actually green in color but with a tint of blue and yellow. This makes every emerald color look different.  Since ancient times, this gemstone emerald color has been relaxing the eyes of the wearer. But along with the beautiful color of emerald gemstone, people wear it for its astrological benefits too. Read on panna stone benefits to understand Green is the real color of panna which is also the characteristic feature that describes its quality. 

Three major factors to determine the value of panna stone based on the color

• Hue: It is another way to call the color of gemstone emerald. The primary hue is the most abundant color in the stone. Secondary hues are the colors in minerals, present in certain amounts.  In the case of the original gemstone emerald color, green is the primary hue whereas yellow and blue are the secondary hues. Green bluish is considered one of the best shades of emerald green. 
• Tone: It is the intensity of the color that ranges from light, to medium to dark. The medium and dark tones make the Emerald color look outstanding, enhancing its value. Whereas the light tone emerald green fall in the category of green beryl, which is the lower quality Panna stone.
• Saturation: It is described as the degree of the primary color in the gemstone. With this characteristic, an Emerald color gets its even distribution, making the natural gemstone look appealing. Hence, the higher the saturation, the more valuable the green emerald. 

Hence if you ask which color is the gemstone emerald the best? The answer is the ones with primary color as vivid green and less than 15% secondary color like yellow or green. The perfect one is the gem that exhibits medium tone, and high saturation.

Emerald Green Color Range 

The ideal color for these gemstones is green but those with secondary overtones such as yellow and blue are also acceptable. Let us check out what gives these stones this exclusive green color. 

Panna stone comes from the beryl mineral with a chemical formula Be3Al2SiO6. During the crystal formation, trace elements such as chromium, iron, and vanadium replace the aluminum ions giving the emerald green color. Chromium gives a green color, vanadium gives yellow whereas iron gives a bluish tint. Higher chromium amount gives an intense green color reminiscent of the lush green hues in nature. Thus, emerald color range from pure green to bluish green is highly desirable. 

Differentiating Colors based on Origin 

These stones mined from different places occur in a range of colors. When you get surprised by the question of which color is the gemstone emerald you’ll be more amazed to know that it is not just green, but there are shades other than that to follow as well. Let us see how:

• Colombian emeralds: A trace amount of chromium is responsible for giving splendid green color to these gemstones for which they are popular. The mines in Colombia known for producing quality gemstones are Muzo, Chivor, and Coscuez, while it is also found in Penas Blancas. The emerald color from here feature a vivid green shade and excellent clarity making it one of the most expensive gemstones. People generally buy natural Colombian panna stones online for expensive jewelry or investment assets.
• Zambian emeralds: These gemstones are known for their green color with bluish tint. The trace elements that work here combine chromium and high iron. The finest quality stones are mined from the Kagem Mines in Kafubu Area in Zambian. 

Know More about the difference between the two: Zambian Emerald vs Colombian Emerald

• Brazilian emeralds: Belmont, Minas Gerais is one of the well-known mines in Brazil producing a quality colour of gemstone emerald. They feature a green shade with yellow tint and display high inclusions and making some colors of emerald gemstone look milky. 

Color as a determining factor for analyzing the quality of the stone 

• The appearance of the emerald stone depends upon its color and to an extent its clarity as well. These two factors also evaluate the price of the stone. 
• Panna stones are graded based on the color it features. 4A and 3A graded gemstones are of high quality, AA and A are medium and B comes in low quality.
• AAAA-grade emerald green color stones with a vivid hue and 100 % saturation are considered the most desirable gems accounting for higher prices. Buy panna stone with these features as a cherished heirloom gem. 
• Emeralds that occur light green are considered green beryl but the most desirable ones are with intense green color, medium tone (75%), and high saturation. Thus, while buying real emerald stones it is important to note the variation of color. 
• Zero percent transparent stones are rare to find, hence accounting for higher prices. Highly translucent gemstones mean they have high inclusions. Though these are categorized as low-quality stones, the presence of inclusions is one of the ways to distinguish between fake and real panna stones. 
• Treatment is done to enhance its color and clarity. Cedarwood oil is commonly used as an oil treatment which is filled in the fissures and fractures of the gem enhancing its color, clarity, and durability. During the oiling process, the color is thought more clear but it doesn't come under natural gem, it is a treated stone indeed. No oil gemstone emerald colour are considered rare and desirable as they do not undergo any treatment process. 

• A prominent color of gemstone emerald only comes with a perfect cut. The green color of the gem is more evident in a finished stone hiding its imperfections and bringing out its shine. 
• High carat weight gemstones with vibrant green colors are rare to find. It is important to know that higher carat weight panna stones with high saturation and medium tone are priced higher. For instance, 4 ratti emerald stone have a higher price compared to the lower ratti stone. 
• Opaque emerald stones show the darkest green color which visually appears black. These stones are of low quality. 

To sum up, green is the color of this precious gemstone from the beryl family. It has a great symbolism in astrology. Natives of Gemini, Virgo, Taurus, Libra, Aquarius, and Capricorn can wear panna stone. Green symbolizes renewal, new beginnings, and prosperity, hence natural green emeralds are considered the lucky stones. When shopping online or offline, color is one of the factors that determines the price of the stone. Hence, knowing which color is the gemstone emerald is important.