How to tell if an emerald is real

<p>I still remember my first visit to a jeweller in Bangkok. The old craftsman, with calloused hands and a sharp gaze, showed me two emeralds that looked identical. “This one is worth €5000, the other barely €50. Could you tell them apart?” he asked with a mischievous smile. That improvised lesson changed the way I see these stones forever.<br><br>
Emeralds have fascinated us since ancient times. Their intense, almost mystical green has crossed centuries without losing its allure. Cleopatra adored them, maharajas coveted them, and even today they make people dream. But be careful: for every genuine emerald, how many fakes circulate on the market?<br><br>
At Mayuri Paris, we work exclusively with <b><a href="https://mayuri-paris.com/collections/emerald-rings" target="_self">natural emeralds</a></b>, mainly from Zambia, traditionally oil-treated. If you prefer other origins such as Colombia or Brazil, we can source them on request.</p>

<h2>1. The “garden” – the natural signature of an emerald</h2>
<p>My first instinct when examining an emerald? Taking out my 10x loupe and looking for what we affectionately call the “garden”. These natural inclusions—tiny fractures, microscopic needles, or trapped crystals—tell the turbulent story of the stone.<br><br>
A perfectly clean emerald? Be suspicious! Nature is not that perfect. I’ve seen clients disappointed to learn that their “amazing flawless bargain” was actually a lab-grown imitation.<br><br>
On the other hand, I’ve learned to recognise artificial inclusions: bubbles that are too regular or linear structures that reveal glass or synthetic materials.</p>

<h2>2. UV reaction – a revealing behaviour</h2>
<p>One evening, in the workshop of a gemmologist friend, we played with his UV lamp on various emeralds. Surprise: the reactions were completely different depending on their origin!<br><br>
Colombian stones showed a slight reddish fluorescence, while Zambian ones remained almost inert. These subtle differences reveal a lot about their chemical composition and birthplace.<br><br>
A word of caution: some synthetics also react to UV, but often more intensely or uniformly.</p>

<h2>3. Weight doesn’t lie</h2>
<p>“Here, weigh these two stones,” a Rajasthan dealer once told me. The difference was obvious: for identical volume, the natural emerald felt lighter than the lead-glass imitation.<br><br>
The density of a genuine emerald ranges from 2.7 to 2.9 g/cm³. It’s a valuable indicator, especially when you are used to handling gemstones. With a small container of water and a precision scale, you can even calculate this density at home.</p>

<h2>4. The fog test – simple and effective</h2>
<p>I love showing this trick to beginners: gently breathe on the stone to create a foggy layer. On a real emerald, the fog evaporates quickly thanks to its good thermal conductivity.<br><br>
On some imitations, particularly glass, the fog lingers. It’s not foolproof, but it gives a first indication without any special equipment.</p>

<h2>5. Hardness – resistant yet fragile</h2>
<p>With a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, the emerald is paradoxical: hard enough to scratch glass, yet fragile enough to chip easily. That’s why skilled cutters handle it with such care.<br><br>
I strongly advise against scratch tests—far too risky! But knowing that an emerald can be scratched by a sapphire or a ruby can be useful in certain situations.</p>

<h2>6. Dichroism – when colour shifts with the angle</h2>
<p>My first encounter with a dichroscope was during my studies. What a revelation! A natural emerald shows subtle colour variations depending on the viewing angle—ranging from yellow-green to blue-green.<br><br>
Imitations don’t exhibit this fascinating feature. It’s as if the stone tells its crystalline story by shifting hues before your eyes.</p>

<h2>7. Refractive index – its optical signature</h2>
<p>True enthusiasts invest in a refractometer. The refractive index of an emerald lies between 1.57 and 1.58. I’ve even seen smartphone apps that, with a small attachment, can estimate this index.<br><br>
A higher index often reveals a glass imitation or synthetic spinel. For me, checking this parameter has become almost instinctive with important stones.</p>

<h2>8. Treatments – the art of enhancement</h2>
<p>During a trip to Colombia, I visited traditional workshops where emeralds have been immersed in oil baths for generations. This ancestral treatment, accepted in the market, improves clarity without altering the nature of the stone.<br><br>
On the other hand, some modern treatments using resins or polymers leave me sceptical. These heavy interventions create stones that are too “perfect”, too shiny to be genuine.<br><br>
At Mayuri, we favour natural emeralds treated only with traditional oiling—never synthetic resins or aggressive processes.</p>

<h2>Conclusion – expertise remains irreplaceable</h2>
<p>These tests have saved me many times, but nothing replaces the trained eye of a professional. After years of handling these stones, certain details become obvious: the way light travels through the stone, how it reacts to changes in lighting, its temperature to the touch...<br><br>
If you are looking for a sizeable emerald, choose jewellers who provide gemmological certificates. When in doubt, don’t hesitate to seek advice from an independent expert or a specialised laboratory.<br><br>
A genuine emerald tells a story millions of years old. It carries the traces of its turbulent formation, and that is precisely what makes it invaluable.</p>