In this article, we are going to discuss one of the most important members of the precious gems quad, Emerald! The green-coloured gem has gained a lot of popularity through time and is amongst the most valuable natural gemstones human has ever found.

There are many alternatives to emerald available in the market, which come in various sizes, made of different materials, and also with different prices. But here, in this article, we will focus our attention on one type of artificial emerald, popularly known as "Gilson emerald", which you must have heard about.

What is a Gilson emerald? What is so different about Gilson emeralds from the rest of the synthetic emeralds? Why should we buy and why should we not buy a Gilson emerald? Don't miss this short article about the wonderful world of emeralds, in which you will learn more about this green gem than ever and love it.

The first successful synthetic alternative to emerald is attributed to Carroll Chatham, the American scientist who started growing emerald crystals in 1938. Back then, the common method of growing synthetic emeralds was the Verneuil process, which used to result in producing emeralds with curved strips and gas bubbles in them. As soon as Carroll Chatham invented the new method of growing emeralds, much more like natural ones, the Verneuil method was discarded.

Chatham's method was the most popular on the market till 1964 when Pierre Gilson, French ceramist and engineer, invented a new process for synthetising emeralds that resulted in producing flux-melt lab-grown emeralds. These new synthetic emeralds were very similar to perfect natural ones in cases of inclusions and transparency.

The rate of occurrence of Gilson's emeralds was 1mm a month which means a 7mm thick crystal needed a full 7 months to grow. The popularity of Gilson emeralds was increasing day by day until the mid-1970s when 95% of the whole synthetic emeralds in the market over the world was commanded by Gilson.

Natural emeralds vs. Gilson emeralds

As natural emeralds are grown beneath the earth, they always include inclusions that show up as tiny patterns or flaws inside the gem. Though this does not affect the worth of these beautiful gems and is one of the major inner properties of emeralds. This property makes detecting a natural emerald from a synthetic one easier as synthetic emeralds, including Gilson emeralds, do not include any inclusions.

Not considering the originality of the gems, some customers prefer flawless synthetic emeralds over natural ones, as they believe they look more beautiful to wear. Usually, synthetic emeralds are way cheaper than natural ones, so if someone tried to sell you a piece of emerald at a lower cost than the other sellers, you should doubt it.

Unlike diamonds, brilliance and clarity is not considered very important when the value of an emerald needs to be gauged. In fact, the value of emeralds is based in their color and saturation.

Gilson emeralds are perfectly grown emeralds that have the same chemical and visual properties as their natural counterparts.

They come in a range of greens, from which you may choose your desired gem. Here at Hassanzadeh Jewellery, we have provided a variety of jewellery items and designs with both natural and Gilson emeralds. Check our website and give the gift of shining to yourself!


4. Oval Shaped Brilliant Cut

A unique shape for diamonds, an oval cut is a smart combination of round brilliant and marquise cut. This cut also makes fingers look longer and thinner because of their elongated shape. Because of its multiple facets, the oval cut reflects the light slightly and brings the maximum amount of brilliance out of the gemstone.
 

5. Cushion Cut

Also known as "Pillow-cut", the Cushion-cut is a special, beautiful derivation of the round brilliant cut. The cut has the shape of a square with rounded corners, adding to its uniqueness and making it very striking. Cushion-cut diamonds are very popular choices for engagement rings, too.


However, buying jewellery from a reliable store is the most important.

You can see several types of jewellery pieces with fancy cuts of various  coloured gemstones and lots more, right here at Hassanzadeh Jewellery, and shop for the one that catches your eyes.