5mm Round Emerald Pair for Studs

[stargurl78]

I have been looking for a pair of 5mm round green stones to go with my IDJ jackets. I love tsavorites but the one pair that I really liked were $700 and I don't want to go that high being that I'll only be wearing them once in a while. My max budget is $500. I thought emeralds would be pricier but I found a couple pairs for less than the tsavorites. So I'm wondering if the quality I am looking at is not that great, I really don't have much knowledge about emeralds... I figured PSers could help me out.


Here is the pair I just purchased from Embassy Emeralds today. They are Colombian emeralds and the only treatment is cedar oil. I'm not sure when I'll receive them but I'll have 10 days to make a decision once I get them:



What do you guys think? I don't want to give the specific price but let's just say that they were less than half of the price of the tsavorites I was considering for $700.


I was also considering these African emeralds from another vendor (the vendor says they are untreated):



I realize that the second pair has way more inclusions but I'm mainly concerned about the color (I want a medium bluish green) and I want that emerald "glow".

What do you think? TIA!!

 

[minousbijoux]

I personally like the ones you bought over the Zambian ones you were also considering. The Embassy Emerald pair looks to be a very pretty deep and saturated green - in fact, if pressed, I would've guessed they were tsavorites! From the one picture, it doesn't appear that there is a pronounced bluish tint or a glow, but that doesn't mean that they are not very pretty and they will pop in IDJ jackets.

 

[stargurl78]

I personally like the ones you bought over the Zambian ones you were also considering. The Embassy Emerald pair looks to be a very pretty deep and saturated green - in fact, if pressed, I would've guessed they were tsavorites! From the one picture, it doesn't appear that there is a pronounced bluish tint or a glow, but that doesn't mean that they are not very pretty and they will pop in IDJ jackets.

Thank you for your thoughts minousbijoux! At this point, I think I am leaning towards the Embassy pair too. The Embassy pair were significantly cheaper than the other ones so that is a plus too. Maybe I need to realize that if I want a bluish tint or the emerald glow, I'm going to have to spend quite a bit more money...

 

[chrono]

Definitely the Embassy emeralds over the African ones. Colour is also better. As a reminder, you'll need to re-oil your emeralds every few years. No ultrasonic, steamer or even soap. Just a gentle wipe down is fine.

 

[stargurl78]

Definitely the Embassy emeralds over the African ones. Colour is also better. As a reminder, you'll need to re-oil your emeralds every few years. No ultrasonic, steamer or even soap. Just a gentle wipe down is fine.

Thank you Chrono, I think I'll keep the Embassy ones and forget about the other ones. The more I look at the pics, the more I dislike the 2nd set. And thank you so much for your tips, I didn't know they had to be re-oiled! Also, can I clean them with that pink jewelry cleaner, the one that is very mild and doesn't have any ammonia in it? I think the one I have is the same as this stuff:

http://www.amazon.com/Caribbean-Banana-Coconut-Jewelry-Cleaner/dp/B001TQ5CTS/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1355340427&sr=8-15&keywords=jewelry+cleaner

Or no cleaner at all? I can't imagine that my OCD self will be fine with just a wipe down

 

[chrono]

I know the oiling of emerald is done under vacuum, therefore not so easily removed but OCD me is too chicken to to clean it too well for fear of accidentally removing the oil.

ETA
A quick check verified that oiled emeralds are best cleaned with warm (not hot and not cold) water only. Jewellery cleaner liquids and strong soaps will dissolve the oil.

Straight from Embassy themselves:
http://www.embassyemeralds.com/index.php?main_page=emerald_care

Never clean emeralds using an ultrasonic cleaner.
Never steam clean an emerald.
Avoid washing dishes or doing heavy household cleaning while wearing your emerald ring or bracelet.
Do not clean an emerald using acetone or other harsh solvents.
Keep your emerald away from sources of high heat.
Clean your emeralds using room temperature water and a soft toothbrush. Dry with a soft cloth.
Remove fingerprints and other contact grime using a soft, non-abrasive, lint-free cloth. Get in the habit of quickly buffing your watches and jewels before and after use.
Avoid dropping or knocking your emeralds against hard surfaces.
If a piece of emerald jewelry must be repaired, seriously consider removing the stone from the mount to protect it while the repair work is being done.

 

[stargurl78]

Haha, now I will probably become OCD about the oil myself and be too scared to clean them

Thank you so much for sharing that information!