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When asked about a green gemstone, emerald is the first name that will pop into our minds. This beautiful green gem has captivated the hearts of many famous personalities, including the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra (surprised, eh?). Even though emeralds have been around for thousands of years, several questions surround this glamorous gem.

In today’s article, we have picked ten commonly asked questions about emeralds and answered them for you. Keep reading to know them…

1. What is an emerald?

Emerald is a gorgeous green gemstone that belongs to the family of the mineral beryl. It derives its name from a Latin word, “Smaragdus,” which translates to green. Along with its impressive hue, emeralds typically feature mossy or garden-like inclusions called Jardin (the French word for garden).

2. Where are emeralds found?

For a long time, Columbia has been a renowned and significant producer of the world’s best emeralds. Other sources of fine quality emeralds include Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Brazil.

Countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United States, Australia, Russia, and more also contribute towards emerald production.

3. Are emeralds rare?

Emeralds are mined at several places around the globe, due to which, despite being precious, they are easily accessible. But superior quality gems that exhibit a bright green hue and lack eye-visible inclusion are rare and hence, very expensive too.

4. What does an emerald symbolize?

Known as the Gem of Spring, this jewel signifies re-birth, joy, abundance and possesses various positive attributes. It is believed to protect its wearer from the evil eye, cure diseases, bring goodness, calmness, honesty, loyalty in love, and intelligence. Also, emeralds are said to represent good fortune, hope, faith, balance, and sympathy.

5. What is the color of an emerald?

A rich green hue with a vivid color saturation is said to be an emerald’s most exceptional quality. Its stunning color ranges from bluish green to pure green to an intense deep green. Any other gem with a lighter green hue and low saturation is classified as green beryl.

6. Which factors determine the value of emeralds?

When it comes to emeralds, the two qualities that help determine its value are – color and clarity. Emerald that has evenly distributed bluish-green to deep green hue and no eye-visible color zoning are most preferred.

Also, it is well-known that most emeralds contain eye-visible inclusions, and they are generally accepted. However, if this inclusion affects the gem’s transparency or clarity, then its value is drastically reduced.

7. Do emeralds undergo treatments?

The simple answer to this is – Yes, emeralds are often treated. Natural emeralds are heavily included, so they must undergo treatment for better clarity. The standard and most common procedure that is used for emeralds is oiling. Occasionally, they are also color-enhanced to deepen their green hue.

8. How can you identify a genuine emerald?

In today’s market, green beryl, green-colored glass, and even peridots are sold as emeralds. So it is recommended that you examine a gem before purchasing it. Check the gemstone for its hue; if it is bluish-green to deep green, it is a genuine emerald. However, if it is too bluish or yellowish, then it is a high chance that the gem in your hands is fake. Moreover, when viewed under light, if this gem emits rainbow hues, it is not a real emerald.

9. Can emeralds be worn daily?

Emeralds rank at 7.5 to 8 on the mineral hardness scale, which means that they are durable and can be worn every day. But they are not as tough as diamonds or ruby, so you need to be cautious when wearing them to avoid damage.

Spring is coming, and that means it’s time to put away the turtlenecks and make your face and body irresistible again.

But this got me thinking, just what is it about a simple black choker? Once you’ve put one on, you just want to scream. Why is that?

Not only do they go with every kind of outfit, but they enhance just any look you’re going for.

Wear it with a leather jacket and you’ll look badder.
Wear it with formal attire and you’ll look more classier.
Wear it with kiddie clothes and you’ll look cuter.
Wear it with a business suit and you’ll look smarter.
Wear it with goth attire and you’ll look darker.
Wear it with soulful clothes and you’ll look funkier.
Wear it with just underwear and you’ll look sexier.

And all it is is a black ribbon. It’s magic!

But allow me to explain.

The choker is not included in most attires; it is solely an accessory. When you have a dress or outfit, you’re usually good to go.

But with a black choker, there is just so much that it compliments. Your face for one. With an additional feature to stare at, you head has another layer of beauty. Don’t have piercings? Don’t like applying makeup? No worries!

Unless you are wearing another necklace, you don’t really have anything to occupy that chest area. A black choker, however, is easily noticeable, and adds depth to any outfit.

Additionally, black is a color that goes great with any other color, so a black choker gives you an additional color to your outfit that’s neutral and high in contrast.

And let’s not forget, chokers are cheap, regardless of what material you buy one in: Velvet, satin, leather, latex, or nylon. So what are you waiting for? Buy some in many different widths and feel the magic!

Chokers are fun, sexy accessories that come in various colors, styles, and materials. But just like skinny jeans and colorblock shirts, they’re placed in a giant rotation of garments that start and stop becoming trendy.

For mostly affordable and energetic jewels that do a lot to make you look pretty, you would expect they would be a staple in fashion like tank tops and baseball caps. You’d even think they would be treated in the same vein as makeup and earrings as a way to make your face look professional. But alas, they come and go at the will of the fashion gods.

With that said, we’ve come up with several reasons why women might not be high on chokers, with rebuttals for each.

They’re Too Bold

This is a valid argument indeed. Many chokers are thick, bold, and noticeable, but that is so that they stand out. Velvet and ribbon chokers are the most common with very wide widths of 5/8 inches and up, and it is understandable if something that wide can be off-putting to some. Sometimes, women don’t want to stand out or be noticed and that’s okay.

My Tip: Many chokers can be thin, in fact. Women can just tie a thin cord around their neck and it can still look very alluring, for vlogs and self portraits if nothing else.

They’re Too Excessive

Women can see chokers as too bold, or they can also see them as them adding too much to their outfit. Chokers definitely give an outfit something more to look at, but some women just don’t see them as simpler accessories like other necklaces. Not only can chokers vary in simplicity, but so can outfits, and when women often collect clothes that are unique and attractive in their own right, bold accessories can seem like too much.

My Tip: Many longer necklaces can be modified into chokers, albeit you would need some extra work to make it possible. If there is another necklace that you like wearing, try to make it shorter. That way, you won’t feel as if it’s too bold if you are already used to wearing it.

They’re Too Retro

Chokers were definitely once popular before, most notably in the 90s, so it’s not hard for women to recognize them as a 90s fad. In today’s generations, chokers have been more out of style than they have been, which explains why many see it as a “90’s thing” when it comes back in style.

My Tip: Disregard this. Truth be told, they were conceptualized thousands of years prior.

They’re Not Versatile

Many chokers definitely have a unique style to them, and many look wicked on their own accord. But for many women, they likely aren’t sure how many outfits can be paired with a victorian cameo or large, gold pearls. The chokers usually are big, with unique shapes and colors.

My Tip: Get one in a black ribbon. You cannot go wrong with just a simple black choker that you can pair with just any color.

They’re For Weirdos

TV has a ton of influence on people. They usually are what help curb trends and pop culture. Over the years, scripted programming has always labeled chokers as unusual attire, thus, they’re often given to characters with abnormal personalities. They’re quirky like Abby Sciuto, headstrong like Donna Martin, or just on a distant planet like Phoebe Buffay. Needless to say, characters that are known to wear chokers often on TV shows happen to also have negative traits about them. And that’s unfortunate.

My Tip: What these ladies also have in common is that they have great taste in fashion.

Women Only Wear What’s Trendy

Another viable reason is that some women don’t really care for chokers, they only follow trends. They only wear what’s “in” simply because it looks favorable at the time and won’t feel confident any other way. Millions of women have bought them in the last half-decade only for them to lapse.

My Tip: Don’t follow trends. Wear what makes you feel comfortable.

Women “Grow Up”

When Michelle Obama said, “There is no limit to what we, as women, can achieve” the world applauded her for a simplistic approach to a great philosophy. Celebrating International Women’s Day is a simple attempt at expressing our gratitude and admiration for the many ways in which women make the world a beautiful place to live in.

However, we often fail to realize the contribution that a woman makes to our lives and a mere acknowledgment of her efforts can make her day memorable. This Women’s Day, let us all take the opportunity and truly celebrate the real spirit of womanhood.

Here are some ways in which you can express her importance in your life…

1) Plan A Surprise

You can plan a surprise dinner date at your girlfriend’s favorite restaurant. Maybe you can plan a visit to your best friend’s office with some fresh flowers. Bake your mom her favorite pie, or simply help your wife with the dishes.

2) Write A Letter

In today’s age of technology and internet, we hardly pen down our thoughts, dreams or ideas on a piece of paper. Take this opportunity to sit back and write a sweet letter reflecting your thoughts for the special lady in your life and nothing will make her happier than a heart-warming message.

3) Prepare For A Movie Night

Make a list of all her favorite movies, grab popcorn and sodas and let her enjoy a perfect movie night to her heart’s content. She deserves relaxation and a break from her everyday routine.

4) Gift Her Jewelry

The most thoughtful of all the gift ideas for women’s day celebration would be a sparkling jewelry piece. It is said that diamonds are a girl’s best friend and any woman would surely vouch for it. But your wife will also love to stand out from the crowd with a spellbinding sapphire ring as her gift for women’s day celebration. You can also gift a ring or a pendant adorned with her birthstone. A pair of pretty pink sapphire earrings will delight your best friend or your lovely sister, while a classic pearl strand or a dazzling amethyst bracelet is sure to charm your mother!

Take a look at Angara’s assortment of beautiful diamond and colored gemstone jewelry and you are sure to find something that matches their style.

5) Spend Quality Time

While our busy lives take most of our time, you can plan to spend a few moments of your day with the special lady in your life and thank her for being supportive and understanding at all times. A great conversation can do wonders!

Bulgari presents Colour Journey, a capsule collection of high jewellery, watches and handbags that is the initial step in a voyage of immersion in the wondrous world of gemstones. For the initial collection, Bulgari has focused on the magnificent aqua-green Paraiba tourmaline, which so vividly showcases the Roman jeweller’s inimitable confidence when it comes to creating brilliant combinations of colour. Seventeen jewels, two watches and handbags with gem-set handles set the tone for Bulgari’s opulent and awe-inspiring initial Colour Journey.

The Paraiba tourmaline or cuprian elbaite tourmaline – as it is more prosaically known – is one of the most rare and sought after gemstones in the world. For every 10,000 diamonds unearthed, there is but one Paraiba tourmaline. This captivating neon blue-green stone was first discovered by gem-hunter Heitor Dimas Barbosa in the 1980’s in the Brazilian state of Paraiba. Imagine his delight on discovering the unreal, electric blue of this tourmaline that has since captivated the world and rocketed in value. Mozambique offers another source of a similar form of cuprian elbaite with very small chemical differences in its composition compared to its Latin American cousin across the Atlantic. It is the presence of copper and manganese that give this tourmaline its scintillating play of colour and dazzling light that unlike other gems, beams out even in the weakest light. The copper-rich mountains of Mozambique offer a tantalising luminous green hue that has to be seen in real life to be fully appreciated. What’s more, unlike diamonds, Paraiba tourmaline are not often found in large sizes meaning that anything over 2 carats is extremely unusual. 

In the world of charm jewelry, more is more. Each piece is symbolic, and often sentimental—like the jewelry equivalent of a scrapbook, charms are collected as wearable memories that can be added to necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings. And while charm jewelry is booming, it’s a genre that’s been around for centuries. Queen Victoria herself is said to have had a charm bracelet so beautiful and popular that it inspired the creation of Tiffany & Co.’s iconic bracelet in 1889.

A pre-curated piece is always an option, but if you plan to create your own, follow this advice: “[Find] a larger charm that can be an anchor: a piece that the other charms can all be built around,” says Jennifer Shanker, founder of MUSE showroom and frequent collaborator on charm collections with independent designers. “The most important thing is to find charms that speak to you. If you can find personal meaning in a charm, you will never want to take it off.”