The Mogul Emerald

A hefty 200 carats, it is one of the world’s largest finished emeralds, and sold at auction for two million dollars to an anonymous buyer. Rather than a traditional cut, it is in fact a tablet inscribed with Islamic prayers and flowers. The gem is named for the last Mogul Emperor of India, named Aurangzeb in the 1700’s.

Emerald is more easily damaged in the manufacture for jewelry, making setting techniques sometimes more difficult than with diamonds, for example. Natural emerald is usually quite flawed in comparison to other gems, and is graded by eye instead of by magnification. Inclusions are considered more acceptable, and as long as they are not visible to the naked eye, the emerald is considered flawless. Synthetic emeralds are able to be produced with no flaws whatsoever, making them an attractive alternative. Emerald is actually a variety of beryl, given its green hue by a chromium impurity. Generally only larger stones are valuable, though smaller ones occasionally find themselves used as studs in larger pieces of other colors. South America is home to the vastest deposits of natural emerald in the world, and is also home to many record holders.

Emerald has a special place in mythology. It is said that the Greek god Hermes carved the rules of magic on emerald tablets. Emerald was thought by sailors to calm the sea, and was often worn by higher ranking men of the sea as a talisman for good luck. Deep green emeralds were thought to relieve strained eyes when stared into during the medieval period in Europe. Emerald is also associated with the symbology of purity and psychic attunement.

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Purple Jade is often confused with another stone called Nephrite – the two are sort of mineral cousins. Both stones include Silica in their chemical makeup, but from there they part ways. Jadeite has Aluminum and Nephrite Magnesium. Want to get even fancier? Jadeite is technically considered a Sodium Aluminum Silicate, while Nephrite is called Calcium Magnesium Iron Silicate.

True Purple Jade is actually a Jadeite. It happens to be one of the rarer gemstones in the world because the conditions which create it – and the necessary minerals – are so rarely found in the same place. The only part of the globe really well known for its purple jade are parts of Turkey where some vast deposits have been found.

Purple Jade can be found in a wide variety of shades. The rarer stones are a deep rich purple while the lighter violets are easier to find. Indeed, the rarest purple jade gemstones are close to black while the palest include merely a hint of violet.

Purple Jade has a long history of healing. South American Indians believed that it offered special benefits to the kidneys. Spanish Americans who were new to the continent saw the same potential benefit, and called it a “loin stone.”

The Aztecs and the Mayans considered purple jade to be more valuable than gold. It was the color of royalty for their communities and from it they fashioned crowns and masks and necklace and rings for their Kings and Queens. Purple Jade statues were featured in rituals and ceremonies.

The continent of Asia – especially China – has a long relationship with jade, including purple jade. For the Chinese, jade was the greatest of all gemstones and its value importance easily exceeded that of diamonds and gold. They buried beloved rulers with it and considered it to be the stone of courage and wisdom.  Purple Jade remains rare today, but for those who are fortunate enough to find some it is both a beautiful and a meaningful stone.

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Selling a large jewelry estate collection does not have to be a time-consuming, exhausting affair. Knowing how to get the best amount of money for your items can make selling an estate collection of jewelry a rewarding experience. And it really does help to have someone there that knows all about pricing and valuing gold that can help you get the most cash for your gold.

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But there are other symbols that represent romance and undying love. For instance the snake was a shape that was very popular with the Victorians especially that of a snake biting its own tail. This figure forms an unbroken circle signifying everlasting love. In some cultures lizards and frogs were also considered symbols of long term wedded bliss.

So next time you are looking for a perfect gift for the special someone in your life make it truly personal by choosing one of the different symbolic shapes that represent love and romance rather than just the tried and tested heart charm.

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