There are several apprehensions about wearing and purchasing a natural emerald gemstone. On one hand, an emerald or panna stone bestows blessings on the wearer and on the other hand there are doubts about its efficiency. Well, imitations, fakes and frauds are always associated with even the most prized gemstones. Many dealers sell synthetic emerald as a natural gemstone and the buyers are hardly able to see the difference.  This invites trouble and disappointment at times. 

A lot of gemstones are actually fake and common people are not knowledgeable enough to recognize such imitations. Because of a lot of internal imperfections, low quality and deceptive colour, people end up bringing a fake emerald gemstone home.

However, there are some specialized equipment in gemmology labs for definitive results about gems to see whether they are real or fake. Well, evaluating whether the gem is natural or fake is no cake walk. Let us find out the ways to know about the differences between a real and fake emerald. Before that let’s have a brief description as to what is a fake emerald.

What is a fake emerald?

• Chemical structure is different.

• Imitated with enhancements.

• Heat-treated to alter colour or increase clarity.

• Synthetic emeralds are created in the lab with the same chemical composition and structure. Even though it has the same features; it’s not a natural emerald gemstone. You get it at a lower price comparatively. 

Learn How to Check your Emerald Stone is Insignificant or Treated

Few Tips To Identify Whether The Emerald Is Real Of Fake

Use Magnifying Glass - Lenses are always the best practise to know the difference between synthetic and the real deal. If the gem is very clear without any irregular patterns then the gem could be a synthetic emerald or not even a gemstone for that matter. Genuine emeralds are not very clear and contain natural imperfections. Too perfect and sparkly clean stones are artificially created and won’t be a good fit for your benefits.

The sparkling effect - Exposing the stone to the light is one of the best methods at your disposal if you don’t have a tool to go for. Under the light, real emeralds will produce no to ‘very little’ flashes. If an intense rainbow of flashes can be seen, it is certainly not an emerald.

Look for layers – If there are 2 to 3 layers of different materials (also called doublets and triplets) that one can see on to an emerald gemstone, be sure that it’s an imitation which is done for the stone to look real, bigger and more valuable. At times, there are glass and plastic layers on top of the genuine one and looks as attractive and appealing as the authentic one. To check if this is the case, immerse the stone in water and look from the side. If you spot different or separating layers, the chances are there that it is an artificial one.

Very low price - Here is another easy and clever way to quickly determine whether an emerald is real or fake. Just look at the price and if it’s suspiciously low for a gem as precious as emerald, it is a clear indication that what you are eyeing is not worth it.  Believe us, real stones could cost more than what you have bargained for.

Rubbing Method - If you doubt that a fake one is being passed off as an original emerald gemstone, just rub the gemstone against a soft piece of wood. If the gem shines, it’s a real natural emerald and if it remains the same with no differences marked, it is a fake one.

Refractive Index check - Well, if you want to go a little further for your satisfaction, go for the most common and usual test of Refractive Index Check. The fake gemstones have less specific gravity and refractive index value as compared to the real emerald gemstone. Real emerald is relatively hard, dense and heavier. Also, the edges of the stone’s facets should not show any signs of wear.  If it looks worn, it’s an emerald imitation.

Secondary Hues - Colour is always one of the major factors in determining the value and quality of a natural emerald. And then colour is again evaluated by degree of darkness or lightness as there is a wide variety of green tones associated with emeralds. Genuine emerald stone comes in various hues of green, from rich to light green tones. But if you spot additional, non-green undertones such as yellow or orange, be aware that the stone could be a fake one or infact another stone such as olivine or green garnet.

These methods are for common people to understand the usual technicalities and features of an emerald (real panna stone) and give them an idea about the gem being fake or real.  There is no need for special equipment as such and by following the simple tips and tricks, one can easily identify the original and real emerald. Still if you feel the doubt about your buy emerald online, you may ask for a certificate documenting the origin of the stone or send the gem to a lab for analysis.

Brahma Gems believes in the overall quality and grade of the gemstones that it deals with. One of the leading and oldest gemstones (Rashi Ratna) store stop provides 100% original panna stone along with a Lab Certificate.