For centuries, gemstones have had a special potential to fascinate people, and have endured the same trend till today. Even though there are plenty of precious stones available in the market, the demand for expensive gemstones remains unmatched!
The maximum desired gems among all the gems that captured the target market are:
"Diamond", "Emerald", "Sapphire," and "Ruby".
Diamonds have been dominating the gemstone market for a long time compared to mentioned other three gemstones. But if you want your character to have more shine and appeal, you can invest in the other 3 big gems – Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire.
The reason for their reputation is the fact that all three gems are in the same league as diamonds. Each gemstone has unique characteristics and appeal that contribute to its charm and price.
Let's use a brief information about each gemstone to get the correct answer to our question: "Is emerald more expensive than sapphire and ruby?"
Emerald
Emerald possesses the unique ability to allure the audience since the millennium thanks to its lush green hue. Being a member of the beryl family of gemstones, emerald arrives in its unique color from traces of vanadium and chromium.
The vivid green color of emerald reminds us of mother nature, and the stone is associated with renewal, prosperity, and growth.
Another unique aspect of emerald is that it has a rich history of being associated with royalty. Plus, it is the birthstone of people who are born in the month of “May”.
You can find the best quality emeralds in Colombia. But there are reserves of emerald present in countries like Brazil, Zambia, and Afghanistan.
Ruby
Being one of the most renowned members of the corundum family, ruby, the other member of the fab 4 gemstones, is famous for its intense red hue that symbolizes courage, passion, and vitality.
They are regularly referred to as the "King of Gemstones" and are the go-to stones of celebrities and royalty around the world. Ruby is one of the most sought-after gemstones with an exceptional rate, but the rate of a gem depends on its shade.
A unique element associated with rubies is that they come in a variety of shades, from pinkish to dove blood (the most expensive). As the birthstone of people born in July, it is believed that ruby promotes spiritual vitality, positive energy, and wellness.
The prime source from where the best-in-class rubies are outsourced is Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), but apart from Myanmar, there are ruby reserves present in Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Mozambique as well.
Sapphire
Known for its deep, rich hue, sapphire surpasses both emerald and ruby due to its variety of colors.
Although sapphire comes mostly in blue, it is additionally found in many colors, including yellow, purple, orange, green, violet, or perhaps colorless (additionally referred to as white sapphire).
Some other member of the corundum circle of relatives, sapphires are known among people to symbolize virtue, understanding, and proper happiness, making them one of the most sought-after gemstones.
As the cornerstone of people born in "September", sapphire is an image of loyalty, sincerity, and holiness. These qualities make sapphire gemstones the most popular for heirloom and Engagement Rings.
You can find excellent sapphires from the reserves found in Kashmir, Sri Lanka, and Burma because the sapphires from these reserves are extremely elegant.
Key differences between Emerald, Ruby, and Sapphire.
Despite being the members of fab 4 in the gemstone industry, these gemstones have several properties that differentiate them from each other.
We have jotted down and discussed certain points that highlight their differences. The following points will facilitate a better understanding of how each gemstone differs from the others and how they are unique in their own manner.
Clarity
- Emerald: Visible inclusions can be seen in the majority of emeralds available today. 'Jardin,' which is the French word for garden, is the common name for emerald. This is because the imperfections enhance the stone's beauty by giving it a moss-like appearance.
- Ruby: Most of the rubies that are accessible today are incorporated in one form or another because of the extreme pressure that is used in their creation. The most common forms of these inclusions are needles, color patches, and tiny crystals.
- Sapphire: The majority of sapphires are included, although premium sapphires are usually eye-clean. Cavities, conclaves, color zoning, fingerprint inclusions, discoid fractures, and silk are the most frequent inclusions in this instance.
Durability
- Emerald: Emerald has a top rating of 7.5-8 on the Mohs scale, so it lasts much less long compared to ruby and sapphire. But it is the miles that are taken into account to make it quite difficult.
- Ruby: Ruby is an exceptionally long-lasting gemstone as it scores 9 out of 10 on the Mohs scale. The score highlights the truth that the gemstone is highly durable and resistant. This means that the gem has the ability to stay for generations.
- Sapphire: Like the ruby, the sapphire has a rating of 9 out of 10 on the Mohs scale, highlighting its energy and durability. All it requires is proper care and concern to ensure the durability of the gemstone.
Value
Generally speaking, a precious gemstone's 4Cs—cut, carat weight, color, and clarity- play a major role in determining its value. Having stated that, these are the approximate values for each gemstone:
- Emerald: The price of a good quality 1-carat emerald is estimated to be between $525 and $1125.
- Ruby: You can expect to pay around $1000 for a good quality 1-carat ruby.
- Sapphire: A brilliant blue sapphire is expected to fetch between $450 and $1,600, according to the carat. It all depends on the quality and quality of the sapphire.
Treatment
- Emerald: Cedar oil is used to heighten the appeal of the gemstone. Cedar oil is a colorless product extracted from cedar trees. The tree oil gives emerald the perfect shine.
- Ruby: Usually, heat treatment is applied to rubies to enhance their color. After the treatment, the rubies look visually appealing.
- Sapphire: Much like rubies, even sapphires are provided the heat treatment for improving their clarity and intensifying their color.
Differences | Ruby | Sapphire | Emerald |
Color | The most valued color is pigeon red. They also come in a purplish-red hue. | The most popular colors are pink, blue, and salmon. | Bluish-green hues are the best. |
Symbolism | Ruby is prized for its striking color and dramatic beauty. | Sapphire is synonymous with romance, luxury, and royalty. | Emerald is the symbol of peace, abundance, and rebirth |
Clarity | You can easily find flaws or inclusions in a ruby. | Finding liquids and gases in sapphire is common. | They have visible flaws or inclusions. |
Hardness | They have excellent durability and are resilient to damage as they have a score of 9 of 10 on the Mohs scale. | They, too, are strong as they also score 9 of 10 on Mohs scale. | They are fairly tough when compared to ruby and sapphire as they score 7.5-8 of 10 on the Mohs scale. |
Treatment | They are usually treated with heat. | They, too, are heat treated. | They are treated with Cedar oil. |
Which gemstone is more expensive?
Now that we have collected all the important statistics about all three gems, let us discover the solution to our main question and clarify our doubts.
Several factors can influence whether emeralds are more expensive than sapphires and rubies, such as pleasantness, length, and unique market situation. In trendy, high-end rubies and sapphires of similar dimensions and clarity, there can be more than emeralds.
In turn, prime emeralds can cost similar to or more than some sapphires and rubies, especially if they have superior hue saturation and few imperfections.
Final Thoughts
When it comes to gemstones, it is very difficult to say for sure whether emeralds cost more than sapphires or rubies. The market fee for a gem is determined based on some requirements, including its location, color, legibility, and rarity.
Although some sapphires and rubies are more expensive than emeralds, pleasant emeralds have excellent magnetic power and are uncommon to generate comparable fees among lenders and gem enthusiasts.
The price and attractiveness of these gems are pre-determined by our perception. Each gemstone has its own extremely good beauty and thrill, whether it's a bright pink ruby, an expensive inexperienced emerald, or an attractive blue sapphire.
For this purpose, gems are eternal treasures that can be popular with the help of collectors everywhere internationally.