· Be₃Al₂Si₆O₁₈ · 7.5 to 8

Emerald

Emerald is green beryl, coloured by chromium or vanadium. Almost every mined emerald is cracked and included, and most are oiled to hide it. Lab emerald is real beryl too, but it cannot be grown in a flame: it crystallises slowly from flux or hot water over weeks or months, so it costs tens of dollars a carat. A big, cheap "lab emerald" is glass.

From the ground to your hand

The same stone at four moments. Tap a photo of a listing to see it on Amazon.

01 In the ground (step 1 of 4)

A natural emerald crystal in its host rock, Muzo mine, Colombia: the benchmark for emerald colour.

Real specimen. Photo: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 3.0.
02 Out of the lab (step 2 of 4)

Real lab emerald, straight out of the : flux-grown crystals still hanging on the wires they grew on. Hydrothermal lab emerald comes out as flat slabs grown on instead. Real lab emerald rough is not sold cheaply; the 300 ct "lab emerald rough" for $20 listings are glass.

Real specimen. Photo: Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart, CC BY 4.0.
03 Cut (step 3 of 4)

A lab-created emerald, emerald cut, 8 x 6 mm (about 1 to 2 ct).

Amazon listing photo. See it on Amazon
04 Set (step 4 of 4)

A created emerald in a Celtic sterling silver ring.

Amazon listing photo. See it on Amazon

Mineral: Beryl
Colour from: Chromium or vanadium
Hardness: 7.5 to 8, but brittle
Grown in labs since: 1930s to 1940s (flux), 1960s (hydrothermal)
Famous sources: Colombia, Zambia, Brazil

Famous emerald in museums

What the finest natural stones look like: real pieces in public collections. The whole gem museum.

The Chalk Emerald: About 37.8 carats of Colombian emerald, ringed with diamonds. — **The Chalk Emerald**About 37.8 carats of Colombian emerald, ringed with diamonds.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryOnce set in an emerald and diamond necklace belonging to a maharani of Baroda.Photo: Cliff, CC BY 2.0.

**The Chalk Emerald**About 37.8 carats of Colombian emerald, ringed with diamonds.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryOnce set in an emerald and diamond necklace belonging to a maharani of Baroda.Photo: Cliff, CC BY 2.0.

The Hooker Emerald: About 75.5 carats of Colombian emerald, set as a brooch by Tiffany. — **The Hooker Emerald**About 75.5 carats of Colombian emerald, set as a brooch by Tiffany.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistorySaid to have once decorated the belt buckle of an Ottoman sultan.Photo: Cliff, CC BY 2.0.

**The Hooker Emerald**About 75.5 carats of Colombian emerald, set as a brooch by Tiffany.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistorySaid to have once decorated the belt buckle of an Ottoman sultan.Photo: Cliff, CC BY 2.0.

The Mackay Emerald Necklace: A Colombian emerald of about 168 carats, set by Cartier in 1931. — **The Mackay Emerald Necklace**A Colombian emerald of about 168 carats, set by Cartier in 1931.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryA wedding gift from the Mackay family; the largest cut emerald in the national collection.Photo: Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.0.

**The Mackay Emerald Necklace**A Colombian emerald of about 168 carats, set by Cartier in 1931.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryA wedding gift from the Mackay family; the largest cut emerald in the national collection.Photo: Andrew Bossi, CC BY-SA 2.0.

The Dom Pedro Aquamarine: About 10,363 carats, the largest cut aquamarine in the world, carved into an obelisk about 35 cm tall. — **The Dom Pedro Aquamarine**About 10,363 carats, the largest cut aquamarine in the world, carved into an obelisk about 35 cm tall.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryAquamarine is beryl, the same mineral as emerald, blue from iron. The crystal was found in Brazil in the 1980s and carved by the German artist Bernd Munsteiner.Photo: 颐园居, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Gachala Emerald: An uncut crystal of 858 carats from the Vega de San Juan mine at Gachala, Colombia, found in 1967. — **The Gachala Emerald**An uncut crystal of 858 carats from the Vega de San Juan mine at Gachala, Colombia, found in 1967.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryOne of the largest gem emerald crystals known, given to the Smithsonian by the jeweller Harry Winston.Photo: thisisbossi, CC BY-SA 2.0.

**The Gachala Emerald**An uncut crystal of 858 carats from the Vega de San Juan mine at Gachala, Colombia, found in 1967.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryOne of the largest gem emerald crystals known, given to the Smithsonian by the jeweller Harry Winston.Photo: thisisbossi, CC BY-SA 2.0.

The Patricia Emerald: An uncut, twelve-sided crystal of about 632 carats from the Chivor mine, Colombia, found in 1920. — **The Patricia Emerald**An uncut, twelve-sided crystal of about 632 carats from the Chivor mine, Colombia, found in 1920.American Museum of Natural History, New York (shown here with other emeralds in its case)Left uncut because the whole crystal is worth more than any stone that could be cut from it. Named after the mine owner’s daughter.Photo: Vicpeters, CC BY 4.0.

**The Patricia Emerald**An uncut, twelve-sided crystal of about 632 carats from the Chivor mine, Colombia, found in 1920.American Museum of Natural History, New York (shown here with other emeralds in its case)Left uncut because the whole crystal is worth more than any stone that could be cut from it. Named after the mine owner’s daughter.Photo: Vicpeters, CC BY 4.0.

The Devonshire Emerald: An uncut crystal of about 1,384 carats from the Muzo mine, Colombia. — **The Devonshire Emerald**An uncut crystal of about 1,384 carats from the Muzo mine, Colombia.Natural History Museum, LondonGiven to the 6th Duke of Devonshire by Emperor Pedro I of Brazil in 1831, and one of the largest uncut emeralds known.Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0.

**The Devonshire Emerald**An uncut crystal of about 1,384 carats from the Muzo mine, Colombia.Natural History Museum, LondonGiven to the 6th Duke of Devonshire by Emperor Pedro I of Brazil in 1831, and one of the largest uncut emeralds known.Photo: Thomas Quine, CC BY 2.0.

The Spanish Inquisition Necklace: Colombian emeralds and old Indian-cut diamonds on a long necklace. — **The Spanish Inquisition Necklace**Colombian emeralds and old Indian-cut diamonds on a long necklace.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryDespite the dramatic name, no link to the Inquisition has ever been shown. The emeralds travelled from Colombia to India, where they were cut.Photo: dbking, CC BY 2.0.

**The Spanish Inquisition Necklace**Colombian emeralds and old Indian-cut diamonds on a long necklace.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural HistoryDespite the dramatic name, no link to the Inquisition has ever been shown. The emeralds travelled from Colombia to India, where they were cut.Photo: dbking, CC BY 2.0.

The Topkapi Dagger: An Ottoman dagger of 1746 with three large emeralds on the hilt and a small watch hidden in the end. — **The Topkapi Dagger**An Ottoman dagger of 1746 with three large emeralds on the hilt and a small watch hidden in the end.Topkapi Palace Museum, IstanbulMade as a gift for Nader Shah of Persia, who was killed before it arrived. It became world famous from the 1964 heist film Topkapi.Photo: Joseolgon, CC BY 4.0.

**The Topkapi Dagger**An Ottoman dagger of 1746 with three large emeralds on the hilt and a small watch hidden in the end.Topkapi Palace Museum, IstanbulMade as a gift for Nader Shah of Persia, who was killed before it arrived. It became world famous from the 1964 heist film Topkapi.Photo: Joseolgon, CC BY 4.0.

A carved Mughal emerald: A large Colombian emerald carved with flowers in India in the 17th century, later set in a European mount. — **A carved Mughal emerald**A large Colombian emerald carved with flowers in India in the 17th century, later set in a European mount.Museum of Islamic Art, DohaSpanish ships carried Colombian emeralds around the world; the Mughal emperors of India prized them and had them carved.Photo: Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0.

**A carved Mughal emerald**A large Colombian emerald carved with flowers in India in the 17th century, later set in a European mount.Museum of Islamic Art, DohaSpanish ships carried Colombian emeralds around the world; the Mughal emperors of India prized them and had them carved.Photo: Francesco Bini, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Crown of the Andes: A gold crown set with hundreds of Colombian emeralds, made in Popayan, Colombia, from about 1660, with arches added about 1770. — **The Crown of the Andes**A gold crown set with hundreds of Colombian emeralds, made in Popayan, Colombia, from about 1660, with arches added about 1770.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkMade for a statue of the Virgin Mary, it is one of the finest pieces of colonial Latin American goldwork known.Photo: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0.

The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire: An eight-sided gold crown set with sapphires, emeralds, amethysts and pearls, probably made in the late 10th century. — **The Imperial Crown of the Holy Roman Empire**An eight-sided gold crown set with sapphires, emeralds, amethysts and pearls, probably made in the late 10th century.Imperial Treasury (Kaiserliche Schatzkammer), Hofburg, ViennaGerman kings were crowned with it for centuries. The stones are cut as smooth domes, not facets: faceting came later.Photo: Bede735c, CC BY-SA 3.0.

A Roman emerald necklace: Natural emerald crystals strung between gold links, Roman Empire, 2nd or 3rd century AD. — **A Roman emerald necklace**Natural emerald crystals strung between gold links, Roman Empire, 2nd or 3rd century AD.British Museum, LondonRomans did not facet emeralds. They drilled the natural six-sided crystals end to end and strung them like beads.Photo: Vassil, CC0.

**A Roman emerald necklace**Natural emerald crystals strung between gold links, Roman Empire, 2nd or 3rd century AD.British Museum, LondonRomans did not facet emeralds. They drilled the natural six-sided crystals end to end and strung them like beads.Photo: Vassil, CC0.

Another Roman emerald necklace: Natural emerald crystals and gold, Roman. — **Another Roman emerald necklace**Natural emerald crystals and gold, Roman.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkMost of the emeralds the Romans wore came from mines in the Egyptian desert, worked since the time of the pharaohs.Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0.

**Another Roman emerald necklace**Natural emerald crystals and gold, Roman.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New YorkMost of the emeralds the Romans wore came from mines in the Egyptian desert, worked since the time of the pharaohs.Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0.

The Marie Louise Diadem: A diadem of more than 1,000 old-cut diamonds set with Persian turquoise. Napoleon gave it to Empress Marie-Louise in 1810, set with emeralds. — **The Marie Louise Diadem**A diadem of more than 1,000 old-cut diamonds set with Persian turquoise. Napoleon gave it to Empress Marie-Louise in 1810, set with emeralds.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, WashingtonIn the 1950s a jeweller took the emeralds out and sold them one by one, and put turquoise in their place.Photo: Cliff from Arlington, Virginia, USA, CC BY 2.0.

The Crown of Saint Wenceslas (replicas): The Bohemian royal crown, made in 1347 for Charles IV, gold set with sapphires, spinels, emeralds and pearls. — **The Crown of Saint Wenceslas (replicas)**The Bohemian royal crown, made in 1347 for Charles IV, gold set with sapphires, spinels, emeralds and pearls.Original: St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague (shown only on rare occasions). Replicas shown here.Its big red stones were long called rubies. Many are spinels, a different gem that was not told apart from ruby until modern times.Photo: Przemek Pietrak, CC BY-SA 3.0.

**The Crown of Saint Wenceslas (replicas)**The Bohemian royal crown, made in 1347 for Charles IV, gold set with sapphires, spinels, emeralds and pearls.Original: St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague (shown only on rare occasions). Replicas shown here.Its big red stones were long called rubies. Many are spinels, a different gem that was not told apart from ruby until modern times.Photo: Przemek Pietrak, CC BY-SA 3.0.

An emerald pendant from Jaipur: A pendant of gold, emeralds, diamonds, enamel and a pearl, made in Jaipur, Rajasthan, in the 1700s. — **An emerald pendant from Jaipur**A pendant of gold, emeralds, diamonds, enamel and a pearl, made in Jaipur, Rajasthan, in the 1700s.Cleveland Museum of ArtMost emeralds in Mughal and Rajput jewellery came from Colombia, carried by Spanish and Portuguese traders across the world.Photo: Tim Evanson from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0.

**An emerald pendant from Jaipur**A pendant of gold, emeralds, diamonds, enamel and a pearl, made in Jaipur, Rajasthan, in the 1700s.Cleveland Museum of ArtMost emeralds in Mughal and Rajput jewellery came from Colombia, carried by Spanish and Portuguese traders across the world.Photo: Tim Evanson from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0.

The Indian Emerald Necklace by Cartier: An Art Deco necklace in platinum with 24 graduated emerald drops and hundreds of small diamonds, made by Cartier in 1928 to 1929. — **The Indian Emerald Necklace by Cartier**An Art Deco necklace in platinum with 24 graduated emerald drops and hundreds of small diamonds, made by Cartier in 1928 to 1929.Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, WashingtonThe emeralds are Colombian, cut and set in an Indian style. Cartier’s Indian-inspired pieces were the height of fashion in the 1920s.Photo: thisisbossi from Washington, DC, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0.

The Iranian imperial belt: A coronation belt with a huge emerald at its buckle, from the Iranian crown jewels. — **The Iranian imperial belt**A coronation belt with a huge emerald at its buckle, from the Iranian crown jewels.Iranian National Jewels, Central Bank of Iran, TehranThe Iranian treasury holds one of the largest collections of emeralds in the world, much of it gathered by the Safavid and Qajar shahs.Photo: Siroos777, Public domain.

**The Iranian imperial belt**A coronation belt with a huge emerald at its buckle, from the Iranian crown jewels.Iranian National Jewels, Central Bank of Iran, TehranThe Iranian treasury holds one of the largest collections of emeralds in the world, much of it gathered by the Safavid and Qajar shahs.Photo: Siroos777, Public domain.

The Pala d’Oro: The gold altarpiece of St Mark’s in Venice, set with Byzantine enamels and nearly 2,000 gems: emeralds, sapphires, garnets, amethysts, pearls and more. — **The Pala d’Oro**The gold altarpiece of St Mark’s in Venice, set with Byzantine enamels and nearly 2,000 gems: emeralds, sapphires, garnets, amethysts, pearls and more.Basilica di San Marco, VeniceMany of its enamels were made in Constantinople, and some were taken from the city when crusaders sacked it in 1204.Photo: Gérard, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Crown of Bavaria: The crown of the Kings of Bavaria, made in Paris in 1806 and 1807 by the jeweller Marie-Étienne Nitot with the goldsmiths Leblond and Biennais. — **The Crown of Bavaria**The crown of the Kings of Bavaria, made in Paris in 1806 and 1807 by the jeweller Marie-Étienne Nitot with the goldsmiths Leblond and Biennais.Treasury of the Residenz, MunichBavaria became a kingdom in 1806 with Napoleon’s backing, so the new king ordered his crown from Napoleon’s own jewellers.Photo: Jebulon, CC0.

The Emerald Unguentarium: A small vessel hollowed out of a single 2,680-carat Colombian emerald crystal by Dionysio Miseroni in Prague in 1641, with an enamelled gold lid. — **The Emerald Unguentarium**A small vessel hollowed out of a single 2,680-carat Colombian emerald crystal by Dionysio Miseroni in Prague in 1641, with an enamelled gold lid.Imperial Treasury (Kaiserliche Schatzkammer), ViennaInstead of cutting the crystal into gems, Miseroni hollowed it out, keeping almost the whole stone as one vessel.Photo: MyName (Gryffindor), Public domain.

Sultan Abdulhamid I’s emerald turban pendant: A turban ornament of Sultan Abdulhamid I, built around three large emeralds, in the treasury of Topkapı Palace. — **Sultan Abdulhamid I’s emerald turban pendant**A turban ornament of Sultan Abdulhamid I, built around three large emeralds, in the treasury of Topkapı Palace.Topkapı Palace Museum, IstanbulOttoman sultans pinned jewels like this to the front of the turban, so the emeralds sat right at the centre of attention.Photo: Daniel Villafruela, CC BY 3.0.

A Mughal jade wine cup set with rubies and emeralds: A wine cup of jade inlaid with gold, rubies and emeralds, made in Mughal India in the 18th century. — **A Mughal jade wine cup set with rubies and emeralds**A wine cup of jade inlaid with gold, rubies and emeralds, made in Mughal India in the 18th century.Guimet Museum (Musée Guimet), ParisMughal jewellers set gems into jade so finely that the gold lines look painted on.Photo: Vassil, Public domain.

The Crown of Stephen Bocskai: A gold crown set with rubies, spinels, emeralds, turquoises and pearls, given by the Ottoman sultan to Stephen Bocskai, Prince of Transylvania, in 1605. — **The Crown of Stephen Bocskai**A gold crown set with rubies, spinels, emeralds, turquoises and pearls, given by the Ottoman sultan to Stephen Bocskai, Prince of Transylvania, in 1605.Imperial Treasury (Kaiserliche Schatzkammer), ViennaA Muslim sultan crowned a Protestant prince, and the crown ended up in the treasury of the Catholic Habsburgs he had fought.Photo: Dennis G. Jarvis, CC BY-SA 2.0.

A Mughal mango-shaped flask: A 6.5 cm flask in the shape of a mango, made of two halves of rock crystal held by gold wire scrolls set with rubies and emeralds, with enamel. — **A Mughal mango-shaped flask**A 6.5 cm flask in the shape of a mango, made of two halves of rock crystal held by gold wire scrolls set with rubies and emeralds, with enamel.Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (1993.18)The Met dates it to the reign of Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal, when the Mughal court loved jewelled objects shaped like nature.Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art, CC0.

Hydrothermal or flux: which lab emerald looks right

Lab emerald is grown two main ways, and each one leaves a different look inside the stone. Neither is a quality grade.

Hydrothermal: the clean, clear one

Hydrothermal emerald grows in hot, high-pressure water inside a sealed steel vessel, usually on a thin seed plate of beryl. It grows layer by layer over weeks, and it can come out remarkably clean and transparent.

That clarity is its strength and its tell. A big emerald with perfectly even colour and almost nothing inside does not look like the emeralds most people have seen, because mined emerald almost never looks like that. If you want a clear, saturated green centre stone, that is exactly what you are paying for.

Under a loupe a gemmologist may find the seed plate, colour zoning, (zigzag) growth lines, or tiny tubes with a crystal at one end, called nail-head . Biron and Tairus are well-known hydrothermal growers.

Grown inHot water under pressure
Typical lookVery clean, very even
Inside cluesSeed plate, chevrons, nail-head spicules
Best forA clear, bright centre stone

Flux: the one with a garden

Flux emerald grows from the ingredients dissolved in a molten chemical bath inside a platinum crucible, cooled very slowly over months. As the crystal grows it traps wisps of the flux.

Those wispy veils and fingerprint-like trails are lab , but they give the stone the soft inner texture people expect from a mined emerald, the or garden. That is why some buyers, and many jewellers, prefer flux emerald when they want a stone that looks natural rather than perfect. Chatham and Gilson are the classic flux names.

Grown inMolten flux, platinum crucible
Typical lookSoft veils, more character
Inside cluesWispy veils, flux-filled cavities
Best forA natural-looking stone

Pick the stone, not the method

A beautiful hydrothermal emerald can look better than a dull flux one, and the other way round. Judge the colour, how clear it is and how much character you want, with the stone in front of you or on video. If a seller charges more because a stone is flux or hydrothermal, ask what the extra money changes to your eye. Do not pay for factory words.

Most mined emeralds have cracks that reach the surface, and nearly all are oiled or filled with resin to hide them. A clean lab emerald avoids most of that crack weakness and needs no oil. It is still beryl, though: 7.5 to 8 on the hardness scale and brittle, so a bezel or protective setting is still the smart choice for a ring.

Where lab emerald saves the most

The bigger the stone, the bigger the gap. A large, clean, saturated mined emerald is one of the most expensive coloured gems there is; the lab version of the same size and colour costs a small fraction of that. For a small accent stone the saving is smaller, and a mined stone may be worth it to you.

What a lab stone does not give you: a place of origin, natural inclusions, rarity, or resale value. Buy it for the ring you want to wear now, not as something that will gain value.

When a report is worth it

For an inexpensive lab emerald you do not need a laboratory report. A report earns its fee when the identity changes the price: proving a pricey stone is natural, or that it is lab-grown and not glass or a doublet.

A report cannot tell you whether an emerald looks too perfect to you, or whether you like its garden. Only seeing the stone does that.

Mined vs lab-grown emerald

Mined and lab-grown emerald are the same mineral; this is what differs
	Mined	Lab-grown
How it formed	From rare hot brines carrying beryllium and chromium	From flux or hot pressurised water, over weeks to months
Inside	Many cracks and inclusions (the "garden")	Cleaner; flux veils or chevron growth lines
Treatment	Most are oiled or resin-filled	Normally none
Price	Hundreds to thousands of dollars a carat	Tens of dollars a carat
Resale	Fine stones hold value	Little

Treatments. Most mined emeralds are oiled or filled with resin to hide surface-reaching cracks. Oil can dry out, so keep emeralds away from ultrasonic and steam cleaners. All gem treatments explained.

Where natural emerald comes from

Pins mark mining districts, not exact mines. Drag to move, pinch or scroll to zoom, tap a pin to read about it. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

List of every place on the map (4)

Emerald: Muzo and Chivor, Colombia. The benchmark for emerald colour, mined since before the Spanish arrived.
Emerald: Kafubu (Kagem), Zambia. One of the largest emerald producers today; slightly bluish green.
Emerald: Minas Gerais and Bahia, Brazil. Large volumes of commercial-grade emerald.
Emerald: Panjshir valley, Afghanistan. Bright emerald from high mountain mines.

How it is cut

Lab emerald is mostly machine-cut in calibrated sizes, which is why a cut lab stone costs little more than its rough. Fine mined stones are often native-cut to keep weight, then recut by precision cutters. See cuts from easiest to hardest and whether cutting your own is cheaper than buying cut.

What to buy

Checked in stock on October 10, 2026. Photos are the listings' own; prices are rounded.

Our first pick

Instagem lab-created emerald, emerald cut, 8 x 6 mm, 1.04 to 2.11 ct

about $75

Real lab beryl from a long-running lab-gem seller, priced like the real thing.

See it on Amazon

Also good

Youkeygem lab-grown emerald, "Colombia" colour, 7 x 9 mm

about $75

With an AGL certificate per the listing. Choose the Colombia or Zambia colour; the YAG option is not emerald.

See it on Amazon

Also good

DAYBYDAY Celtic ring with created emerald, sterling silver

about $55

An oval green stone in an ornate Celtic band.

See it on Amazon

Lab emerald by size: carats and prices

The same lab-created emerald from one long-running seller, Instagem, from a ring stone to a showpiece. Drawn to scale: each step up roughly doubles the weight and the price, which is how real lab emerald behaves.

7 x 5 mm about 0.8 to 0.9 ct about $55 a pair 8 x 6 mm 1.04 to 2.11 ct about $75 10 x 8 mm 2.57 to 3.83 ct about $170 11 x 9 mm 3.26 to 4.50 ct about $230 14 x 10 mm 5.56 to 7.30 ct about $385 16 x 12 mm 8.65 to 10.31 ct about $575 18 x 13 mm 11.18 to 14.79 ct about $1,070

Shapes drawn to scale. Tap any size to see it on Amazon.

Other cuts, small to large

Round5 mm, 0.40 to 0.62 ctabout $33 on Amazon →

Round10 mm, 2.93 to 3.10 ctabout $180 on Amazon →

Oval7 x 5 mm, 0.68 to 0.75 ctabout $33 on Amazon →

Oval14 x 10 mm, 4.95 to 6.02 ctabout $300 on Amazon →

Oval16 x 12 mm, 9.20 to 9.75 ctabout $440 on Amazon →

Pear12 x 8 mm, 2.64 to 2.97 ctabout $165 on Amazon →

Pear16 x 12 mm, 5.28 to 6.46 ctabout $530 on Amazon →

Cushion5 x 5 mm, 0.48 to 0.58 ctabout $33 on Amazon →

Cushion10 x 10 mm, 3.38 to 4.14 ctabout $235 on Amazon →

Heart7 mm, 1.04 to 1.09 ctabout $44 on Amazon →

Princess7 mm, 1.49 to 1.69 ctabout $90 on Amazon →

Trillion8 mm, 1.51 to 1.84 ctabout $95 on Amazon →

Marquise6 x 3 mm, 0.22 to 0.26 ctabout $27 on Amazon →

Asscher10 mm, weight not listedabout $255 on Amazon →

Oval cabochon7 x 5 mm, weight not listedabout $55 on Amazon →

Coffin6 x 4 mm, weight not listedabout $33 on Amazon →

Kite10 x 4.5 mm, weight not listedabout $63 on Amazon →

Lozenge14 x 7 mm, weight not listedabout $120 on Amazon →

Long baguette17 x 4 mm, weight not listedabout $165 on Amazon →

All 10 checked emerald picks

See them all The full catalog 124 For women 2 Loose stones 8

The emerald shop: 68 more pieces we trust

Every piece names the real stone and comes from a seller with a record, checked in stock on October 11, 2026. Photos are the listings' own; prices are rounded.

Sort

Loose stones11.18 to 14.79 ctInstagem lab emerald, emerald cut, 18 x 13 mmThe big one, and the most honest price tag on this page. A lab ruby this size costs about $35; a lab emerald costs a thousand dollars, because it grows for months in a flux or an autoclave and most of the crystal is lost in cutting. Any big lab emerald for a few dollars is glass, and this listing is how you know.about $1,070on Amazon →

Loose stones3.80 to 4.64 ctInstagem lab emerald, cushion cut, 12 x 10 mmA softer cushion shape, for a centre stone.about $300on Amazon →

Loose stones3.26 to 4.50 ctInstagem lab emerald, emerald cut, 11 x 9 mmThe middle step: a real ring centre at about a fifth of the big stone price.about $230on Amazon →

Loose stones2.57 to 3.83 ctInstagem lab emerald, emerald cut, 10 x 8 mmPrice climbs steeply with size, which is exactly what real lab emerald does.about $170on Amazon →

Loose stones1.51 to 1.84 ctInstagem lab emerald, trillion cut, 8 x 8 mmA three-sided cut, flat and wide, so it looks bigger than its weight.about $95on Amazon →

Loose stonesTianzuan hydrothermal lab emerald, 7 x 9 mmThe listing names the growth method and admits inclusions, both signs of an honest seller. Ships on lead time.about $90on Amazon →

WomenAmazon Essentials created emerald flower studsThe matching earrings.about $38on Amazon →

Women3 ctEcoGems lab emerald emerald-cut halo necklaceFrom a seller that sells only lab-grown stones.about $170on Amazon →

Jewellery1.25 ctLab emerald earrings, pear, 1.25 ct, 14K white goldabout $250on Amazon →

Jewellery1.5 ctLab emerald earrings, round, 6 mm, 1.5 ct, 14K yellow goldabout $280on Amazon →

Jewellery1.75 ctLab emerald earrings, radiant, 7 x 5 mm, 1.75 ct, 14K white goldabout $300on Amazon →

Jewellery1 ctLab emerald pendant, cushion, 6 mm, 14K yellow gold, 1 ctabout $250on Amazon →

See all 124 in the lab gem catalog

Your kit for emerald

Five tools that let you check what you bought (a loupe, a UV torch, locking tweezers, a gem box and a pocket scale), plus a turntable that spins your stone under the light the way jewellers show one. The full collector's kit.

LookGemOro 10x triplet loupeunder $20

LookDARKBEAM filtered 365 nm UV flashlightabout $10

HandleHonoson locking tweezers, 3 packabout $10

StoreTeensery gem display boxes with clear lids, 10 packabout $9

ShowComXim motorized turntable, adjustable speed and directionabout $15

MeasureGemOro Platinum XP500 pocket scale, 0.01 gabout $40

In short

Emerald grows over millions of years in the earth, or in hours to months in a lab. Both are real emerald; the mined stone is rare and priced for rarity, the lab stone is priced for the cost of growing it. Buy lab to wear and enjoy, check the listing names the mineral, and test it when it arrives.

See our first pick: Instagem lab-created emerald, emerald cut, 8 x 6 mm, 1.04 to 2.11 ct

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a lab emerald a real emerald?

Yes, if it is lab-grown beryl. It has the same chemistry and structure as mined emerald and is usually cleaner. Many cheap "lab emeralds" are glass or other materials, so price is the first check.

Why are lab emeralds more expensive than lab rubies?

Beryl breaks down before it melts, so it cannot be grown in a flame. It must crystallise slowly from a flux or hot water in expensive equipment over weeks or months.

Are emeralds durable?

Hard but brittle. Their inclusions and cracks make them vulnerable to knocks, heat and ultrasonic cleaning, so protective settings suit them best.

Is flux or hydrothermal lab emerald better?

Neither is a grade. Hydrothermal emerald tends to be very clean and even; flux emerald traps wispy veils that look more like the garden of a mined stone. Choose by colour, clarity and the look you want, not the method name.

Why does my lab emerald look too perfect?

Hydrothermal lab emerald can grow almost free of inclusions, which mined emerald almost never is. If you want a more natural look, choose a flux-grown stone (Chatham is the best-known) with soft inner veils.

Do I need a report for a lab emerald?

Not for an inexpensive one. A report is worth it when identity changes the price, such as proving a costly stone is natural, or that a lab stone is real beryl and not glass.

Photo credits

emerald-in-matrix-muzo.webp: Didier Descouens, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
lab-emerald-flux-sorbonne.webp: Marie-Lan Taÿ Pamart, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Product photos: Amazon listings, via the Amazon Product Advertising (Creators) API.

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