0.86 ct Oval Emerald, Zambia

What Actually Matters Here

• ColorVivid Green

  You can see this

  In a gemstone, color is most of the price and most of the beauty. Judge it in the photographs and video rather than by its name: two stones given the same color can look quite different, and the one you prefer may cost less.

• Tone and Saturation

  You can see this

  Tone is how light or dark the color is; saturation is how strong it is. The most valued colors are usually a medium to medium-dark tone with strong saturation: much darker can look inky in dim light, much lighter can look washed out. A word like "vivid" in the color adds to the price, so check that the video agrees.

• TreatmentOiled

  Oiled: oil or resin was worked into tiny fissures that reach the surface, so they show less. Most emeralds are treated this way. Keep it away from ultrasonic cleaners and strong heat, which can draw the oil out.

• Listed OriginZambia

  Matters for price, not for looks

  Where the stone was mined, as its supplier lists it. Only a laboratory's origin report confirms an origin, and many reports state none, so check this stone's report if the source matters to you. A famous origin can add a great deal to the price without changing how the stone looks.

• The ReportGIA

  GIA, an independent laboratory, graded this stone. Its report records what the stone is, its weight and measurements, and any treatment the lab found. Read it before you buy; it travels with the stone.