Emerald
Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Taylor, Cleopatra and Venus; emeralds are the gems of goddesses. 80 years ago, Carroll Chatham made the groundbreaking scientific discovery of how to grow emeralds in a laboratory. With his secret method, Chatham grows the highest quality emeralds on earth.
Give Emerald as …
The May birthstone
Taurus’, Gemini’s and Cancer’s zodiac gem
The 20th, 35th, and 55th anniversary stone
A symbol for growth and success
The perfect expression of an environmentally conscious and life-giving spirit!
Chatham Lab Grown Emerald
Chatham grows emerald crystals in a secret lengthy process Carroll Chatham discovered over 80 years ago. The process takes about a year from start to finish. We start with an earth-mined seed of the highest-quality Colombian emerald with perfect color. Then, we place it in a controlled environment rich in chromium which gives the finest traditional emeralds their vibrant green hue. The crystals grow for about nine months. Even better, they grow larger and cleaner than those found under the earth.
When we cut the crystals, we cut away 80% of the rough to deliver faceted emeralds with virtually flawless clarity and highly saturated color. The price difference between a beautiful lab grown and a mined emerald of the same size and quality can be as much as $100,000 per carat! Talk about green!
On top of our exceptional quality and value, we cut our emeralds in a wide variety of shapes almost impossible to find in their earth-mined counterparts. Best of all, our lifetime guarantee means you can wear your emerald engagement ring without worry. We think the quality and beauty of our lab grown emeralds makes them a better choice than earth-mined emeralds. But, visit a Chatham retailer to compare the two side-by-side and decide for yourself.
About Emeralds
Gaze into an exotic emerald and you’ll see a forest of lush green. You’re also likely to notice a fog of inclusions rolling through the garden since emeralds are rarely flawless. Stones are often oiled to fill cracks, disguise flaws and enhance color. To minimize the loss of weight, the step cut, also known as the emerald cut, is almost always used.
The earliest emerald mines are believed to be no other than the legendary “mines of Cleopatra” in Egypt. However, they now yield only poor-quality emeralds. The ancients considered these gemstones sacred symbols of fertility and immortality. As a display of her wealth and power, Cleopatra adorned herself and her palace with emeralds. She also gave them as gifts to foreign dignitaries.
Although emeralds were first mined in ancient Egypt and Pakistan, the Conquistadors discovered the highest quality emeralds the world has ever seen in the mines of Colombia. The Muzo and Chivor mines in Colombia are still credited with the finest emeralds in the world today.
Many cultures agree that emeralds are gemstones fit for the gods. The ancients connected emeralds to Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. Back then, it was said to protect lovers from unfaithfulness. Hindus believe that offering emeralds to the god Krishna will be rewarded. The stone was also worshipped by the Incas and mentioned in biblical information about the apocalypse.
Over the years, celebrities and goddesses in their own rights have worn emeralds when they wanted to shine in the spotlight. Elizabeth Taylor adored emerald necklaces and rings. Style icons—the Duchess of Windsor, Jacqueline Kennedy and Halle Berry—rocked emerald engagement rings. Angelina Jolie and Sofia Vergara stunned in emerald earrings on the red carpet. Nothing unleashes a woman’s inner goddess quite like emerald jewelry.
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