Desired even in Biblical times, the emerald is one of oldest known gemstones.
This green member of the beryl gem family has been found in ancient tombs, royal treasuries, and even in sunken sailing ships. The most prized stones are usually associated with the Muzo mine in Columbia, but extremely fine gems also come from Zambia in Africa, and from a few specific mines in Brazil.
The finest Colombian stones typically have a slight bluish cast to their color, while the Zambian stones are noted for their clarity, or minimal amount of inclusions.
Virtually all emeralds have some inclusions, and gemologist agree that if the emerald under observation is inclusion free, its likelihood of being genuine is highly suspect. While emeralds are relatively hard and durable, they are somewhat brittle and can be damaged with hard impact.
