AnchorCert Gemmological Office Offers

• Colour grading of fancy coloured stones (also clarity grade if requested)
• Coloured Gems - Identification of natural gems, synthetic and imitation stones
• Identification of heat treatment and glassy 'residues' in heated rubies and sapphires
• Identification of fissure filling and their extent in emeralds
• Determination of “Country of Origin” of emeralds, rubies and sapphires
• We will endeavour to return your item together with an AnchorCert Precious Stone Report. Please contact AnchorCert for testing fees.
  

Emerald Facts

• Emeralds and aquamarines are colour varieties of the mineral Beryl.
• The name Emerald derives from a Persian word meaning “green gem.”
• Emerald is the birthstone for May.
• Hardness of  7.5 – 8 on the Mohs' scale. Although Emerald is quite tough and is not easily scratched, it can be chipped from impact.
• The largest Emeralds are mined in Colombia, Brazil and Zambia. They can also be mined in several other countries such as Pakistan, Russia, Australia and the US. Zambian and Brazilian.
• Emeralds may be coloured due to the presence of Vanadium, whereas Colombian Emeralds usually achieve their colouration from the presence of chromium.
• It is common for a lot of Emeralds to be oiled, meaning that they are immersed in oil which fills the many cracks and fissures to which Emeralds are prone.
• Oiling can sometimes improve the colour of an Emerald by using green coloured oil. It is advisable to have an Emerald re-oiled after several years.
• Emeralds should never be cleaned with steam or any cleaning solution that contains petroleum distillates or any other organic solvent..
• They should not be placed in ultrasonic cleaning equipment and should not be exposed to high heat.
• An Emerald should be cleaned gently with a warm, mild detergent solution and a very soft brush, such as a worn-out toothbrush.

Ruby Facts

• Ruby is the red variety of the Corundum family.
• Ruby derives from the Latin word for red, rubeus.
• Has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs' scale. No other gem is harder than Ruby except Diamond.
• Ruby is the birthstone for July.
• It is rare to find a large, clean ruby.
• The better quality rubies are found in Burma, Vietnam, Tanzania, Kenya, Thailand, and Cambodia. But can also be found in Colombia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and in the U.S.A.
• The red colour occurs due to the presence of chromium.
• There are no internationally excepted standards for the colour of a ruby, so the cut-off between ruby and pink sapphire is not always so straightforward.
• Ancient Hindus thought that if they offered a ruby to the God Krishna, they would be reborn as an emperor.

Sapphire Facts

• Sapphires are members of the Corundum family of minerals.
• This gemstone has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs' scale which is the 2nd toughest stone next to Diamond.
• Available in a variety of beautiful colours including blue, yellow, colourless, black, white, orange, pink and brown with the most popular colour being cornflower blue.
• Sapphire is the birthstone for September.
• It is the presence of trace elements like chromium, iron, vanadium and titanium which are responsible for the wide range of colours. A variety of orangish-pink sapphire is called padparadsha, which means “lotus flower.”  
• Heat treatment is commonly used to deepen sapphire colour and improve clarity.
• When cut into cabochons (smooth domes) sapphires produce a star with six rays which stretch across the stones surface.
• Sapphires occur in Sri Lanka, Burma, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Thailand, USA and China.
• The largest sapphires are found in Sri Lanka.

Month	Birthstone	Picture
January	Garnet
February	Amethyst
March	Aquamarine
April	Diamond
May	Emerald
June	Pearl
July	Ruby
August	Peridot
September	Sapphire
October	Opal
November	Topaz
December	Turquoise