May Birthstone: Emerald, and What It Is Worth

Most natural emeralds of 1 to 3 carats are asked between $1,000 and $6,000 per carat. That is the case for 489 of the 707 loose stones we read at five independent sellers on 7 October 2026, in US dollars. Here is the median at each one.

These are asking prices, not sale prices. And the extremes are far apart: in the same weight range, four of the five independent sellers list stones under $1,600 per carat, and four list stones above $10,000. The cheapest listing asked $235 per carat and the dearest $30,507, leaving aside a single listing far above all the others.

For a stone of about one carat (0.8 to 1.2), the median ask is $2,300 to $3,600 for the stone at the three sellers that list enough of them. For the wider picture, see our colored gemstone market statistics. Our birthstones ranked by price read a different weight range, so the emerald figure there is not this one.

Four things, and color comes first.

1. Color. The most wanted emeralds are bluish green to green, with strong to vivid saturation and a medium to medium-dark tone. Too pale, and the stone is called green beryl, which costs less.
2. Clarity. Almost all emeralds have inclusions you can see without a loupe, the "jardin". Eye-clean stones are rare, and priced for it. Inclusions that cloud the stone lower its value.
3. Treatment. Untreated emeralds command premium prices. Heavy filling pulls the price down.
4. Size. All else equal, the price per carat climbs with weight.

Here's the thing: an emerald is not supposed to look like a flawless diamond. A vivid stone with a visible jardin beats a clean, pale one.

Nearly. More than 90 percent of emeralds are estimated to have fractures filled with oil or resin. The filler makes fractures that reach the surface less visible. The practice is old and accepted, as long as it is disclosed.

What moves the price is how much filling there is. A laboratory report describes it in levels:

Oil is not permanent. Over time it can evaporate and leave a residue, and it can be removed and replaced by a professional. So ask for a report from an independent outside laboratory before you pay. Our guide explains what a gemstone certificate proves.

Four countries supply the great majority of the market.

Most of them come from Colombia. Depending on what I need, I find some in Sri Lanka through partners who have them. Otherwise Bangkok is easier.

• Colombia: the reference every other emerald is judged against. Its finest stones are slightly bluish green, vivid, medium to medium-dark.
• Zambia: generally darker and more bluish, often with higher clarity.
• Brazil: often lighter and less saturated, though darker, finer stones turn up too.
• Zimbabwe: the Sandawana mine gives a bright, intense green, usually in small sizes.

An origin describes a style of green. It does not grade the stone in front of you.

Yes, with care. Emerald is 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, but its toughness runs from poor to good, because so many stones are fractured. It is more brittle than sapphire.

Never clean it with ultrasound or steam: vibration can weaken a fractured stone, and hot steam can make the oil sweat out. Warm soapy water and a gentle scrub are the safe method. Our page on emerald hardness goes further.

My view: buy an emerald for its color, and accept what comes with it. The inclusions, the oil, the care.

If you want green without the upkeep, look at tsavorite garnet. It is generally untreated, and it costs less than emerald.

We have no emerald for sale today, and I would rather say so. What we do have is loose tsavorite garnet, chosen one stone at a time. If it has to be an emerald, tell us what you are looking for and we will search for it. To compare the other greens, read our guide to green precious stones.