In order to work with our crystals effectively, we need to understand their properties. With crystals that look similar or have similar uses, such as green beryl vs. emerald it can be difficult to determine which one to work with. The answer should always be; the one that you are drawn to the most. However, if you are looking to find the difference in physical appearance as well as metaphysical properties, you’ll find your answer here.
Continue reading if you want to know more about the (physical) qualities of these stones, as well as how you can use them in your spiritual practice.
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Green Beryl vs. Emerald – How To Tell The Difference?
In order to understand the difference between these two stones, we can look at the color, shape, pattern, clarity, and more. Below we’ll describe all these aspects in detail.
Color
Although these two gemstones belong to the same mineral species, they have color variations. The green beryl is mainly faded, pale, or very light green, but the emerald is deep green or bluish green in color. The iron traces present in green beryl causes the color, while the vanadium and chromium elements influence the color of emeralds.
Also read: Full Guide To Chrome Diopside vs Emerald (This is the Difference)
Chemical Composition
Green beryl and emeralds are both gemstones of the beryl ore, which is composed of beryllium aluminum silicate. This makes them have a similar chemical composition. Green beryl has traces of iron mineral, while emerald has traces of both vanadium and chromium.
Pattern and Clarity
This gemstone lacks eye-visible inclusions, and if present, they appear as long hollow tubes that are properly cut to display a cat’s eye. It is usually transparent to translucent with a vitreous luster. It is made up of a hexagonal crystal structure. On the other hand, emerald is very transparent with minimal to no visible color zoning.
They are also graded into three types AAAA, which is the best type, better AAA, and AA which is a suitable type. Emeralds could either be cloudy or clear. The presence or absence of inclusions determines this. If the gemstone has inclusions, then it will appear cloudy, but if it has no visible inclusions, it will appear transparent.
The clear emeralds are usually of a higher value than the cloudy ones. These inclusions are made up of bits of gasses, liquids absorbed during crystallization, and other crystals it also. They are primarily categorized as type 3 gemstones as they mostly have inclusions. This gemstone shows a hexagonal crystal structure.Â
Hardness
Green Beryl and emerald have a hardness of 7.5 to 8.0 on the Mohs scale. Despite green beryl’s hardness, it breaks because of its cleavages, and it is also brittle. It shows conchoidal fractures, which are of different sizes. The inclusions found on emeralds make them prone to breaking, chipping, and cracking. It is also considered a very fragile and brittle stone.
Also read: Full Guide To Emerald vs. Peridot (This is the Difference)
Care
The two gemstones are easy to handle and take care of. Green beryl can be cleaned using a solution of mild soaps and warm water. A soft brush can also be used to scrub off the dust from the gemstone.
Ultra-sonic and steam cleaners are also safe methods to clean as it is a hard gemstones with minimal fractures. Ultrasonic vibrations and steam cleaners are very unsafe when used on emeralds because they weaken the fractured gemstones or cause gemstone oil to sweat out of the stone.
Instead, the best method to clean this gemstone is by use of either warm soapy water or a piece of soft cloth soaked in this kind of water. This gemstone is delicate, and thus it should not be soaked in soapy water as it may absorb detergents which may dilute its oils. Alcohol and acetone should be avoided when cleaning this gemstone.Â
Location
Green beryl is currently found in Russia, Pakistan, South America, India, and Afghanistan. On the other hand, emeralds were first discovered in Egypt. Today this gemstone is mainly found in Zambia. Brazil and Colombia.
Uses
Jewelry
Both gemstones are hard and attractive and thus can be used to make earrings, necklaces, pendants, and rings with consideration of the different fashion trends. These pieces of jewelry are not only attractive but also have a healing power toward the wearer.
Meditation
The two gemstones have a calming effect on the mind and soul, and thus they play an essential role during meditation. They give you a psychic awareness and expand your mind making you sure of what you want to do. These gemstones give you a balance of emotions so that you can control your feelings and actions.
Also read: Full Guide To Emerald vs. Sapphire (This is the Difference)
Properties
Green beryl and emeralds are both gemstones that help you have a bright hope for your future life. This makes life much easier because they help you get rid of unnecessary thoughts and stress. They both make you courageous.
Green beryl helps you have serene emotions and positively see life although you are facing challenges. Traditionally, children used to wear bracelets made of emeralds as they were believed to protect them against spells and witches. Emeralds and green beryl promote love. For emeralds, it stimulates unconditional love, while the green beryl stimulates marital love bringing about a happy marriage.
Emerald gemstone is believed to protect you from epilepsy and overcome skin diseases, headaches, allergies, and ailments. It is also perceived to strengthen weak organs such as the heart and liver and thus help with blood circulation.
Chakra Association
The green beryl Is commonly associated with three chakras which are: the crown, the third eye, and the soma chakra, while the emerald is associated with the heart chakra mainly because of Its green color.
The third eye chakra is connected to self-awareness and the spiritual world. It helps to deepen your wisdom and make you understand the existence of other things that are beyond space and time.
Although the third eye chakra stimulates spiritual communication, the crown chakra is the most spiritual. It helps you to have a high conscious and enlightening wisdom and guidance on how to carry on with life.
This chakra helps you to connect to divinity. The soma chakra enhances youth, vitality, and stamina as it inhibits aging. It is believed to have the power over diseases, death, and decay of dead bodies. The heart chakra of the emerald stimulates a love for oneself and others.
It also gives you the heart to forgive, empathize and also talk the truth. It brings out complete remedies that treat your soul, mind, and body from all the ailments they could be suffering from.Â
Also read: Full Guide To Emerald vs. Ruby (This Is the Difference)
Zodiac Association
The green beryl and emeralds are both birthstones of May. The astrological association of the green beryl is Scorpio and Sagittarius. People born with the Scorpios personality are considered to be natural leaders with deep emotions.
They are vigorous in all the activities that they are involved in, since they have deep emotions, it’s usually hard for them to forgive and can therefore hold a grudge for a long time and even get revenge. Sagittarians, on the other hand, are passionate, talented, and loyal. They have a caring personality and show a lot of empathy.
Sometimes they are very judgmental. The emerald is associated with Gemini and said to be a talismanic stone and is a birthstone for both cancer and Taurus. As a talismanic gem, it represents Mondays, but it is mainly associated with Friday. This gem signifies restoration and beauty.
Element Association
The green beryl is a gemstone is a water and fire element. The fire element is associated with passion, transformation, and destruction. Our fire element is responsible for our determination, creativity, and drive.
On the other hand, emerald is an earth element gemstone. This element is associated with fertility, growth, stability, and grounding. Stones and crystals of this element are used to connect to the earth’s energies and manifest wealth and abundance. Â
Ruling planet
In this case, green beryl is said to give rise to the emerald, and thus they both have the same ruling planet, which is Mercury. This planet has a love goddess who is known as the Aphrodite. This ruling planet helps to open up your mind enabling you to think critically and in a creative manner. It makes you have an inquisitive nature and the urge to acquire more knowledge; hence it is said to be a planet of both knowledge and communication.
Also read: Full Guide To Jade vs. Emerald (This Is The Difference)
Numerical Vibration
The numerical vibration of the green beryl is 1, while that of emerald vibrates at 4. These vibrations help clear all the negative thoughts and emotions of your mind making you calm and happy. They are also helpful in activating the chakras, enhancing the proper functioning of the body. Number 1 in numerology represents independence, new creations, original ideas, and uniqueness. Number 4, on the other hand, is associated with responsibility, stability, and hard work.
Best Combination
Rose quartz and emeralds can be combined to bring out incredible feminine energy of love, compassion, and healing. This combination stimulates the heart chakra and heals the wounds of the heart, fear, and resentment. The heart chakra stimulation brings out stability in relationships.
This gemstone can also be combined with the rhodonite, which is known to be a stone of forgiveness to enable you to offer gentle energies of forgiveness. It helps you to clean up your emotional pain and resentment.
It can also be combined with green aventurine to help you become more committed to your life. This will make you grow and glow.
During meditation, the green beryl and the selenite gemstones can be combined to take you to a consciousness of a higher level and calm your emotions, creating an excellent space for meditation.
