Emerald color chart: shades, names and which color is finest

By HeyGema™ · Updated November 5, 2026

In short

Emerald is the bluish green to green variety of beryl. Color is the most important quality factor. A round 1 carat emerald measures about 7.0 mm.

4shades on the chart
7.0 mm1 carat, round
7.5 to 8hardness (Mohs)

Emerald colors

Emerald is the bluish green to green variety of beryl. Beryl that is too pale, or too yellowish or bluish, is called green beryl, and the line between the two is not sharp.

Pure greenA warmer, more intense green, the style associated with Colombian stones.
Bluish greenA cooler green, the style associated with Zambian stones.
Yellowish greenA green that leans toward yellow.
Light greenA pale green, near the line between emerald and green beryl.

The swatches are illustrations picked to match the color names. Screens and light change how color looks, and a cut stone changes with the light, so judge a stone in person or from a daylight photo.

Which emerald color is finest

Color is the most important quality factor. The preferred range is bluish green to pure green, and saturation is the main driver of value. The most valuable stones are medium to medium-dark in tone, with even color and no zoning you can see.

How gemologists describe color

Gemologists describe the color of a stone with hue, tone and saturation, and look at the three together. For colored stones they also look at how evenly the color is spread.

Hue: The color you would name, such as blue, green or red, or a blend such as bluish green.
Tone: How light or dark that color looks, from pale to very dark.
Saturation: How strong or pure the color looks, from dull (grayish or brownish) to vivid.
Evenness: How evenly the color is spread through the stone. Color zoning is uneven color, such as bands or patches you can see.

Colored stones have no single color scale like the D to Z scale for diamonds, so sellers use their own words. Ask for a daylight photo and for the size in mm as well as the carat weight.

What affects emerald color

Cause of color: Chromium and vanadium give the green. Iron adds a bluish tint.
Treatments: Clarity enhancement with oil, wax or resin is the norm, so most emeralds on the market have some. Ask for the degree of enhancement in writing.
Wear and care: Emerald is hard, but natural fractures make it more brittle than its hardness suggests. Ultrasonic cleaning can weaken fractured stones, and steam can make filler sweat out.

Emerald color and size

Larger emeralds are rarer and more valuable, especially those with few inclusions and a rich green. Stones with no visible inclusions are rare, and large rough usually has visible fractures. Carat is weight, not size. A round 1 carat emerald measures about 7.0 mm, against 6.5 mm for a diamond of the same weight. This table gives the face-up size of a well-cut emerald.

0.5 ct: Round: 5.6 mm; Oval: 6.9 x 4.8 mm; Cushion: 4.8 x 4.8 mm

1 ct: Round: 7.0 mm; Oval: 8.7 x 6.0 mm; Cushion: 6.1 x 6.1 mm

2 ct: Round: 8.9 mm; Oval: 11.0 x 7.6 mm; Cushion: 7.7 x 7.7 mm

3 ct: Round: 10.1 mm; Oval: 12.6 x 8.6 mm; Cushion: 8.8 x 8.8 mm

5 ct: Round: 12.0 mm; Oval: 14.9 x 10.2 mm; Cushion: 10.4 x 10.4 mm

10 ct: Round: 15.1 mm; Oval: 18.8 x 12.9 mm; Cushion: 13.1 x 13.1 mm

Weight	Round	Oval	Cushion
0.5 ct	5.6 mm	6.9 x 4.8 mm	4.8 x 4.8 mm
1 ct	7.0 mm	8.7 x 6.0 mm	6.1 x 6.1 mm
2 ct	8.9 mm	11.0 x 7.6 mm	7.7 x 7.7 mm
3 ct	10.1 mm	12.6 x 8.6 mm	8.8 x 8.8 mm
5 ct	12.0 mm	14.9 x 10.2 mm	10.4 x 10.4 mm
10 ct	15.1 mm	18.8 x 12.9 mm	13.1 x 13.1 mm

See the full emerald size chart for every shape, or use the carat to mm calculator for any weight.

Emerald properties

Hardness (Mohs): Value: 7.5 to 8

Refractive index: Value: 1.565 to 1.602

Specific gravity: Value: 2.67 to 2.78

Property	Value
Hardness (Mohs)	7.5 to 8
Refractive index	1.565 to 1.602
Specific gravity	2.67 to 2.78

A beryl. Much lighter than diamond, so it faces up bigger for its weight. Often cut as an emerald cut.

How to compare emerald stones

Look at each stone in daylight and under indoor light. Color shifts with the light.
Ask for the size in mm as well as the carat weight. A emerald of the same weight can differ in size by shape and cut.
Ask whether the color is natural or treated, and ask for the answer in writing.
For a stone that matters, ask for an independent lab report.

Designing with a colored stone? HeyGema lets you choose the stone shade and renders your design with it.

Questions

A vivid, evenly colored bluish green to pure green of medium to medium-dark tone, with no zoning you can see.

Colombian stones are described as warmer and a more intense pure green. Zambian stones are cooler and more bluish green.

It depends on the color. Beryl that is too pale, or too yellowish or bluish, is called green beryl. The line is not sharp, and some light to medium-light stones colored by chromium are sold as emerald.

A well-cut round emerald of 1 carat is about 7.0 mm across (0.28 in). The table above gives the size of other shapes and weights.

No. They are illustrations picked to match the color names. Screens differ, and a cut stone changes with the light, so judge a stone in person or from a daylight photo.