Chinese Name: 沃顿绿

English Name: Verdant Green

Released by: Guild Gem Lab（USA） and Columbia Emerald Technology Development Center (CDTEC)

Release Date: July 2017

Release Location: Hong Kong, China

Definition

Verdant Green represents the color of top-quality emeralds and was jointly released by the Guild Gem Lab and Columbia Emerald Technology Development Center (CDTEC) in June 2017. "Verdant Green" falls within the category of Vivid Green, but only Vivid Green with high saturation and appropriate brightness can achieve the "Verdant Green" rating. Verdant Green signifies a rich, vivid, and vibrant color, representing a comprehensive assessment of the overall aesthetic quality of the color. In the Guild Gem Lab's emerald color grading system, "Verdant Green" is not limited to any specific origin. Any emerald with high saturation and brightness has the potential to receive the "Verdant Green" rating.

Development 

The Guild Gem Lab has consistently focused on the testing of colored gemstones, with particular emphasis on the enhancement treatments, color grading, and origin research of emeralds, rubies, and sapphires. In June 2017, the Second Guild Emerald Symposium was successfully held in Hong Kong, China. During this event, the Guild Gem Lab and the Colombian Diamond and Columbia Emerald Technology Development Center (CDTEC) jointly released the emerald color grading system, officially adopting "Verdant Green" as the term for the top-quality emerald color.

In May 2018, the Guild Gem Lab and CDTEC jointly published an academic paper titled "Emerald Color Grading System" in the authoritative gemological academic journal "Gems & Gemology". This paper further standardized the term "Verdant Green" in a scientific manner.

Since the introduction of Verdant Green in 2017, the popularity of emeralds in China has gradually increased. The number of emerald samples received by the Guild Gem Lab clearly demonstrates that Verdant Green has played a crucial role in driving the booming development of the emerald market. At the beginning of 2024, the Guild Gem Lab released the "2023 China Colored Gemstone Market Report," which covers the current development status of mainstream colored gemstones such as emeralds, rubies, sapphires, spinels, and aquamarines in the Chinese gemstone market. The report indicates that Verdant Green has become an industry standard within the gemstone sector and is widely accepted by the market. According to the report's data, the proportion of emeralds that achieve the Verdant Green rating is 36.20%.

The number of emerald samples received by the Guild Gem Lab from 2017 to 2023.

Grading System

As the king of green gemstones, the color of an emerald is one of the most significant factors affecting its value. Therefore, a systematic and scientific evaluation of emerald color lays a solid foundation for correctly and objectively assessing the value of emeralds. Emeralds are green beryl containing chromium and/or vanadium. The Guild Gem Lab has developed an accurate and reproducible emerald color grading system. When grading the color, the Guild Gem Lab categorizes the color of emeralds into the following five levels based on the three essential elements of color (hue, saturation, and tone):

Light (浅)
Medium (中)
Intense (浓)
Vivid (艳)
Deep (深)

"Verdant Green" represents a vibrant, lively, and energetic color, which is a comprehensive assessment of the overall aesthetic appeal of the color. In the emerald color grading system of the Guild Gem Lab, "Verdant Green" is not limited to any specific origin. Any emerald with high saturation and appropriate brightness has the potential to receive the "Verdant Green" rating. Emeralds with any of the following characteristics will not receive the "Verdant Green" rating:

1.Surface coating, dyeing, or other color-altering treatments.

2.Obvious quality issues, such as prominent color zoning, dark inclusions, or windows.

3.Visible fillers on the surface.

4.Obvious and widespread unenhanced fractures.

5.Moderate or significant clarity enhancement.

Verdant Green emeralds can be produced in various origins