Inclusions in Natural Emeralds

Inclusions in emeralds are sometimes referred to as “jardin,” or “garden” because they can resemble moss or plant foliage. Emeralds with many inclusions should be treated with care, since they are more vulnerable to damage due to the inclusions. Despite this, they are still far more durable than your finger.

This short introduction accompanies a chart illustrating some of the characteristic inclusions and other internal features seen in emerald (see above). Over the past 50 years, the observation of inclusions in colored gemstones, particularly emerald, has become an essential foundation for identification, quality analysis, and origin determination. This chart contains a selection of photomicrographs of natural, synthetic, and treated emeralds. It is by no means comprehensive; photomicrographs of features not seen here can be found in many gemological textbooks. The images show the visual appearance of numerous features a gemologist might observe when viewing emeralds with a microscope.