What Is Hydrothermal Growth?
Recrystallized emeralds are not synthetic in the sense of being fabricated from unrelated chemicals. They are grown from natural emerald material — dissolved into a hydrothermal solution under high pressure and temperature, then allowed to recrystallize around a seed crystal over a period of months. The process mirrors, in compressed time, what happens geothermally over millions of years.
The resulting crystal has the same chemical composition as any Colombian or Zambian mined emerald: beryl (beryllium aluminium cyclosilicate) coloured by trace amounts of chromium and vanadium. These are the same elements responsible for the green that has made emeralds one of the most prized gemstones in human history.
"Chemically, optically, and crystallographically, recrystallized emeralds are emeralds. The distinction is one of origin and growth environment, not of material identity."
The Clarity Advantage: No Jardin
Natural emeralds are famous — or notorious — for their inclusions. Gemologists use the French word jardin (garden) to describe the web of internal fractures, liquid inclusions, and mineral crystals that form during the chaotic conditions of geological growth. This is so universal that "eye-clean" natural emeralds command a significant premium, and truly flawless mined emeralds are rarer than equivalent diamonds.
Recrystallized emeralds grow in a controlled environment. Without the geological turbulence, the crystals form cleanly. The result is emeralds with VS or better clarity as the standard — not the exception. When you look into a recrystallized emerald, you see colour and depth, not a garden of fractures.
- Jardin inclusions expected and accepted
- Eye-clean stones command large premium
- Typically oiled to reduce visible fractures
- Colour inconsistency within parcels
- VS clarity as standard
- No fracture-filling treatments required
- Consistent saturation across stones
- Full disclosure of origin, no ambiguity
Colour: Saturation Is the Primary Criterion
When evaluating any emerald — mined or recrystallized — colour is the dominant value factor. Gemologists assess three components: hue (the basic green), saturation (the intensity of that green), and tone (how light or dark it appears). The ideal is a vivid, medium-dark green with strong saturation and no visible greyness or yellowness.
Because recrystallized emeralds are grown in a controlled environment, the chromium and vanadium concentrations can be optimised. This produces consistently high-saturation stones — often more vibrant than mid-range Colombian material — without the tonal inconsistency common in mined parcels. The best recrystallized stones achieve what gemologists call "vivid" saturation: the most commercially desirable classification.
GRS Certification
GRS (Gem Research Swisslab) is among the most respected gemological laboratories for coloured stones, with particular authority on emeralds. A GRS report for an emerald specifies the species (beryl), variety (emerald), growth method (hydrothermal), colour grade, and clarity. It eliminates any ambiguity about what you are purchasing.
Every recrystallized emerald in the Brinkman's collection is accompanied by a GRS certificate. When evaluating the stone, follow this priority order: colour first (saturation and hue), then clarity, then carat weight. A smaller, more intensely coloured stone will always outperform a larger, duller one.