8 Green Rocks to Collect & Enjoy

The color green is often associated with good luck, money and health. In the gem world, green-hued stones vary in rarity, cost, durability and shine. Whether you wear green gemstones to honor your Irish heritage, celebrate springtime or to enjoy some of Mother Nature's finest work, there's a green-colored stone for you. Experts weigh in on what their favorites are and why you should be envious if they're not in your collection yet.

- SARA JORDAN-HEINTZ

1. EMERALD

Perhaps the most well-known of the green-colored gems, emeralds have enthralled admirers since pre-historic times. It's a member of the beryl family, which also consists of aquamarine, bixbite, goshenite, heliodor and morganite.

While they're mined in Brazil, Zambia and Ethiopia, Columbian emeralds make up 70 to 90 percent of the world's market. For gemologist Joshua M. Hyman, G.G. (GIA), the Columbian variety has the finest specimens. He's a fourth-generation Philadelphia jeweler and appraiser. "The best ones have always been found in Columbia - just outside of Bogotá," he said.

Emeralds are rare because of their chemical makeup. They form when chromium, vanadium, and iron are present in the mineral beryl. Ranging from a 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, they're ideal for everyday wear. Most emeralds have inclusions, making "eye-clean" specimens particularly valuable.

2. GREEN BERYL

While all emeralds are beryl, not all green beryl gemstones get classified as emeralds. 

"As a gemologist, you know the difference when you see it," Hyman noted. "Green beryl looks like an aquamarine, but it's green. It's very clean and pastel in color hue. It's got more of a yellow-green component, whereas emerald is more heavily included. Some people say it's a saturation level. Some say it's a trace element discussion. Lack of either chromium or vanadium, but green in color, makes it green beryl." Third-generation jeweler Staci Sullivan, based in Melbourne, Florida, said she likes to regard green beryl as if "aquamarine and emerald had a baby." Sullivan graduated from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) with a Diamond Graduate degree.

"Beryl looks like the water in the Bahamas, which is soothing to me. I could look at it forever," Sullivan said.