Agate vs. Emerald — What's the Difference?

Used primarily for decorative and jewelry purposes due to its hardness.

Valued for its deep green color and rarity.

Valued for its uniqueness and variety of forms.

A green gemstone that is a colored variety of beryl.

A variety of quartz known for its fine grain and colorful banding.

Often included, which can affect transparency but adds character.

Often dyed to enhance its natural patterns.

Associated with luxury and status in jewelry.

Found in volcanic rocks as nodules or veins.

Commonly treated with oils to enhance clarity.

Agate () is a common rock formation, consisting of chalcedony and quartz as its primary components, consisting of a wide variety of colors. Agates are primarily formed within volcanic and metamorphic rocks.

Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium and/or sometimes vanadium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale.

A fine-grained, fibrous variety of chalcedony with colored bands or irregular clouding.

A bright green precious stone consisting of a chromium-rich variety of beryl

A playing marble made of agate or a glass imitation of it; an aggie.

A bright green colour

A tool with agate parts, such as a burnisher tipped with agate.

A slender-bodied green moth, the colour of which tends to fade as the moth ages.

(Printing) A type size, about 5 1/2 points.

A hawker dragonfly with a metallic green body.

A semitransparent, uncrystallized silicate mineral and semiprecious stone, presenting various tints in the same specimen, with colors delicately arranged and often curved in parallel alternating dark and light stripes or bands, or blended in clouds; various authorities call it a variety of chalcedony, a variety of quartz, or a combination of the two.

A small hummingbird with bright metallic green plumage and darker wings and tail, found mainly in the area of the Caribbean and Central America.

The size of type between pearl and nonpareil, standardized as 2-point.

Bright green in colour

One fourteenth of an inch.

A brilliant green to grass-green transparent variety of beryl, used as a gemstone.

A diminutive person; so called in allusion to the small figures cut in agate for rings and seals.

A strong yellowish green.

(countable) A tool used by gold-wire drawers, bookbinders, etc.;—so called from the agate fixed in it for burnishing.

Of a strong yellowish green.

(countable) A marble made from agate.

Any of various green gemstones, especially a green transparent form of beryl, highly valued as a precious stone.

A testicle.

Emerald green, a colour.

(obsolete) On the way; agoing.

Any hummingbird in the genera Chlorostilbon and Elvira; and some in the genus Amazilia

On the way; agoing; as, to be agate; to set the bells agate.

(entomology) Any of various species of dragonfly of the family Corduliidae.

A semipellucid, uncrystallized variety of quartz, presenting various tints in the same specimen. Its colors are delicately arranged in stripes or bands, or blended in clouds.

A size of type between nonpareil and minion, standardized as 6½-point.

A kind of type, larger than pearl and smaller than nonpareil; in England called ruby.

Of a rich green colour.

A diminutive person; so called in allusion to the small figures cut in agate for rings and seals.

To ornament with, or as if with, emeralds; to make green.

A tool used by gold-wire drawers, bookbinders, etc.; - so called from the agate fixed in it for burnishing.

A precious stone of a rich green color, a variety of beryl. See Beryl.

An impure form of quartz consisting of banded chalcedony; used as a gemstone and for making mortars and pestles

A kind of type, in size between minion and nonpare l. It is used by English printers.

Of a rich green color, like that of the emerald.

A green transparent form of beryl; highly valued as a gemstone

A transparent piece of emerald that has been cut and polished and is valued as a precious gem

The green color of an emerald

Emerald is unique among beryls for its green color caused by chromium and sometimes vanadium.

Yes, agate can naturally occur in a variety of colors, and it is often dyed to enhance these colors.

Emeralds are formed under high pressure and temperature conditions in the Earth's crust, often in hydrothermal veins or in metamorphic rocks.

Dyed agates often have unnaturally vivid or uniform coloration, and dye concentrations can accumulate near cracks or pores.

Agate is used for making jewelry, decorative items, and ornamental stones due to its hardness and chemical resistance.

Emeralds are valued for their rarity, color, and historical significance in various cultures.

Agate is considered a semi-precious stone due to its more abundant availability and lower cost compared to precious gemstones like emeralds.

Historically, agates were used in various cultures for their believed protective properties and were commonly incorporated into jewelry and amulets.

Common inclusions in emeralds are called "jardin," which is French for garden, due to their mossy appearance. These include fluid inclusions, cracks, and other mineral inclusions.

The most desirable color of an emerald is a vivid, slightly bluish green that maintains its saturation under all lighting conditions.

The value of an emerald is enhanced by its color, clarity, cut, and carat weight, with color being the most important factor.

The color of an agate is determined by the trace minerals within its bands. Iron, chromium, and manganese are common contributors to its varied hues.

Yes, synthetic emeralds are created in laboratories and have the same chemical composition and physical properties as natural emeralds but are much more affordable.

Yes, agate and emerald can be combined in jewelry, offering a contrast of textures and colors that highlight the unique qualities of both stones.

Agate should be cleaned gently with soapy water and a soft brush and should be kept away from harsh chemicals to avoid altering its natural color.