Emeralds, a type of beryl, rank among the most valuable gemstones, alongside rubies and sapphires. Their rarity and high cost have led to lab grown alternatives, often made using the hydrothermal method, which mimics the natural conditions deep in the Earth’s crust. In this process, a beryllium-rich solution is heated under high pressure inside specialized autoclaves, slowly recrystallizing onto a seed crystal over weeks or months. The green color comes from trace elements in the solution. Hydrothermal emeralds can display natural-looking features such as jardin (mossy patterns), fingerprints, fractures, cloudy zones, surface-reaching holes, and tiny liquid-and-gas inclusions, closely resembling those found in mined stones. Their hues range from bluish-green, like Colombian emeralds, to deeper Zambian greens, and balanced, luminous Brazilian tones.