Are flawless emeralds extremely rare?

Yes, truly flawless emeralds are extremely scarce, and they make up only a small sliver of the world’s supply of emeralds. Almost every natural emerald shows eye-visible inclusions, or it has fractures that reach the surface, because the whole geological formation process is turbulent and not exactly gentle.

Inclusions are so normal for emeralds that many gemmologists and collectors treat them as a sort of proof of natural origin. Since flawless natural emeralds are so uncommon, a real, unenhanced emerald that has no visible inclusions tends to bring a ridiculous premium, often higher than what diamonds of similar size and overall quality cost.