Polarized transient spectral hole-burning in the R-1-line(2 (A) over bar ((2) E) <-- (4)A(2)) of Chatham lab grown emerald is reported as a function of low magnetic fields Bparallel toc and Bperpendicular toc (<16 mT) and temperature. The experiments yield g-factors g(perpendicular to)((4)A(2)) = 1.96 +/- 0.02, g(parallel to)((4)A(2))= 1.97 +/- 0.02 and g(parallel to)[2A (E-2)]=1.02 +/- 0.03. The hole patterns indicate that spin-lattice relaxation between the Zeeman split spin levels of the ground and excited state is slow at 2.5 K. Spin-lattice relaxation by an Orbach process appears to become efficient for the 2A(E-2) levels at temperatures >8 K on the 2.5 ms experimental timescale but thermalization between the +/-3/2 (4)A(2) levels stays relatively slow up to 25 K. The potential of transient hole-burning experiments is manifested by the present experiments: g-factors and spin-lattice relaxation times can be measured simultaneously for the ground and the excited state. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.