What Separates Colombian Emeralds from the Rest of the World?
Colombian Emeralds are easily the most popular and sought after in the world. Found embedded in and under the mountains in the eastern range of the Andes, Colombian emeralds are of the most vibrant in the world.
“Emeralds, like all colored gemstones, are graded using four basic parameters—the four C’s of Connoisseurship: Color, Cut, Clarity and Crystal. The last C, crystal, is simply used as a synonym that begins with C for transparency or what gemologists call diaphaneity.” (via Wikipedia)
Like many Latin cultures, Colombian natives have folklore surrounding the incredible emeralds that spawn from the countryside.
“There is the legend that tells of the existence of Fura and Tena, a man and a woman created by the god Ares for populating the earth, while being faithful to each other, in exchange for eternal youth.Fura, the woman, did not remain faithful. She aged rapidly, and Tena soon passed away.
“Ares took pity on the unfortunate beings and turned them into two crags protected from storms and serpents and in whose depths Fura’s tears became emeralds. Today, the Fura and Tena Crags, rising 840 and 500 meters respectively above the valley of the Minero River, are the guardians of Colombia’s emerald zone. They are located 30 km north of the mines ofMuzo – the country’s largest producers.”(via Colombia Travel)
Colombian Emeralds range in color tones. Though they’re all a version of green, common Colombian emerald tones include a bluish green, slightly yellow-green, and deep green—with a spectrum of shades in between.
Deep green Emeralds are the most scarce in the world but are among the most beautiful. Colombian Emeralds range in price and size, too, between just $10, up to $4m.
Colombian emeralds are of some of the best quality in the world, rivaled only by the Zambian Emerald types. Their hues, clarity, quality and the local craftsmanship of the cuts and polishing are top notch.
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