The Colombian Emerald Mine: More Than Just Emeralds

When you think of mining, you obviously think of the mines themselves. A coal mine or gold or silver mine are probably the first types to come to mind. Gem mines might come to mind next. Basically they’re all excavations in search of specific mineral or resource. And it goes without saying that successful mines find what they‘re looking for. Most of us probably assume a given mine just digs up whatever that is and there’s not much else to it. Without knowing much about minerals or mining, that’s probably a natural assumption. But it would be a wrong one.

So the question is then, what else do they find? Since this is mostly an emerald blog, we’ll take a closer look at what else might be found in a Colombian emerald mine. This won’t be a complete examination; instead we’ll just take a look at some of the more interesting things. I should also point out that the same gems or minerals found in a Colombian emerald mine may not be found in emerald mines elsewhere in places like Brazil, Zambia, or Pakistan, for example. One can think of the earth in these mining areas as a big mineral cocktail. And just like any cocktail you might order up at your favorite bar, the ingredients used have an effect on the end results. Throw another mineral into the mix in a gem mine and the results there may be different as well. The difference may be in the formation of other mineral types (including gemstones) and/or differences in the quality, characteristics, or formation of these minerals and gems. This helps explain why Colombian emeralds are much greener, more desirable, but also more included than their Brazilian, African, or Asian cousins. It also helps explain the existence in the emerald mines of some of the other minerals and gems I’m about to mention.

The first mineral I’ll talk about is what prompted me to write this blog. Have you ever heard of Colombian Euclase (pronounced YU-CLAZE)? Unless you’re a mineralogy buff or rockhound, I’m guessing probably not. Euclase is found in many places in the world, but it’s not often found to be of gem quality quite like it is in Colombia and Brazil. Colombian and Brazilian Euclase is highly regarded because of the beautiful blue color they possess. Euclase can also be found in yellowish, clear, and green variations in places like Austria, Brazil, the United States, Russia, Africa, among others. Quite often it is left in its crystal form still protruding from a piece of rock and bought by mineral collectors. Part of the reason for this is the difficulty in cutting the crystal to be used as a gem. Euclase has cleavage planes that intersect in its crystal structure and these planes can be a difficult obstacle for the inexperienced and unknowledgeable gem cutter. However, when done properly, cut Euclase is highly regarded and often sold at prices similar to those of good quality emeralds. Embassy Emeralds is one of the few places anywhere you will ever see cut Euclase available to purchase. The Euclase we carry all comes from the famous Chivor mine in Boyacá Department, Colombia.

Another mineral which is found without exception in a Colombian emerald mine is Pyrite. You might have seen this before and called it Fool’s Gold. It has a gold-like color and metallic appearance but has a crystalline structure that can be easily broken and crumbled in the hand. Pyrite is a very common inclusion found in Emeralds. If you have a particularly transparent emerald with a pyrite inclusion, you can often take a closer look at it with a loupe or magnifying glass. Pyrite isn’t worth much, if anything, but occasionally pyrite forms in the presence of a fossil and can replace the fossil material in its formation. What remains is a replica of the original fossil made of pyrite. This same fossil replacement process also may occur with emerald. Typically these fossils are the shells of mollusks lost in the earth and dating millions of years old. These mineral-replaced fossils are rare and valuable and often end up in private collections or museums.

Though not as common, apatite is another interesting mineral found in Colombian emerald mines. Specimens we’ve seen personally have been a light pink color, however the mineral apatite can be found in several colors such as: clear, black, blue, dark green, yellow, pink, red-brown, and purple. The variations in color are due to the make-up of the ‘mineral cocktail’ I mentioned earlier and other geological conditions under which it forms. The term apatite is actually a general term that is used to describe three subtypes of apatites named for the predominance of fluorine, chlorine, or hydroxyls. These subtypes are: Flourapatite, Chlorapatite, and Hydroxylapatite. Gem quality specimens can be cut as gems or cabochoned, however they rate as a 5 on the Moh’s Scale of Hardness making them a poor choice in terms of durability. Some apatites may exhibit the ‘Cat’s Eye’ effect known as chatoyance.

Quartz is the second most common mineral in the earth’s crust, so it’s a very likely find in an emerald mine. Like pyrite, quartz is a very common inclusion found in emeralds. Often these inclusions are tiny grain sized crystals that formed inside the emerald crystal. Quartz can be found in a variety of colors and types and some of these different types are even used as gemstones, such as Citrines, Amethyst, Jasper, and Onyx. However, most quartz found in emerald mines will be of the typically clear or white variety and you wouldn’t find them particularly useful for much of anything.

Another very common mineral found in emerald mines is calcite. Calcite is mostly white or clear and is a relatively soft mineral that is the main ingredient in the composition of sea shells, plankton, some sponges, and limestone among other things. You’ll often find calcite in veins near hot springs or in the form of stalactites and stalagmites in caves. It can be dissolved in ground water and tends to be carried with it to later form a sort of cement around other minerals and rocks, bonding them together. You might think of it as a mineral glue of sorts, holding rocks of varied composition together.

Belonging to the feldspar group, a mineral group that makes up the most common type of material in the earth’s continental crust, is Albite. Its name comes from the Latin Albus which describes its white color. Aside from being brittle and plentiful in an emerald mine, it’s a rather uninteresting mineral.

Those are some the more noteworthy or at least common minerals to talk about in an emerald mine, but there are many others. Dabbling with minerals and mineralogy can be an interesting endeavor but a daunting one if you’re someone who has to know everything there is about a subject. There’s just too much to learn. But as you can see, if your focus is limited as it is in this blog, it’s manageable and you won’t have to absorb a college geology department worth of reference books.

A Word on our Products and Pricing...

Embassy Emeralds conducts all of its business up-front and in good faith with our very loyal and satisfied customer base. We have an excellent relationship and a great track record with our customers, and so we’d like to share with our you some information concerning our merchandise.

Our Emeralds

First and foremost, all of our emeralds loose or mounted are 100% genuine Colombian emeralds. Colombia is unquestionably where the best emeralds in the world are found. We purchase our stones from a very short list of reputable and knowledgeable suppliers in Colombia who receive their stones in rough form and have them cut by their teams of expert gem cutters. You’ll find it difficult to find many gemstone dealers who get their stock as close to the source as we do. We have great visibility into the entire process our suppliers go through from the acquisition of the rough emerald, to the cutting of the stones, and even the cedar oil treatment process. We can stand behind our stones as genuine because we’ve seen them in work from start to finish.

Our Emerald Jewelry

Our selection of emerald jewelry is unique and more special than one might know at first glance. Nearly all of our designs are originals, and some are one-of-a-kind jewels that may never ever be reproduced. But it is the quality of the stones and materials used that definitely sets us apart. Many online jewelers and major ‘brick and mortar’ jewelry chains use highly inferior African, Pakistani, or Brazilian emeralds that are often quite included and very surprisingly… quite a few of these so-called ‘high end’ jewelers even use synthetic or ‘cultured’ emerald (yikes!).

Gold and Platinum

Quality jewelry is what you expect and quality jewelry is what we deliver. Every item in our inventory is made from only what we say it is and we only use the highest quality metals. Any 18kt white or yellow gold ring is made only from 100% high quality, 18kt white or yellow gold…every feature… all the way through. You won’t find electroplated steel or cheap gold alloys in anything we sell. The same goes for any platinum items we sell. If you request a piece of jewelry custom made, we can have those items made exactly as you specify in whatever karat rating of gold you desire.

Diamonds

The quality of the emeralds in our jewelry is a major selling point for us, and we apply the same quality focus to the diamonds we use as well. If you don’t know much about diamonds, remember this… like emeralds, not all diamonds are created equal. When we first came into the jewelry scene we managed to find some very very cheap diamonds in the 0.01 to 0.05 carat range that could be used for accent stones. At just a few dollars each, they’d be quite a bargain for a jeweler who only cares about mentioning the word diamond in the product description. When we looked closely at these diamonds using just a 10X jewelers loupe, we were disgusted at what we saw. Not just because of the very bad color and heavily included nature of these diamonds, but also they were absolutely full of ‘garbage’ and tiny cracks and severe faults that steal away their brilliance. When you see cheap jewelry containing diamonds and other precious stones, unfortunately this is what you get. Always keep in mind… It’s all about quality.

Luckily for you, we do have standards, and we have excellent sources for high quality diamonds. We know the difference between a cheap diamond and a good one is very noticeable and significant, and so we pay several times more for even the smallest diamond accents to get quality diamonds that live up to our standards and your expectations.

Craftsmanship

Every jewelry item we sell is handmade by an expert jeweler with decades of experience and very often they are original pieces shaped and constructed one at a time. They are not mass-produced or made by machines. Popular designs may later become molds, but even still, these jewels are unique because the stones they employ will be always be different and unique.

Pricing

Regarding pricing, Our philosophy on pricing is: We’re happy if you’re happy. The goal is to sell emeralds and emerald jewelry, please the customer, and make a living. We’re not fooling ourselves into thinking that we’re going to get rich and retire on a single sale, and so we don’t try to.

Embassy Emeralds offers emeralds and jewelry that fit into two categories… items that we have in our inventory and items that we have exclusive authorization to sell from our supplier. We apply different pricing strategies to these two categories of merchandise in order to keep our prices reasonable and consistent with the quality of the merchandise being sold.

You may see some of our items and be surprised by the prices that go along with them. You’re surprised because you don’t usually see stones of this quality in the jewelry you’re browsing. If you’re surprised by that you might also be surprised to learn that many of these items are actually priced below their fair market value. Please consider what you’ve read above about the quality of the metals, emeralds, and diamonds used, and the craftsmanship that goes into creating these beautiful original masterpieces. All of our merchandise is priced fairly and based on its cost. This cost is directly related to the quality of the stones used, and the amount of gold or platinum required to make the item. In the end, you’re getting a far superior jewel than what you’ll find in any major jewelry chain. Admittedly and unfortunately, this does limit our market somewhat because the quality of our merchandise can push prices out of many people’s budget, but we believe it is important to keep our focus on the quality of the jewels we’re selling. However we do try to offer lower priced items for all budgets without compromising our standards. We also can make items on request that may help meet your budget concerns. If you’re interested in custom made jewelry, feel free to write to us and we’ll work with you from start to finish to make whatever you desire. We have access to other gems besides emeralds, such as sapphires, rubies, Colombian blue euclase, diamonds, and others, so please do contact us at: info@embassyemeralds.com.

We hope this information helps you understand our approach to our business. We know if you place your faith in us, you’ll be extremely pleased with your purchase and you’ll be back for more.

So, Are Those Feelings of Love Lab-Created Too?

It’s interesting that nearly all big-box jewelers these days are quick to point out how special their diamonds are, going on about their journey from mines in South Africa to the diamond markets in Antwerp, Belgium and beyond. They may even talk about the amazing properties that diamonds possess, such as their toughness and high thermal conductivity, and extreme rarity. And they’re also just as likely steer their customers away from synthetic diamonds.

So why is it that these same jewelers have no hesitation to sell synthetic emeralds? Sometimes called “cultured emeralds”, such gemstones are grown in a lab in a matter of days or weeks instead of the millions of years that it takes mother nature. These man-made stones exhibit similar colors and properties as natural emerald, and in some cases they even attempt to mimic the intricate imperfections found in natural emeralds. But like synthetic diamonds and other fakes, they just don’t stack up to the real thing.

Maybe it’s because emeralds from India, Africa and Brazil are inferior to their Colombian counterparts, universally considered to be the crème of the crop. And maybe they feel that sourcing Colombian emeralds is difficult or dangerous. Perhaps still they lack the skill and knowledge required to work with these stones. Whatever the reason, it’s disturbing that this double-standard exists.

I couldn’t imagine someone putting something as important as an engagement ring on the finger of a loved one knowing that the centerpiece was grown inside some imposing mechanical contraption or a lab dish; and I think it’s equally as criminal to do the same with an emerald.

Accept no imitations and demand the real thing. All of the emeralds at Embassy Emeralds are 100% genuine emeralds that have formed by natural processes over millions of years in the Boyacá region of Colombia.

Catching Fire

Photography is a hobby and an occupation enjoyed by millions of people. And for good reason. There’s something about capturing a moment in time, an image, an action, or even an idea as it occurs and showing it to the world in a way that can’t be duplicated with words alone. It doesn’t matter how many words you use, you cannot convey precisely the same message as a photograph. Photography is perception, background, history, context, and the message all in one visible word. Photography is also art, communication, and many times photography is proof. It can be proof of an existence, an action, a condition, among other things. Photography is versatile but yet often quite absolute.

In gemstone photography, photography is an image and one of proof, although it is a proof that is difficult to achieve. Gemstones and jewelry might possibly be some of the most difficult subjects to photograph. Rarely is a subject so dynamic and its true color so important as it is when trying to record an accurate image of a gemstone or piece of jewelry. It isn’t often we go through pictures in the family photo album or pictures of last summer’s vacation and scrutinize the color and clarity of the photographs. It just isn’t that important. It is when you’re talking about gems. A small tonal difference can create the perception of a stone that would be worth hundreds of dollars less per carat. The reason for the difficulty in capturing a gem’s true essence is usually a combination of lighting and the camera itself. Both of these problem areas can be improved upon with some investment in professional photography and lighting equipment, but rarely are they overcome completely.

I can imagine the online gem shopper who now might be asking themselves, ‘So… how do I know what I’m buying if the photo may not be telling me the whole story?’ It’s understandable to think that way, but luckily the camera seldom makes a bad stone look good. They’re just stuck looking bad. But for good, fine, and decent stones, without fail, stones appear much better in person than what is shown in the photo because a single still image can’t capture the dynamic fire and brilliance of a stone dancing in the light. So it stands to reason, and generally holds true that if you pick a stone you like from a good photograph, you’ll be even more pleased when you see it in person.

First Impressions of La Candelaria

I must be honest, I know very little about La Candelaria. Before arriving here in Colombia a week ago, I knew that La Candelaria was a historic district of Bogota and that it is well known for its centuries old buildings and architecture. I had also heard that it is well known as a place to watch your back, as many people find themselves a victim of crime there.

During my search for an apartment, I mostly dismissed the idea of living in or near El Centro which is just below La Candelaria. It’s quite obvious by the condition of the buildings, the streets, and the people you’ll find there these areas are not as nice, new, and safe as the areas north or west of the Centro such as Chapinero, Rosales, or Salitre. My emerald supplier suggested La Candelaria is not as bad as it’s made out to be and that he himself has a house there. He told me about a friend of his looking to rent some apartments. The apartments were not bad, but not what I’m looking for, however they certainly would be a great option for the backpacker or leisure tourist on a budget looking to spend a month or two getting to know Bogota. The owners were artists and the three apartments were a simple, but interesting little collection along with the two workshops joined to their home.

Walking around La Candelaria to see the apartments and a little bit of exploring the night before in a downpour, I came to realize La Candelaria is not that bad. You certainly want to watch your back as you do anywhere else, but there was definitely an interesting feel to the place. It’s too bad I didn’t have time to look for another option in La Candelaria; I think it would be a fun experience to live there. It’s only a few blocks away, so I’m sure I’ll be heading there to explore every now and then. There were a few places that I already know I need to investigate further, such as the Museo Botero and El Chorro de Quevedo. The Museo is of course, dedicated to the most famous artist from Colombia, Fernando Botero. El Chorro de Quevedo is a small plaza like area with a few bars and some cozy restaurants with special sort of ambiance. When I stopped in there to get out of the rain, I found a dark and very small two-story bar inhabited by a few hippies and couples. I can imagine getting a few drinks there with friends someday or escaping with a girlfriend to spend a few simple, but romantic hours talking over drinks.

Well, that’s my impression so far. I’m sure it’ll only get better, barring any problems with crime. But those things can happen anywhere. Hopefully it won’t, but if it does, I’ll try not to let it influence my opinion of the area. There’s just seems to be too much history and atmosphere to miss out on.

My New Home: Colombia

Most people’s idea of Colombia consist of a combination of movie images and real life news. Let me go down the list of movies for you to check off in your mind. You’ve probably seen most of them.

• Collateral Damage
• Clear and Present Danger
• Romancing the Stone
• Proof of Life
• Maria Full Of Grace
• Blow
• Scarface

Ok, now for the news, media stories and prevailing depictions over the years…

• The killing of Pablo Escobar in 1993. Perhaps the greatest criminal the world has ever known and quite possibly the most significant individual in the history of Colombia since Simon Bolivar led the fight for independence against Spain a few centuries ago;
• Armed struggled against the leftist guerrillas, the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC); the right wing paramilitary group, the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC); and several other armed groups that often bump into each other in the jungle, evict civilians from their lands, provide security for drug shipping routes, and commit massacres and acts of terrorism;
• Drugs, drugs, drugs;
• Kidnappings for ransom;
• Murder, crime, terrorism;
• Shakira;
• Juan Valdez, the personification of the Colombian coffee industry;
• Beautiful emerald gemstones;
• The United States’ multi-billion dollar investment in Plan Colombia which helps fund the Colombian military and National Police among other things;
• Beautiful Colombian women/marriage agencies in Cali;
• President Bush’s recent 2006 visit to Bogota where an incredible 20,000 policemen were mobilized to provide security for a less than 24 hour visit;
• Mortar attack on President Alavaro Uribe’s inauguration ceremony;
• Rockets nearly hitting President Uribe’s helicopter with him and his wife on board;

For the most part, there is a very common theme to all of these movies and news stories. And that is one of danger. (I won’t exclude Shakira from this generalization because of the real possibility that standing too close to her could result in being knocked out by hipshake gone awry.) It is no secret that Colombia has been known as one of the most dangerous countries in the world for decades now. When you think of drugs trafficking, kidnapping, and guerrilla warfare, you think of Colombia. That’s the way it’s been for nearly 50 years and it’s a hard reputation to shake.

In Colombia’s defense, the situation has changed significantly in recent years. Murder and kidnappings are down something like 90 percent, Colombian citizens are travelling from city to city by car more, rebel leaders and drug lords are being captured or killed, paramilitary groups are disarming, and the overwhelming consensus is that security has improved greatly. Crime in general is down but certainly never far from anyone’s mind.

I may be crazy, but I guess I can say it’s been a dream of mine to come live here. And here I am. I’m sitting in a small, but comfortable apartment in downtown Bogota. It’s pretty safe here in my new home; the building is clean, well maintained, and has 24 hour security. It’s a bit of an oasis in an otherwise dingy and unsavory area. The street below is anything but a place I enjoy walking, day or night. I’ve been involved in milixtary operations in the Middle East, I’ve been a security manager on military installations as a civilian, and I’ve been to Colombia many times; so I have a good understanding and respect for what could be a dangerous situation. I won’t rule my new neighborhood out any time soon, but I am thrilled to be here.

Despite some problems, Colombia is one of my favorite places in the world. The people here are indomitable. Despite an ever-present war, domestic terrorism, prevalent crime, and terribly devastating poverty; the Colombian spirit is something is something I admire and respect greatly. They have a passion and appreciation for life and family unlike anything you’ll ever see. Rich or poor, seldom will you find a people with so much to give of themselves. This is one of the many reasons why I love Colombia and thoroughly enjoy being here.

How Much is my Emerald Worth?

One of the most common types of emails we receive at Embassy Emeralds is the: ‘How much is this emerald worth?’ email. It seems like a good question and certainly an innocent one. After all, many people think that emeralds, diamonds, and other gemstones are bought and sold as a commodity like gold, silver, oil, soybeans, etc… But this just isn’t the case, and so we must invariably reply with the ‘sorry, we’d have to see it in person’ email. Which is not too helpful but we try to explain the reasons why.

Each individual emerald sold to the consumer is valued individually based on the quality of that particular stone. For some gems, assessing quality is a simple matter, but for emeralds, it is perhaps one of the more difficult to assess. This is due to the almost endless possibilities of variance in the important emerald characteristics. One characteristic is the natural tendency for emeralds to contain inclusions...much more so than other gemstones. Inclusions that are acceptable in emeralds are not at all acceptable in most other gemstones such as diamond, sapphires, rubies, and topaz to name just a few. Variances in clarity is another key point to look evaluate, but perhaps most important is color. After all, we love colored stones because of their beautiful colors. A slightly better shade of color from one stone to the next can equate to a difference in price of hundreds or even thousands of dollars per carat.

We say it all the time, but nearly any quality assessment is based on the 4 C’s of Color, Cut, Clarity, and Carat. If you’d like to do an amateur assessment you should look at those areas, but you need to know something about the stone your assessing and you should know and have seen how these 4 C’s can vary from the lowest quality stones to the finest. This is something not many people have the luxury of knowing.

For an accurate assessment by a professional, it is absolutely essential for them to be done in person to see the combination of these important features of the stone and how they work together to create a complete image of quality. It should be stressed (not just noted) that the majority of jewelers are not good at gemstone assessments. Accurate assessments are done by qualified gem dealers or gemologists.

If you’ve ever written the ‘how much is my emerald worth’ email. Don’t feel bad. You didn’t know. But hopefully this blog helps you understand why you didn’t get the response you were looking for or educates others why writing the same email won’t be helpful to them.

Going the Extra Mile(s) for Christmas

Here I am in Colombia. A land feared and misunderstood my most, but a beautiful land and people with unforgettable experiences just waiting for those with the guts to put aside what people say to go see and feel for themselves what Colombia is all about. Ever since my first trip several years ago, it has been a sort of personal dream for me to come live here someday, but I never dreamed or expected it would happen like this. But that’s ok. Right now, this isn’t about me… I’m here for business. I’m here in the middle of Bogota with nothing but emeralds and emerald jewelry on my mind. I’ve left everything behind to spend the next few months personally filling emerald requests received from the website and cementing relationships with our sources that will last for years and years to come. When I’m not busy doing that, I’ll be working with local jewelers to bring new and unique designs to the world via Embassy Emeralds.

It is quite exciting to be putting it all out on the line for something you believe in. I believe in getting the best emeralds to our customers at a reasonable price and that’s what this is all about. We’re taking out the middle man, getting great deals on great stones, and passing it on to our customers. Not only are we doing that, but we’re giving the customer a level of service that is indeed uncommon. Where else can you request something as rare as a fine Colombian emerald to your specifications and then have an expert track it down for you straight from the source. In our minds, that’s great service and we’re sincerely excited about it. Not only do we get to spend our time sorting through hundreds of beautiful emeralds in search of that perfect stone, but we get to satisfy the customer in doing so. Everyone wins. If you’ve been dreaming of an emerald and you’re ready to make your dream a reality, now is the time. Contact us today.

Trapiche Emeralds – A Rare Stone Indeed

I was recently surprised to learn how few people have ever heard of trapiche emeralds. I know they’re quite rare, but I’m talking about people that are jewelry enthusiasts, people with some experience working with gems, and even Colombians, which is the only place on earth where they come from. So, it occurred to me…if these people don’t know, maybe I should sit back and reconsider just how rare they are and write a blog about it. Maybe I can teach someone a thing or two.

Trapiche emeralds are a rare form of emerald found occasionally in certain emerald mines in Colombia. The name trapiche (commonly pronounced tra-peesh in English, tra-pee-chay in Spanish) comes from a grinding wheel used to process sugarcane in Colombia. According to the most readily available information, the only known mines are Muzo, Peñas Blancas, and Coscuez which are located within a span of about 30 km (20 miles) along the Rio Carare. Trapiche emeralds are green as all emeralds are, but black carbon rays radiate out in a six pointed radial spoke pattern from a center core and colorless beryl or black carbon often surrounds the green emerald areas. The center core may be in a hexagonal shape and contain emerald (green beryl) or colorless beryl or it may not form at all.

Every aspect of the trapiche emerald varies greatly from specimen to specimen. This includes the core shape, alignment of the spoke pattern, green emerald portion and its surrounding material. Often the overall crystal shape is irregular with only the core and sometimes green emerald portion forming the regular hexagonal shape associated with beryl crystals but most often even this is irregular. The green emerald portion may also form in a six-leafed pinwheel or flower pattern when the carbon or other foreign material forms in larger concentrations between the prisms of the green emerald crystal.

Trapiche emeralds are highly valued for jewelry because of their rarity and unique characteristics. But it would be extremely unusual to find a trapiche emerald that is faceted. Trapiches are generally cut to shape or sliced and then cabochoned. Some cabochoned slices can be very irregularly shaped, but skilled jewelers can create very unique one of a kind pieces.

Consider for a moment what you’ve just read and let’s put together the facts about emeralds and trapiche emeralds to learn just how rare a good gem quality trapiche emerald is. We have to consider all of these facts together as each one adds almost exponentionally to the rarity of a good trapiche.

• Emeralds are rare stones. Much rarer than diamonds. Gem quality emeralds are even more rare.


• Small emeralds (and trapiches) of a few millimeters are common, relatively speaking, but rarity increases as size does.


• Trapiche emeralds only come from three emerald mines found along a 20 mile stretch of land in Colombia and the percentage of trapiche emerald crystals found in these mines compared to typical emerald crystals would be a small fraction of one percent.


• Many trapiche emeralds are irregularly shaped meaning many are difficult or impossible to work with. Many are oblong in shape and appear stretched.


• The six rays of the trapiche will often not match in terms of length, straightness, thickness, or appearance.


• The trapiche core can be well formed in the hexagonal shape or have no core at all, but instead just be the meeting point for the six rays.


• Emeralds almost always have inclusions and trapiche emeralds are no exception. The presence of inclusions is normal and accepted, but it does increase the likelihood that an unforgivably bad inclusion could disqualify the stone from being considered ‘gem quality’.


• Color can vary greatly as it does in all emeralds from any source. Poor color or very little color at all is an important consideration.


• Clarity also can vary as it does in all emeralds, however, clarity is generally a very minor consideration for trapiches and usually only for the green areas of the stone.

Ok, so we’ve established that a trapiche emerald is very rare and then we narrowed down the field considerably by having quality standards. That eliminated the large majority of an already very rare stone. Trapiche emeralds of good gem quality are very rare indeed; perhaps one of the rarest of gems. Maybe it isn’t that surprising that more people haven’t heard of them…there just aren’t that many out there.

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Embassy Emeralds carries a large selection of loose emeralds, including trapiche, along with beautiful emerald jewelry settings.

How much are emeralds worth per carat?

We often get questions like this, and they are never easy to answer. The correct answer is that an emerald is worth what people will pay for them and that price depends on the quality and rarity of the stone. Several factors, but in particular, the 4 C’s of Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat become the quality bases of any valuation to be made. You’ll find a discussion of the 4 C’s on our About Emeralds page. If you were to apply those 4 C’s as you browse a varied selection of emeralds, you’d quickly understand their importance in making a determination of an emerald’s quality. In a given selection you’d see cloudy, milky colored stones; emeralds that lack true emerald green color; ‘eye-clean’ stones; heavily included stones; badly cut or chipped stones; as well as small and large stones.

All of these variations are out there, so it would be impossible to assign a single market price to all emeralds. Instead they are evaluated on a more individual basis or sometimes in the ‘lots’ by which they may be purchased from the supplier. The lowest quality emeralds, which probably do not deserve that name, might be found for perhaps $10-$80 per carat if priced fairly in emerald markets. They may be green, but would probably lack the typical coloration and other gem qualities that a specimen of Green Beryl requires to be classified as an ‘Emerald’. Still, there are many who will market these poor quality stones as emeralds at ridiculous prices. Above that, you have stones that you might classify collectively as ‘commercial quality’. That term can be used to describe emeralds in a very broad quality range that would be found in most of the emerald jewelry available to consumers. Prices per carat for these stones vary greatly and can reach a few thousand dollars per carat, but size and the 4 C’s will have a lot to do with it. Beyond that, pricing of very fine emeralds is another world all together. Some may be affordable at perhaps as low as $1,000 but others may reach up to an amazing $50,000 per carat if you can believe it. Though a $50,000/ct emerald would be impossibly rare, very large, absolutely flawless, and would certainly have some important history or other significance to it. Even emeralds in the $5,000-$10,000 price range are rare, but certainly obtainable.

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Loose Emeralds from Embassy Emeralds - Great Selection/Spectacular Prices

10,050 ct Emerald Found in Zambia

Gemfield Resources PLC, (a United Kingdom entity) announced the recent discovery of a 10,050-carat Emerald crystal from their Mbuva-Chibolele mine, located in Zambia. The emerald itself is a 10 centimeter hexagonal crystal and was found about 40 meters from the surface in a wall of pegmatite. This open-pit mine which has been open only since July of last year, is one of two mines in operation by Gemfield Resources PLC in Zambia.

The presence of emeralds in Zambia has been known since the late 1920's, however they were not mined commercially until the middle of the century. It is believed that much of the gem trade in Zambia occurs on the black market, however this is changing and the find by Gemfield Resources represents a positive step.

Emeralds from Zambia tend to have a bluish hue; in many cases even more blue than their more famous cousins from the mines of Chivor in Colombia in part due to a higher concentration of Vanadium. Zambian emeralds tend to require less treatments.

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Embassy Emeralds - Loose Emeralds from Colombia

Romancing the Stone

I saw Romancing the Stone on TV the other day and it was quite interesting to see how my perception and opinions have changed over time. I forced myself to watch it to get a look at the large Colombian Emerald that the movie revolves around. It was tough, but I did make it to the end. Wow, what a cheesy movie. I recall seeing it back in 1984 and I thought it was pretty cool. Maybe I was drawn in by the adventure parts where Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner found themselves in the jungle or the interesting fortress setting of Cartagena, but seeing it again after all this time, I think I must have been on some of the drugs they found in that crashed airplane in the beginning.

How great would it be though, to find a nice Colombian Emerald the size of ‘El Corazon’? Maybe I’ll ask around on my next trip to Colombia.

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Embassy Emeralds - Your source for Premium Loose Emeralds from Colombia

Columbian Emeralds vs. Colombian Emeralds

Call me a perfectionist, but I have an issue to discuss with the general public. It centers around something that is near and dear to my heart: Colombian Emeralds. Please note the spelling, it is not Columbian Emeralds… They don’t exist. Now, I can understand how many would think the correct spelling for Colombia contains a ‘U’ because that’s what we’re used to in the United States, but it does not. I guess at one time I thought that it did as well, but after many trips to Colombia and after becoming an emerald dealer, I have to take a stand. So here it is. Here’s my stand.

Columbia is many things. A proposed name for the United States way back when, a city in South Carolina, a river in Washington, and an Ivy League university in New York City among others. What Columbia with a ‘U’ is not, is a country in South America that produces the finest emeralds in the world. Colombia with an ‘O’ is. Please make a note in your mental dictionaries so we can give Colombia the credit it is due.

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Embassy Emeralds - Colombian Emeralds at their Finest

Diamonds in the Moonlight

Being in the gem and jewelry business, I am constantly thinking of ways to promote my business. The other day I was going through in my head some of the advertisements or commercials I’ve seen that were memorable or really seemed effective. There is one in particular that really sticks out. I believe it was more of a campaign with several different variations on the same commercial concept, but it was very simple and powerful. It contained nothing more than water, a beautiful woman, her diamonds or diamond jewelry, and the moonlight reflecting off the water and/or diamonds. The rest of the background was completely dark. Nothing else was at all visible. The diamonds in were extremely bright and captured your attention completely even successfully making the beautiful woman seem secondary.

If only I could capture that sort of attention in a similar fashion but my emeralds. I think it would be effective if done in the same way, but of course that’s not very original. Maybe the blog community might have some ideas or might share some examples of emeralds being presented effectively.

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Embassy Emeralds - Loose Emeralds Direct from Colombia.

Creating Custom Jewelry Is Not Difficult

Creating custom jewelry is not difficult. Actually it’s quite simple. In many cases, you’re simply designing the piece around the emerald you choose. It’s a whole lot easier to cast and shape metal to the size you need than it is to perfectly cut or select a stone that meets the exact dimensions of a premade setting. Let that soak in for a second, because it should relieve some anxiety you might have about doing this. And so with that being the case, you should be able to focus on simply selecting the emerald you want. You’ll also need to decide if there are any accent stones or materials you may desire, and work with the jeweler to get the design that works for you. Most of the time, people have an idea in mind or at least certain features, but if not, an experienced jeweler can help walk you through the completion of the design. Except for telling him/her what you want, leave the sourcing of the accent stones and metals to the jeweler. They’ll be able to obtain what your piece requires.

One of the reasons you may be into making custom jewelry or enhancing and repairing what you have is the cost factor. In most cases it can be significantly cheaper to make your own jewelry piece than it would be to buy it already made from the jewelry store. It is easy for us to imagine a cost savings of 20-50%, but maybe as high as 70% of what you’d expect to pay. Some of this savings depends on the complexity of the design, your ability to find bargains, the jeweler you choose, and other factors, but a nice cost savings should be in possible for anyone to achieve and you’ll end up with a higher quality piece. It makes you wonder why more people don’t choose the custom option. The best explanation we can come up with is that many people don’t know where to start; they don’t feel they have the time to have a piece made, maybe they don’t know about how much they could save, or they don’t understand how the process would work and how easy it would be. Another possibility is they don’t have the patience to wait 2 or 3 weeks for their piece to be made. It’s unfortunate, because all it takes to get started is to buy the stone you want and visit the yellow pages online and search for jeweler, jewelry design, or custom jewelry.

Learn more about custom jewelry settings at Embassy Emeralds

Custom Jewelry - A Personal Tale

Before getting involved in the gem business, the first thing that came to mind when I heard the words custom jewelry mentioned was my first real love. I was in the military at the time, stationed in Japan for 3 years and I dated a lovely Japanese girl for most of my time there. She was a special girl who truly loved me to the point that it often made me feel unworthy to be so lucky. Because of the nature of my job, I deployed to other countries several times a year, usually for weeks or months at a time. It was difficult for us, but especially for her, as she had to imagine what danger I might be in because of my work or what temptations might be out there to test our relationship in exotic places like Bangkok or Singapore.

On this particular deployment, I was going to Turkey for about 7 weeks and it just wasn’t a good time for us to be apart that long. Our goodbye was tough, so I wanted to get her something special while I was away to show her how much I was missing her. I had been to Turkey before and knew that the goldsmiths there could make just about anything, so I brought along a textbook from my Japanese class that had examples of the Japanese characters that I needed to make a personalized bracelet for my Yumiko. It only took a week for it to be made, but it turned out great. Three gold medallions with Japanese characters on them linked together to spell her name and a lovely gold chain to bring it all together.

To make a long story short, I returned back to Japan and of course she cried when I presented her with the bracelet. It was perfect and it brought us close after being apart for so long. That is until a few months later when she tossed it in the ocean, but that’s another story.

The point is that custom jewelry is truly special and conveys magnitudes of sentiment more than something you pick out of store window or jewelry counter. If you’ve never given or received custom jewelry, you’ll be amazed at what it means to you, even if you’re the one giving it or just making it for yourself.

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Embassy Emeralds - Nothing Greens Greener

Quick... Think of a Jewel

The majority of people, if asked to name a gemstone, would probably think of a diamond first. But this wasn’t always the case. In fact, diamonds themselves only became in favor once lapidaries learn to correctly cut and polish this otherwise dull material to unlock the fire and brilliance within. Long before all this however, colored gemstones- and particularly the emerald- were kings. While a well cut emerald round can be spectacular to behold, the uncut emerald crystal nestled amongst its matrix can be equally impressive.

In the middle and early ages, color was one of the most important characteristics in gemstones. Up until the discovery of the far superior specimens from Colombia in the 1600’s, most emeralds came from Egypt. But despite their poorer quality, the emerald still ran supreme.

With its grass green color, the emerald symbolized life, nature, and rebirth. The color green also has both spiritual and philosophical significance in a large number of cultures, both ancient and modern day. It has been said that to possess an emerald was to possess beauty herself.

Emeralds - Discover the Beauty of Most Ageless of Gemstones

Emerald Green

Ah, emerald green. What a beautiful color. Many things come to mind when we use the term Emerald Green in a general sense. Irish landscapes, car colors, the color of water, certain trees, and perhaps certain shades of fabric. But as a famous philosopher once said… “Nothing greens greener” than an emerald. You know, it’s no wonder why we name colors after prominent gemstones. When we here the names Emerald Green, Ruby Red, and Sapphire Blue we think of the richest and most beautiful shades of those colors. Because of these deep shades, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires became known as “The Big Three”. Their captivating colors made them objects of desire and symbols of love, status, and good taste. They take our breath away and bring forth emotion simply by gazing at them.

Embassy Emeralds - Redefining Emerald

Buying Gems and Jewelery

Buying precious stones has become big business in the United States as people seem to have more disposable income and are trying to come up with interesting jewelry ideas to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces. This might seem to some to be another vain instance of first-one-on-the-block syndrome, but buying precious stones and valuables such as jewelry is really an excellent and practical idea.

Much like buying certain commodities such as gold and silver or perhaps like buying savings bonds, buying gemstones and jewels is safe way individuals can ‘store’ wealth. And an added benefit of doing so is that you can make use of it at the same time. Very few investments or items we buy can make that claim. Gems and jewelry can be worn giving the individual all the benefits of status, prestige, and a sense of happiness and yet still keep or even increase in value. This really isn’t a new concept. Many governments, or we can even say… civilizations have done this since gold, diamonds, emeralds, and all these fine treasures of the earth were first discovered.

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Loose Emeralds from Embassy Emeralds - An ideal source for emeralds from Colombia

When deciding to make a custom piece of jewelry, the designer will have to decide on what stones will be included. Many times the customer will already have certain types of stones in mind to complete the piece or at least for the primary settings if there will be multiple stones. But if not, the designer, or more likely… the customer, will have to make a very personal choice. This is one of the aspects of custom jewelry design that helps make the finished piece unique or special.

To make matters simple, we suggest choosing your main settings first and then brainstorming around that. Simple accent diamonds may be all you need to finish the piece or perhaps your main setting is a diamond and you’d like to accent it with emeralds, sapphires, or some other colored gem or gems. Either way, make the big decision first and then fill in the blanks afterwards.

At Embassyemeralds.com we tell our clients to go with their heart and choose the stones they feel would look best. Just as we tell them to choose the emerald they like best when faced with decisions on color variations, clarity, and all the factors that come into play when choosing an emerald. In the end, it’s what the customer wants or fancies most that matters.

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Colombian Emeralds from Embassy Emeralds

Richest Treasure Find Ever Includes Colombian Emeralds

by Garrett Fifer

A longstanding legal battle over sunken treasure appears to be no closer to resolution after the Colombian Supreme Court ruled that the estimated two billion dollars worth of treasure aboard the Spanish galleon, San José, that went down in sea battle with English ships near Cartagena in 1708, and found in 1982, belongs to the Colombian state. Sea Search Armada, a Cayman Islands based salvage company financed by 100 private investors claims an agreement reached with the Colombian government in 1979 gives them rights to half of any gold, silver, or artifacts that are recovered from the still yet unverified resting place.

Most experts agree that the exceptionally large booty of gold, silver, and Colombian emeralds is the richest treasure find ever. We may never know for sure, but many archaeologists are dying to see what fine relics might be retrieved from the depths. We may see some of the biggest and finest emeralds ever make their way into museums and collections if salvage work ever does begin.

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Find a large selection of loose colombian emeralds at www.embassymeralds.com

Articles about Emeralds

We recently had two articles published at the website www.ezinearticles.com, inlcuding:

Emerald Treatments

..and...

About Emeralds - Understanding the Four 'C's for Colored Gemstones

We invite you to give them a review; we belive they offer some interesting insight into emeralds.

The Lighter Side of Emeralds: An Insiders Look at Gemstone Marketplace (Part 1)

On a recent trip to purchase emeralds, I brought along a good friend to give him some insight into the world of emeralds and a small taste of Colombia. We visited a vendor that I had met years before, but whom I hadn’t seen in some time. While I stood back and chatted with the owner, my friend browsed over the selection of loose emeralds and finished jewelry, asking an occasional question of the lovely young Colombian lady working there. When he came to some lighter colored emeralds that really caught his attention he interrupted us to get us involved. He, like most people, was confused about the wide variations in color and clarity he was seeing in some the emeralds.

There was one emerald in particular that we discussed at some length. This emerald was unusual for a couple of reasons. First, it was not cut in one of the typical emerald cuts. It was cut more like a brilliant diamond. Second, the stone was very clear and transparent, with little color at all. Only a hint of green let you know this was an emerald by looking at it. As it turns out, the cut was a perfect match for this stone as the clarity really let the brilliant sparkle come through. I had seen this before many times, but I went ahead and bought the stone anyway simply because it was such a remarkable stone. It doesn’t follow "the rules" when it comes to emerald color, but its beauty is undeniable. The stone actually helps illustrate something I often tell my customers- buying gemstones and jewelry is a subjective thing; If it makes you happy and you apreciate how it looks, why buy something else? You can use the ‘industry preferences’ as a guide, but in the end, yours is the only opinion that matters.

(To be continued...)

An individual recently wrote us to inquire about the treatments used on the gemstones offered by Embassy Emeralds. It is true that not all dealers disclose the utilization of treatments, though we certainly believe they should.

As you may know, treatments are used to enhance the visual appearance of the stone by filling minute fissures that exist in all natural emeralds, allowing for less interruption in the transmission of light as it passes thru the stone. Cedarwood oil is one of many available treatments.

How long the treatment will last depends on a number of factors, such as frequency of use (everyday vs. special occasions) and how the gemstones are stored when not in use. In particular, gemstones that are frequently exposed to high temperatures will loose the benefits of the treatment much faster than gemstones stored in a cool, dark, and dry place when not in use. In any case, once the treatment subsides, it can retreated a qualified jeweler.

Cedarwood oil has no effect on the durability of the stone.

The Emeralds Garden

One of the most unique characteristics of an emerald is its inclusions. All emeralds are included, so people accept it, and at times, even value this trait. Inclusions or features within the stone are often referred to as its 'garden'. They are not considered 'a bad thing' unless they negatively impact the stone's integrity or significantly affect its ability to capture, reflect, and manipulate light.

Emeralds with inclusions that would be unacceptable in other gemstones are bought and sold every day at prices well above those of other 'non-included' gems. One has to look at each type of gem as its own distinct, individual species of stone and appreciate the differences, because each gem type is unique.

While on the subject of inclusions, it is also worth mentioning that stones from different sources often have certain inclusion traits that help determine the authenticity of the stone, as well as the origin. Trained eyes may even be able to tell which mine the emerald was taken from. In this way, inclusions can be helpful.

Certifying Colored Gemstones

A common question among customers is why all colored gemstones arn't certified. Simply put, the biggest reason not to certify is cost. Costs to certify a stone can range from $150 - $300 from a recognized, reputable, and independent organization such as the American Gemological Laboratories or the AGTA Gemological Testing Center.

Besides these two institutions, there are many agencies and organizations that may issue gem certifications- and some may do it for less- but jewelers and insurers do not recognize many of these 'unknown' certificates. Even worse, certificates might be issued by the sellers themselves, creating conflicts of interest.

If you require a certification, the best advice is to buy stones certified by an independent organization that is industry recognized. If there's any doubt, look up the certifying agency or organization on the web and form your own opinions based on what you find.

Healing Properties of Emeralds

Maybe there is something in the flash as it catches our eye, but for countless centuries we have been fascinated by something deep inside gemstones. Mystics and Mages long ago bestowed fantastic properties on precious stones such as rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.

It was said that the emerald possessed special healing abilities, able to restore both mental and physical health. It's possible that much of this stems from its deep green color, something we often associate with nature and peacefulness.

In particular, emeralds were said to aid in improving or restoring eyesight, though this may come from a legend in which the Roman Emperor Nero was said to wear a monocle made from emerald, in which he used to observe the athletic games.

Colombian Emeralds vs. Other Emeralds

Fact: It is undisputed in the gemstone and jewelry industry that the world's finest emeralds come from Colombia.

Often times the Muzo mine is mentioned by name. This is extraordinary compared to other precious gems. It is seldom the case for diamonds, sapphires, and rubies that one very specific source is so much more accepted for being superior gemstones, or is so much better known by name than the other mines or countries producing the same gem. Certainly, they have their famous names and their own acclaim, but it cannot be denied that Colombian emeralds stand out fare more when compared with their Brazilian and Zambian rivals.

On the average they are of higher quality, have better color, and are more sought after than other emeralds. Further, they are found in a more limited mining area which makes them even rarer and more highly valued.

Embassy Emeralds selects by hand each and every emerald you see on www.embassyemeralds.com from trusted suppliers in Muzo and other mines in Colombia.