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.

---

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