Emeralds
Colombian Emeralds
It is seldom possible to go into any great detail about the provenance of gem stones. Unlike jewellery from recognised designers, where signatures make determining manufacturing pedigrees fairly easy, the story of a gem's origin is hidden deep within its crystal structure and may reveal little more than the stone's place of origin. When it comes to Colombian emeralds, however, a discerning eye may discover '3 phase' inclusions which, coupled with a rich colour and superior transparency, hint of a fascinating mining tradition driven by the seductive power of these special stones.
Although Colombia's emerald mining is archaeologically dated to as early as 500 AD, the start of the industry as it is now known came with the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors in the early 16th century. The Conquistadors began carrying out large scale assaults on indigenous peoples in emerald-rich areas, most notably Muzo. The indigenous population, who had an established creation mythology surrounding the emeralds, strongly resisted these claims to their mines. This, combined with the added hindrance of unfavourable terrain and tropical weather conditions, meant it was five decades before the Spanish were able to subdue the Muzo Indians and stabilize their own mining efforts. By the 1560's they had a steady flow of freshly unearthed emeralds to export to Europe.
Today, the Colombian mines make up for 55% of global output, dominating the industry by setting unparalleled standards in colour and transparency.
We are delighted to offer a jewel hailing from such an important region. With a mysterious green that evokes historical mining tales set within the luscious Colombian forests, one can't help but wonder at the long journey this stone has made and contemplate the rich tradition to which it belongs. At 3.74 cts, it is a respectable size, but not at the expense of functionality, and has evidence of only moderate treatment which is verified by a report from The Gem & Pearl Laboratory, dated May 2012.
Lot 422 Estimate £2,400 - £3,400 
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