The story begins with much excitement. The gem, named Teodora, was found in Brazil and cut in India, before being sold to rare gems dealer Reagan Reaney in Calgary – but there are doubts over whether it is in fact a true emerald. ‘I’m positive it contains emerald but I’m not sure how much of […]
Tag Archives: South Africa
World-famous Emeralds
One of the world’s largest emeralds is the so-called ‘Mughal Emerald’. It dates from 1695, weighs 217.80 carats, and is some 10cm tall. One side of it is inscribed with prayer texts, and there are magnificent floral engravings on the other side. This legendary emerald was auctioned by Christie’s of London to an unidentified buyer […]
Emerald Gemstone and Jewelry Care and Cleaning
Precious emerald is sensitive to pressure and vulnerable to household chemicals. Although emerald is one of the harder gemstones, it does still require careful handling, due to its naturally included and flawed formation. Extra care should be taken when handling emeralds as they are more fragile than other forms of beryl. Avoid wearing emerald jewelry […]
Emerald Gemstone and Jewelry Design Ideas
Green emeralds are excellent gemstones for most types of gemstone jewelry. They are considered to be fairly hard, although not so tough owing to the natural flaws of emeralds. They also have a good level of fire and brilliance which makes them ideal gemstones for open settings. Green emeralds are perfect for setting in large […]
The More About Emeralds the Wiser Your Are
Identifying Emerald Almost all-natural emeralds contain distinct characteristic inclusions and almost all are treated with oil or resin to fill tiny fissures and cracks. It is the presence of these flaws and oil which makes it quite easy to identify and distinguish natural emeralds amongst other similar gemstones. Artificial light will expose and amplify inclusions […]
Where Do Those Beautiful Emeralds Come From?
Emerald mining is almost exclusively done from host rocks, where the emerald has grown into small veins or on walls of cavities. Colombia is the international center of emerald mining. The Muzo Mine, northwest of Bogotá, produces fine-quality stones of a deep green color. The Chivor Mine, northeast of Bogotá, is another important deposit, and […]
About Emerald – History and Introduction
Emerald is the most precious stone in the beryl group. The name comes from the old French word ‘esmeralde’, which was derived from the Greek word ‘smaragdos’ meaning ‘green stone’. By definition, emerald is any medium to dark green beryl colored by chromium. Green beryl colored only by vanadium is not considered to be true […]
Kimberley Diamond Mine
Entrance to Kimberley Kimberley, South Africa, is home to the world’s largest diamond mine, also known as the “Big Hole.” Dug by humans and so large it is visible from space; the pit has yielded some of the world’s largest diamonds and made the De Beers name famous worldwide. At Kimberley visitors can view a […]
A Brief Look at the History & Evolution of the Diamond
3.3 Billion years ago Almost 200 km below the earth’s surface carbon began to evolve under extreme pressure and heat, the beginnings of the formation of the most valued commodity on earth, the Diamond. 322 BC – 185 BC Diamonds begin to appear in Europe as accent decoration in other forms of Jewelry. King Louis […]
This Day In Luxury History
On January 25, 1905, at the Premier Mine in Pretoria, South Africa, a 3,106-carat diamond is discovered during a routine inspection by the mine’s superintendent. Weighing 1.33 pounds, and christened the “Cullinan,” it was the largest diamond ever found. Frederick Wells was 18 feet below the earth’s surface when he spotted a flash of starlight […]