Jewellery World Magazine - April 2022

According to legend and lore, the idea of a birthstone chart goes back to Biblical times and the
Breastplate of Aaron, which was set with twelve gemstones. A writer in the first century postulated
that these gems directly correlated with the twelve astrological signs of the Zodiac and that these
stones were beneficial to the health of the wearer. While the perception of the 12-stone birthstone
chart has changed over the centuries, it still implies “to each her stone.”
THE ENCHANTING EMERALD
The Birthstone of May
For more than four thousand years, the green
gem has fascinated humankind, from the emerald
adorned palace of Cleopatra to the fabled mines of
the Incas to the imaginary Emerald City of Oz.
By Cynthia Unninayar
Worn as talismans in ancient times, emerald has been
associated with love and new beginnings. The green
stone was also thought to confer riches and power, and
to predict the future. A member of the beryl family, the first known
emerald mines date back to 330 BCE in Egypt, although the gems
were used much earlier in the Middle East and South America.
Today, emeralds are found in many countries around the world, with
most production coming from Colombia, Zambia and Brazil, with
high-quality stones also found in Ethiopia, Pakistan, Afghanistan,
Madagascar, and Australia.
Perhaps the most famous emeralds come from Colombia and date
back to the times of the Incas, who treasured the green stones. Today,
the nation supplies about 20 to 25 percent of world production.
Because they are so prized, Colombian emeralds demand a premium,
and thus account for about 50 percent of world supply by value.
The main deposits are found in two areas in central Colombia, each
created during a different period in geological history. “Consequently,
gems from each zone exhibit different mineralization types and
slightly different colours,” explains Guillermo Galvis, President of the
Colombian Exporters Association.
A more recent source of fine emeralds is Zambia, which is today the
world’s largest producer. Although the stones were discovered in 1928
in the Kafubu area, they arrived on the world stage in a big way in
2008, when industrial miner Gemfields bought 75 percent of Kagem
Mining (the other 25 percent is owned by the Zambian government).
While the Kagem Mine is the largest operation, there are many smallscale
artisanal mines (ASM) in Zambia, which sell through a variety
of channels, including Virtu Gem, a not-for-profit platform that helps
artisanal miners to obtain fair prices for their gems mined not only in
Zambia, but also in Malawi and Kenya.
One of the more rare and
unusual emerald varieties is
the “Trapiche” emerald, found
almost exclusively in Colombia.
This 2.02-ct Trapiche is from
True Blue Opals and Gems.
(Photo: True Blue Opals
and Gems)
Above: Heart-shaped emerald from
Zambia by Hamid Bros.
Left: Oval cut 1.94-ct Zambian
emerald, 9.3 x 7.1 mm by Hamid
Bros. (Photos: Hamid Bros.)
Round 1.26-ct emerald from
Brazil by Sovereign Gems.
(Photo: Sovereign Gems)
While most facetted emeralds are destined to be used in jewellery,
others are carved into intricate designs, while still others are kept in
their natural mineral state, highly sought after by collectors.
40
jewellery world - April 2022