Among natural stones, there are those that become trends overnight. The Colombian emerald is now one of these.
The question is, do you know the difference between it, and a common emerald? Let's take a closer look.
Above a colombian emerald in the rough.
Origin
Most of Latin America has a tradition in gemstone extraction and is well renowned for it's incomparable quality and variety of gemstones; Colombia and its history is closely linked to emerald mining.
According to gemologists, the stones found in this region stand out for their denser and purer colour. The reason for this is the presence of traces of chromium in the soil of this country. This chemical element gives the Colombian emerald its very special green hue, making it much more attractive and almost making it look like its glowing.
It can be said that Colombian emeralds almost always have a medium tone and lighter inclusions. In contrast, Brazilian stones have a much more varied tone, ranging from very light to very dark, and darker inclusions.
Above image from October 2001 shows the Bahia Emerald, one of the largest of its kind in the world (Photo: Andrew Spielberger/AP).
Regarding inclusions, they can present typical three-phase inclusions (liquid, gas, and salt crystal). These inclusions are the deficiencies that ensure the stone originated exclusively in Colombian soil. On the other hand, yellowish or bluish overtones on the green are imperfections that can occur in both Brazilian and Colombian stones, depending on the mining area.
Here at Virtuosa Jewellery you can find pieces with fusion stones in the natural Colombian emerald glow.
Here are some examples:
Who else wears Colombian emeralds?
It is a favorite gemstone among many celebrities, including Angelins Jolie, Julia Roberts, Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift.
In Brazil, well-known influencers and celebrities such as Marina Ruy Barbosa, Giovanna Lancellotti, Giovanna Ewbank, Tássia Naves, Cláudia Leitte, Grazi Massafera, and many others incorporate Colombian emeralds as part of their day-to-day accessorising.
Truly, no one can resist this dazzling and precious stone.