A Visit to The Emerald District in Bogota Colombia

[Sungura]

I’m in Colombia visiting my family and today, with the knowledge of the questions and discussions here, I visited Bogota’s Emerald district. To look (drool) and learn.

I will return to the district tomorrow so if you have any specific questions, write them here I’ll search out the answers tomorrow (unless I already got the answer today)

In short, I visited retail shops in the district, observed street trading and paid a visit to George @muzaemeralds on instagram) https://www.instagram.com/muzoemeralds/?hl=en ) and his team at International Emerals Exchange. I met and learned from the cutter, the cleaner and treatment expert and of course viewed so some what is considered top grade emeralds like those George shows on Instagram

I have a lot to share but for now here is a picture of my escort to the district, my brother-in-law Guillermo P. and Ricardo, a master emerald cutter who cuts for George. My brother in law is a retired metallurgical engineer who worked in the district as a precious metal refiner for years. This was not the first time these two have met! This was not a surprise to me.





More to follow

 

[T L]

Thank you!!! I am looking forward to the synopsis of the rest of your trip, but we need emerald pictures!!

 

[suzanne2]

Wow, your connections are awesome! Keep us updated!

 

[DauphineMucha]

Ricardo does some amazing works! Thanks and can’t wait to see more!

Are you buying anything...!?

 

[T L]

Ricardo does some amazing works! Thanks and can’t wait to see more!

Are you buying anything...!?

The amazing gems that man has handled through the years must be mind boggling!

 

[DauphineMucha]

That video...like a fancy metallic gargle. Imaging looking at it on a daily basis

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx8lmMJDyDc/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

[Sungura]

The amazing gems that man has handled through the years must be mind boggling!

Ricardo is very gracious gentleman who is so clearly passionate about emeralds. I am fortunate to speak Spanish so there was no language friction between us. He shared a story about a massive, stunning aquamarine that he cut for a gentleman from India. Ricardo was in awe of the gem, overwhelmed by its beauty and irreplaceable size. He described his hands trembling as he held it and the deep responsibility and honor he felt as he cut it.

I’ll share some of his other stories later

 

[Sungura]

Ricardo does some amazing works! Thanks and can’t wait to see more!

Are you buying anything...!?

My orginal plan was to buy nothing so as to learn more without the pressure to buy. That said, the dollar is really strong against the Colombian peso right now so perhaps .....

 

[DauphineMucha]

My orginal plan was to buy nothing so as to learn more without the pressure to buy. That said, the dollar is really strong against the Colombian peso right now so perhaps .....

Lucky lady! Come on, I am sure you are sooooo tempted!

 

[AV_]

I might notice that uncut trapiche crystals are hardly ever shown anywhere... - I mean, the spikey stuff.

... beryl is spectacular fun !

 

[Sungura]

I might notice that uncut trapiche crystals are hardly ever shown anywhere... - I mean, the spikey stuff.

... beryl is spectacular fun !

AV. I’m going to the emerald museum tomorrow. I’ve never been there but. I ownthey ha e lots of crystals and rough. I’ll search out trapiches and take some pics.

 

[T L]

My orginal plan was to buy nothing so as to learn more without the pressure to buy. That said, the dollar is really strong against the Colombian peso right now so perhaps .....

You have willpower!!!

 

[Atwater]

@Sungura: I really look forward to your posts! I will meet George next Month when he visits US; I am eager to know your experience visiting them.

 

[Sungura]

While you wait for me to organize my thoughts and visit a few more vendors tomorrow, here are some pictures of the same set of top color and clarity emeralds with minimal to no oil. These are a pair from George at IEEX / @muzoemeralds. The pictures are taken near a huge window in George’s office at 5:00 pm today with an iPhone with no filters or editing of any kind. Each emerald is approximately 3.25 carats and they are matched. So basically this is a pair of unicorns.

These look better in real life. The camera doesn’t capture the “magic”. They appear darker in most pictures than I saw with my eyes




More to follow

 

[voce]

This is close to what I consider to be perfection when I look at pictures of emerald. How much is the pair? More than $20k?

 

[T L]

Thank you!! I bet they’re a million times better in person. It’s so hard to photograph emeralds.

George said in his Instagram page, “the finer the emerald, the harder to photograph.”

 

[T L]

My Ron Ringsund book emeralds said that the finest qualities up to 6 carats, if I remember correctly, is $20k/ct. This book was published at least ten years ago. This is for deep dark vivid Muzo color, no enhancement, eye clean.

 

[Sungura]

Thank you!! I bet they’re a million times better in person. It’s so hard to photograph emeralds.

George said in his Instagram page, “the finer the emerald, the harder to photograph.”

George took these pictures. This is my right hand. My ring finger is size 7.5 for reference

I didn’t dare to handle these myself. I asked him to place them on my hand and also to flip them over. You can see these vividly from the hallway. Yikes they are gorgeous

 

[Sungura]

This is close to what I consider to be perfection when I look at pictures of emerald. How much is the pair? More than $20k?

I didn’t ask but I assume they are at least $10k a carat and likely more since it a so hard to create a match set

The cut on these is very deep. These will make a lucious pair of earrings. With minimal gold around them, their substantial size including depth will scream out from across the room

That said, I saw a top color and clarity, minimal oil, nice proportions, that was .9 carats and faces up at 5 x 7 mm. It’s beautiful and the price per carat would be less, possible much less due to sub carat size. So a gem like this is attainable.

 

[Sungura]

@Sungura: I really look forward to your posts! I will meet George next Month when he visits US; I am eager to know your experience visiting them.

I’ll post about my experience with George and his team tomorrow. I’m so glad you contacted him. There is no substitute for seeing these in person. I recommend you tell him in advance the shape, face up siZe and budget range so hopefully he can have a number of options of quality and color levels available. I’ll post more on this later.

 

[T L]

He has some on his Instagram page that are six figure prices for a five carat stone. He probably has those hidden away somewhere extremely safe.

I’ll never ever forget the stone I saw at an antique show 25 years ago or so, it was $250k, eye clean, and amazing!! It only had a few small yellow diamonds on each side, so the setting wasn’t the bulk of the price. It was the most incredible colored gem ever.

 

[T L]

He said a top color five carat stone is $45k/ct. This stone is gorgeous, but ONLY $15k/ct. See the comment section. That’s HIS pricing, I can’t even begin to imagine the mark up at a fancy store.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuY7JgNgWR6/?igshid=11r84tk8qtv0q

 

[amoline]

The real question is, can I just hand over my bank account now and let you buy whatever seems good at the time?

 

[T L]

Color differences in price

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp4su_OA7oZ/?igshid=1e8dwlrb8jnfm

 

[voce]

Color differences in price

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp4su_OA7oZ/?igshid=1e8dwlrb8jnfm

I prefer the right stone. The stone on the left would be the same price if it were heavily treated? There's nothing wrong with the color of the right stone!

Even if one day I come to own top diamond, ruby and sapphire, I can't picture myself buying top emerald at that price.

 

[T L]

George admits some people prefer the lighter stones. I certainly wouldn’t balk at it if it was offered to me!

Emeralds are a relative bargain next to rubies. If I had the money, I would buy lots of emeralds. I could never have enough, it’s like chocolate!

 

[T L]

Here is what he considers “commercial “quality! Yeah, they’re awful

I guess he hasn’t been to the mall. LOL

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjrzLs1ja0G/?igshid=bk2yn4aqe1hq

 

[voce]

Emeralds are a relative bargain next to rubies.

From the prices I've seen, this is only true for 2ct+ emeralds vs 2ct+ ruby. In melee sizes, oil only emeralds of a comparable quality have been more expensive even than unheated Burmese rubies of the top color! And then there's better durability of the ruby to consider...

 

[T L]

If this had no enhancement, it would be 100 K per karat.

I guess this is the most optimal color to George. It is very dark.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BheqAU7Dq2W/?igshid=1lkb54jy445ji

 

[voce]

Here is what he considers “commercial “quality! Yeah, they’re awful

I guess he hasn’t been to the mall. LOL

https://www.instagram.com/p/BjrzLs1ja0G/?igshid=bk2yn4aqe1hq

Do they even have malls in Columbia? I'm thinking, by commercial quality he means Bvlgari or Tiffany instead of Cartier or Graff. LOL