Historical emeralds: worldwide recognition

Emeralds are highly valued throughout the world. Emerald green is so striking that the coloring emit a single color, called the emerald green. Magic spells emerald according to legend, used the Egyptian queen Cleopatra. Pliny the Elder (29-73 c. BC) described the emerald Cleopatra just three words: "Nothing is greener."

For a more modern period of history refers mining emeralds the Spanish conquistadores, which they launched in 1568 in South America. The town of Muzo, where the Spaniards were mining emeralds, is still considered one of the richest deposits of emeralds in the world. Spanish conquistadors spent considerable effort trying by any means to force the Inca to open the location of deposits of emeralds. In the end, good fortune helped the Spaniards find emeralds and start their production for the Spanish crown.

Some emeralds, as well as some diamonds are their own names. The most famous names large emeralds considered Devonshire emerald and Patricia. The first was presented as a gift to the sixth Duke of Devonshire by Emperor Pedro of Brazil in 1831. Emerald Patricia weighing six hundred thirty carats is in the New York Museum of Natural History. The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles can see the Russian emerald weighing one thousand nine hundred sixty-five carats.

One of the richest collections of emeralds considered royal treasury Iran, in particular jewelry royal court .  Large emeralds adorn the luxury belt and Pahlavi crown, necklace and throne Nadir .  The weight of the crystals is from fifteen hundred to two thousand carats .  The most famous jewelry with emeralds considered Crown of the Andes, which is decorated with four hundred fifty-three stone (one thousand five hundred twenty-one carats), including Emerald Atahualpa (forty-five carats), which was named after the last emperor of the Incas .  The crown was made in Colombia from a single piece of pure gold in 1593 in honor of the statue of the Virgin Mary in Popayan .  In 1650, the most valuable thing fell into the hands of the English pirates, but some time later was found and was the most valuable prize of the war of liberation from the yoke of Spain, led by Simon Bolivar in 1812 .  At the moment, the whereabouts of the rare unknown .

In the sacred Hindu texts emerald described as a magic stone that has the ability to heal a man both physically and spiritually. In Islam, the color green is considered sacred. One of the most well-known large emeralds - the Great Mogul, the ancient crystal is applied to the surface of the prayer texts and floral designs. The Catholic Church is also highly revered emerald green and it is widely used in the liturgy.

Countries mining emeralds in our time

Today, among the countries which are mined emeralds, the palm belongs to Colombia. Currently in this country, there are about one hundred and fifty fields, but not all of them are currently developed. The most famous are the Muso and Chivor mines, mining emeralds in these places when the Incas began, long before the arrival of the Spaniards in this region. In economic terms, one of the most advanced mines in Colombia is considered Koskues, which is currently being developed around sixty mines. Experts estimate that almost three-quarters of emeralds mined in Colombia hits the market because of Koskuesa. Colombian emeralds differ juicy green color that distinguishes them from crystals of the other fields, which is often dominated by a bluish tint.

Founded in different fields emeralds differ both in form and in color. Emeralds have a vivid pure green, even though a certain amount of impurities, incredibly highly valued in the market of precious stones. This Colombian emerald wealth does not end there: from time to time in the Colombian emerald mines are rare Trapiche. The peculiarity of these crystals are coming from the center of the six-rays crystal, reminiscent in some ways of a mill wheel spokes. By all accounts, the best emeralds are mined in Colombia, it is, but the place of origin of the stone does not guarantee its impeccable quality.

High-quality emeralds are also mined in Zambia, Brazil, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and Russia. In the international market quite highly valued emeralds from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Brazil. Zambian emeralds differ deep emerald green and a high degree of transparency. Usually they are slightly darker than the crystals from Colombia and often have a slight bluish tinge. The most famous place of production is considered to be a mine of emeralds Zimbabwe Sandavana, come out on the market are small, but very high quality crystals with intense sparkling green color with soft yellow-green tint.

Today, the leading Colombian mines compete up Brazilian emerald deposits. The mine Nova Era in Brazil are produced very high quality bright green emeralds, even if they are inferior to the beauty of Colombian brothers, in a very small extent. Moreover, Brazil supplies the world market is quite rare emerald, such as cat eye and emerald with asterism in the form of six-rayed star. Today the market of precious stones has expanded substantially through deposits discovered in Africa and Brazil - to the great joy of all who care about the precious stones, and in particular to the emerald.

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