World’s Most Valuable Emerald Unveiled

April 25, 2013 Cheryl Kremkow Jewelry Design Tags: , 4 Comments

The emails started coming about a month ago: Bayco announcing that it would be announcing one of the “world’s most precious gems” at the 2013 Baselworld exhibition. Well, today they announced, drumroll……The Imperial Emerald! Actually, the gem is worth the hype and here’s why. First of all, the emerald weighs in at 206 carats. Compare that to the Hooker Emerald in the Smithsonian which is 75 carats. The Mogul Emerald, owned by the dynasty that built the Taj Mahal and now in the collection of the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar, is bigger at 217 carats but not as transparent. Here’s where the Imperial Emerald really stands out: it’s remarkably clean for any emerald and for one of this size, staggeringly clear. It is also completely unenhanced. As you might expect for a gem of this magnitude, it has reports from every gemological lab that matters, including the book-form monograph from the Gemological Institute of America, a GemPortrait by Gubelin, and a JewelFolio by AGL. In short, this gem really belongs in a museum, although none will be able to afford it. In fact, it was probably cut from a crystal even better than the Patricia, the 632-carat crystal in the American Museum of Natural History. Maybe a new mogul will buy it and create a legacy by donating it to a great museum collection?

4 Comments

  1. Michael Leal 9 years Reply

    Estimada Cheryl,
    Do you know where this beautiful stone was mined? I am a native United States citizen (San Francisco)/U.S/Colombia exporter of Colombian emeralds (Boyacá Region). The206 ct. gemstone has the clarity of a Colombian mine of Muzo. I have been to Muzo, Chivor, La Pita and Cosquez. Yours appears to be Muzo. Do you know happen to know?

    Thank You,
    Michael Leal

    [email protected]
    [email protected]

  2. Gold Crafters Exchange 10 years Reply

    I have always been a huge fans of emeralds, I wish I would admire this gem in person one day.

    Gold Crafters Stoughton
    37 Dykeman Way
    Stoughton , MA 02072
    Ph: 781-344-5510

  3. Fashion Jewelry 10 years Reply

    I like the fashion ring made of emerald

  4. Peter Youngson 10 years Reply

    Truly a great piece and price. Beauty and culture is above money.

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