EMERALD         TANZANITE       AQUAMARINE       TOURMALINE         GARNET       AMETHYST

EMERALD, the green variety of beryl

Zambian emerald although discovered in the late 40's was not commercially mined until the 1950's. Today Zambia is one of the world's leading producers of fine Emerald.

Highly prized for its intense colour and remarkable clarity, Zambian Emerald retains its magnificent hue even in small stones of less than 0.5 ct.

Although the experienced professional could identify a Zambian emerald in a Bond Street window, the chances are that it will be sold as a 'Sandawana' stone since the exporting of Zambian rough has long been considered a clandestine event and therefore does not lend itself well the respectability projected by the top jewellery shops of the world.

The trade uses much legend, lore and illusion when it comes to selling a fine emerald. Antiquity now seems to be the order of the day. Some dealers refer to emeralds as "Old Mine and offer wonderfully supportive tales as to how the stone found its way through the centuries. Although much research has been done to establish the source of the 'Old Mine' (believed to have been in India) it still remains a mystery. This does not appear to deter the buyer and 'Old Mine' stones have been known to change hands for as much as US$ 30,000 per carat.

 

        TANZANITE       AQUAMARINE        TOURMALINE         GARNET       AMETHYST

Email          1 Luano Road, Fairview, Lusaka, Zambia           Tel (260 1) 223131