Emerald
Questions
Q1:
How does the price of an emerald compare to that of a diamond or
other gem?
A1: Unfortunately, there is no general scale grade or gemologist's
system to compare prices between the different classes of gemstones.
In the emerald market, price scales are subject to a particular
mine's production.
In
general, though, the rarest and finest emeralds have higher prices
than rubies, sapphires and diamonds. This top quality emerald is
commonly known as ``gota de aceite", or "oil drop". Our statistics
indicate that one or two times per year all the mines in Colombia
produce only 2 carats of this type of emerald, with a price of up
to US$30.000 per carat.
High quality Colombian emeralds and other fine emeralds are found
in range of US$1500 to US$7000 per carat. (Guillermo, what do the
other gems usually get priced at per carat?)
Q2: How can I best care for my emeralds?
A2: Emeralds are much sturdier than softer gems such as opals,
pearls, red corals and tanzanites, and harder than most steel. Still,
care must be taken to prevent fractures by avoiding direct collisions
with other objects. Here are some helpful tips to best care for
your emerald:
1) Always remove your emerald ring before heavy activities, washing
dishes by hand, or working with tools. A hard knock against a stainless
steel sink can break an emerald.
2) Clean your emerald periodically (when it is clearly dirty!)
with warm water. Perform this operation with the help of a soft
cloth. For a professional cleaning, go to a laboratory, where certain
professional acids will be used as well a cedar wood oil enhancement.
3) DO NOT USE ANY ULTRASONIC CLEANERS OR STEAMERS. Avoid
extreme temperature changes and high heat.
Q3:
Does investing in emeralds make for a good portfolio?
A3: Two reasons why the answer is YES!…
1)
Gems are Supremely Portable, Easily Concealed and Stored.
Gemstones are the most concentrated form of wealth known to man.
A gem worth $100,000 fits in the palm of your hand, yet weighs less
than a penny! Also consider that just one ounce of a fine Colombian
Emerald could be worth over $10 million at current price levels.
These facts make gemstones the ultimate crisis hedge. If you need
a private, portable, non-detectable asset, a gem is an excellent
vehicle.
2) Gems are Anonymous and Private · Currently, gemstone and diamond
transactions are not individually reported to governmental agencies.
You can store your gems secretly in a bank vault or other secure
location. This constitutes the extent of your maintenance. With
gemstones, there is a confidentiality of ownership. However, we
do recommend consulting a professional tax advisor for your personal
reporting requirements.
Q4. How do I import an Emerald into my Country??
A4: If you buy an emerald from us, you will never need to worry
about import/export issues; we provide customized service from Colombia
to your country paying all necessary costs: insurance, taxes, forms,
courier, cargo agency, etc. You only need a copy of our Invoice
and your country identification in order to receive the merchandise
from our courier. Most countries require a Certificate of Origin
of merchandise in order to import goods; we make sure all legal
paperwork is taken care of through our international brokerage agency.
Company
Questions
Q5. If I buy an emerald from your company, how can I be sure
of its authenticity ?
A5: The best insurance is our guarantee that we export only
the emeralds that we have mined. We never buy emeralds from sources
other than our Colombian Mines. Moreover, every emerald of USD$500
per carat or up comes included with a CGIE gemstone report, with
GIA standards, from GIA graduate gemologist. Additionally, we offer
a total guarantee on all our inventory, with a complete refund in
case of inauthenticity. However, not to worry, in our 30 years in
the trade we have never had this problem!
Q6:. Is the lab report you provide accepted by other laboratories
around the world?
A6: Yes, most laboratories worldwide recognize the validity
of our certification. Upon request, we would be happy to provide
you with a list of countries where this is the case. Please feel
free to write to us at E-mail.
Q7: Is there any standard for the pricing of emeralds? (Why does
emerald jewelry in my country cost so much?)
A7: Our company has created the first online, wholesale price
list for both rough and carved emeralds, which should give you a
general idea of how Colombian emerald are priced. You can compare
this list with GEMKEY - Palmari Price list for emeralds.
The high price typically worn by gems available to the consumer,
is due mainly to the sheer number of hands it passes through on
its way to the jeweler's counter. From the importer to the wholesaler,
to the manufacturer, to the wholesaler jeweler/dealer, to the retail
jeweler. Each middleman adds a mark-up to support their business.
According to The Dow Jones-Irwin Guide to Fine Gems and Jewelry
by David Marcum, the average mark-up from wholesale to retail in
a typical jewelry store for a $5000 item is 100-160%. In other words,
a typical jeweler will buy (at wholesale) a diamond or colored stone
for $5000, and sell it for $10,000-$13,000. As a result of buying
through this traditional system, you can end up paying a considerable
amount for gems and jewelry.
Q8. Is your company a legitimate emerald dealer?
A8: Yes, we have legal certification from the Colombian government
to sell our emeralds both nationally and internationally.
Q9: How do I buy emeralds from your company?
A9: The three possible ways to purchase our emeralds are:
1) Directly at our offices in Bogotá, Colombia
2) Via the Internet; we export the gemstones to your country.
3) Make a personal appointment during one of our International business
tours, when we can come directly to you.
Contact us at E-mail for more information regarding our schedule or any of the above
options.
Q10: Is the international transportation of Emeralds secure?
A10: We use Lufthansa cargo to send your emeralds abroad. We
have worked with this airline for many years, and have found them
to be a reputable and safe carrier. Additionally, we send emeralds
via FedEx International Priority. Please contact us at E-mail. |
Colombian
Emerald Questions
Q11: Where do the finest emeralds
come from?
A11: The finest stones come from
Colombia, where they are mined from the calcite veining bituminous
limestone at Muzo, Coscuez, and Somondoco; these deposits were discovered
in the late 1500s.
Q12. Are there any special properties associated with the green
of the emerald?
A12:
- Green gemstones have always been the color of earth's second kingdom
(plant life) the color of nature, of fertility, of life sustaining
vegetable spirits.
- Green gems are thought to strengthen the eyes, control kidney
and bladder functions, control digestion problems and prevent headaches.
- A green stone on a gold necklace worn near the heart is the outward
display of being in touch with your personal spirit and earth nature
spirits. Their associations with the elements of earth, also lead
to their use in meditations and spells involving money, prosperity,
riches, and luck.
- · Many believe that wearing a green gemstone will promote conception
(of course, we make no guarantees!)
Q13. What is the typical appearance of an emerald?
A13: The standard color is a distinctively rich and vibrant
hue known, in fact, as "emerald green". The specific rendering of
this hue is due to traces of chromium in the crystal structure.
The shades of the "emerald green" hue come in light and dark versions,
and when light is shone through the emerald, one can see the many
"inclusions" that are part of the emerald's natural makeup. Inclusions
look like small, light fissures throughout the interior of the emerald,
and are considered an integral part of every emerald.
Q14. Why is a good quality, 4 carat or higher emerald so much
more expensive?
A14: It is not commonly known, but most emeralds usually have
flaws. Emeralds of good quality and weighing more than several carats
are extremely rare and costly. The emerald is found in metamorphic
rocks, where the mode of formation restricts crystal size.
Q15. Are there really such things as synthetic emeralds, and
how can you tell the difference between the artificial and natural
ones?
A15: Yes, there most certainly are synthetic emeralds. They
are produced artificially using a process developed by Carroll F.
Chatham in the 1930s. Only a gemologist, using the correct tools
can differentiate between the two.
Q16. Where are the Emeralds mined?
A16 There are three important Emerald mining regions in Colombia:
Muzo, Coscuez, and Chivor. These three areas are comprised of many
individual "cortes" or mines. Muzo and Coscuez are on long term
leases to two Colombian consortiums from the Colombian government
and Chivor is privately owned. Muzo and Coscuez are much more prolific
in production, thus the majority of the emeralds we sell are from
these two areas. The best way to differentiate between emerald specimens
from these three sources is by carefully examining the individual
characteristics of the crystals and the matrix.
As of two years ago, mining began from a new deposit in Maripi town,
close to Borbur and Muzo. The principal mines at Maripi are "Cunas"
and "La Pita". The discovery of these two new mining zones has led
to a wide range of new stones, in such hues as bluish and yellowish
green, and in all qualities and sizes.
Q17. How are emeralds mined?
A17: There are two basic methods used for extracting emeralds
all over the world: by means of tunnels that follow the gem bearing
veins and by open pit or open cut mining.
In Colombia, emeralds were originally mined by the Spanish through
the selective excavation of tunnels that allowed following attractive
leads.
Miscellaneous Questions
Q18. I've heard that emeralds have some healing properties associated
with them, is this true?
A18: In many ancient medical treatises of Eastern and Western
cultures alike, gemstones were referred to as having diverse healing
properties, of which the emerald was commonly associated with the
following:
· Guard against poison and venomous bites
· Cure for epilepsy · Fertility enhancer; pregnancy support
· Eye disorders (and to reduce tension and strain)
· Certain stomach disorders, such as dysentery
· Sleeping aid
· Leprosy
Q19. Okay, what about the "power" properties of Emeralds that
I've read about?
A19: History is full of legends and recorded episodes where
gemstones played an important role in historical events. In many
traditions all over the world, emeralds, far more than simply adorning
their users, were believed to grant their owners magical powers
and to protect them in the following cases (among others):
· Protection against demoniacal possession
· Increase mental powers
· Provide clairvoyance
· Mental clarity
· Strengthen love and fidelity
Q20: What Zodiac sign does the emerald correspond to?
A20: The emerald is the zodiacal gem for those born under the
signs of Taurus, and is the special stone of anyone born in May.
Of course, everyone looks good in an emerald, so there's no need
to feel left out if you were born in October. |
|
