Green as the ‘Gordel van smaragd’

In my teen years I thought that emerald was found in Indonesia. I have to blame the writer Multatuli for that idea because he named Indonesia ‘the emerald belt’ (the Indonesian archipelago consists of a string of emerald green islands). But despite Multatuli or my roots, I love green but even more I love emerald. Because of the beautiful deep green color, with a hint of blue, which emerald can display. I can look at it for hours.

You can imagine that my fantasy went in overdrive when I read that the emerald collection of Marcial de Gomar will be auctioned in New York on April 25th, 2017. Part of this collection was found in a sunken Spanish galleon.
One of the top pieces is the biggest star emerald (more than 25 carat). In the Marcial Gomar Star, the star is visible on both sides of the emerald. But besides the star emerald there is another star that will be auctioned: the largest rough emerald ‘La Gloria’. But my favorites are the ‘Tears of Fura’ two pear shaped emeralds. Not because of their size (over 95 carat) but because of their beautiful eye-visible inclusions.

The most beautiful emeralds are found in Muzo Colombia. For centuries the Inca civilization used emeralds for their jewelry and religious ceremonies.