EMERALD
Beryls family.
Color: Emerald is the deep green variety of the beryl family.
Main sources: Colombia, Brazil, Russia, Zambia.
The material of the emerald, very delicate, includes small crystals and frosts that are called the "emerald's gardens".
In History
The word emerald comes from the Persian word zamarat which means "heart of stone". Myths and legends are mixed with historical reality. It is said to have been present in Babylon in the 2nd millennium B.C., where it was used as currency. During the period of Ancient Egypt, Emerald mines were exploited to provide the ornaments of the sovereigns. It is also said that Nero watched gladiatorial fights through an emerald.
The Duke of Devonshire's emerald. From the mines of Muzo (Colombia) and weighing 1384 carats, it was offered to the Duke of Devonshire by Emperor Peter I of Brazil in 1831.
Patricia Emerald from the mines of Chivor (Colombia) weighing 632 carats. These two stones are the best known by gemologists.
The Taj Mahal Emerald - also known as Berenice - is one of the most renowned for jewelry lovers. Weighing 141.13 carats, it is hexagonal in size and engraved with floral motifs in the tradition of the engravings made by Mughal craftsmen in India.
