The Duke of Devonshire Emerald

One of the world’s most famous uncut emeralds, the Duke of Devonshire Emerald measures 5 cm across the pinacoid and is about 5 cm high. Weighing 1,383.93 carats, this outstanding rough was discovered in the mine at Muzo, Santa Fe de Bogota, Columbia, probably in the early 19^th century.  One version of its origins states it derived its name the 6^th Duke of Devonshire, William Cavendish, who was said to receive or to buy the emerald from Emperor Pedro I of Brazil in 1831.

Image credit: Natural History Museum

The Duke of Devonshire Emerald is a terminated hexagonal-shaped crystal. It carries an exceptional deep-green color. What makes it exceptional is its one large area of perfect transparency on the emerald. However, it is heavily flawed in other areas. At its base, there remains a small piece of the original limestone it grew in.

Reputed as one of the world’s largest and finest uncut emerald, this magnificent gemstone was displayed at the Great Exhibition in London in 1851. It now resides in the Vault at London’s Natural History Museum. To coincide with the opening of the Vault in 2007, the Duke of Devonshire Emerald joined The Star of South Africa, also known as the Dudley Diamond, a Padparadscha Sapphire and many other rare collectible gemstones.

Sacred Emerald Buddha

In 1994, an exceptionally large natural emerald crystal was discovered in Africa. The distinct bluish-cast indicated Zambia as the possible source of the enormous emerald crystal.

By September, the 3,600 carat crystal had arrived in Thailand. One astute gem dealer recognized this a very special crystal. He wanted to maximize its potential rather than breaking it up into smaller pieces. What followed was a year’s long quest for the best subject matter and design for this potentially world record breaking emerald crystal.

Thailand as the final destination suggested a classic standing Buddha image. The classic standing Buddha posture was chosen. This posture is traditionally was Buddha’s admonition to his family members to stop quarrelling among themselves.

The inspiration came timely as the world suffered a great loss when the Buddha of Bamiyan, Afghanistan, was destroyed by Taliban extremists in 2001. A standing Buddha image in pure emerald, a gem highly revered by the Islamic faith, seemed an appropriate replacement to also tell the world to stop quarrelling!

36 year old Aung Nyein originally from Burma living in Mae Sot, Thailand, for 16 years was the master chosen to carve the Buddha image. The project was completed with an independent gemological laboratory certification from GIT and GRS GemResearch Swisslab.

In 2006, PrimaGem presented to the world the 2,620 carat Sacred Emerald Buddha. It is now owned by a Thai private collector.

Image credit: simplyemeralds.com

 

 

The Emerald Unguentarium

Often used in funerary rituals, archaeologists believe the unguentariums were containers  used for holding perfumed oils, ointments, balsam. jasmine, kohl, honey, mastic, incense, scent powders and cosmetic preparations.

The “Emerald Unguentarium” in the Imperial treasury (Schatzkammer)  in Vienna was commissioned by the Hapsburg king, Emperor Ferdinand III in 1641. Carved out of a single large emerald crystal of Colombian origin, probably over 3,000 carats in weight, it was perhaps the largest emerald crystal discovered in the world at that time.

The 2,680 carat Emerald Unguentarium is shaped more like a bottle, and appears somewhat irregular in shape. The cutter of the enormous emerald twin crystal that had grown together, perhaps instructed by the king to reduce losses, seemed to have followed the shape of the natural crystal to minimize the loss.

The unguentarium had a dome-shaped lid and feet also made of emerald, probably worked from the material scooped out of the vessel. Facets of different shapes were also created and polished to bring out the intrinsic beauty of the emerald.

The ungentarium shows a deep vivid green, characteristics of emeralds originating in the Muzo mines of Columbia. The clarity and transparency seen on the upper facets seem exceptional.

In the year of 1660, the emerald vessel was estimated to have a value of 300,000 Talers. It is now on display in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria.

 Image credit: Internetstones.com

The Gachala Emerald

Image credit: Krohsnest.net

The uncut Gachala emerald is said to be one of the most beautiful emerald gemstones ever known. Also one of the world’s largest weighing at an astounding 858 carats, this gem-quality treasure was discovered in 1967 at the Vega de San Juan mine in Columbia.

Named after the district in the mine it was located, the uncut gem is dark vivid green in color and slightly bigger than a golf ball – 5 X 5 cm. The Gachala is now making its home at the National Museum of Natural History, part of the Smithsonian Institute of Washinton, D.C. It was donated in 1969 by Harry Winston, the famed New York jeweler.