Editor’s Note
Fura Gems will hold its second auction of rough Colombian emeralds in the UAE from April 3-10, 2022, following a record-setting inaugural sale in 2021.
The company Fura Gems announced its second auction of rough Colombian emeralds, to be held from April 3 to 10, 2022, in the United Arab Emirates. This follows the company’s record-setting inaugural Colombian emerald auction in 2021, which featured the largest quantity of these rough gems seen in many years.
Fura Gems stated it will offer more than 50 clients from Colombia, India, New York, Israel, and Bangkok attending the auction a “rare, never-before-seen selection of magnificent, untreated natural rough emeralds with intense color and immaculate clarity.”
More than 210,000 carats of rough Colombian emeralds in a variety of qualities, each weighing over 20 carats, will be displayed. This collection notably includes two “glorious and incredible” rough emeralds weighing 81.2 carats and 83.8 carats.
Historic luxury jewelry houses, where the gemstones will reach their final form, require the highest standards of provenance testing. Therefore, for the first time for Colombian emeralds, Fura Gems will guarantee the transparency and traceability of the entire lot through a ‘paternity test’ conducted by the Swiss Gübelin Gem Lab, which will certify the mine of origin.
All these gems originate from the Coscuez mine, one of the world’s most important emerald mines, widely known for its large-sized emeralds. It is located in the municipality of San Pablo de Borbur in Boyacá, covers an area of 46 hectares, and includes exclusive rights for the exploration, construction, and exploitation of emerald deposits.
In October 2020, Fura Gems received an additional 30-year extension for its mining license in Coscuez from the National Mining Agency (ANM), and in December 2021, it received environmental approvals to upgrade mining operations to medium-to-large scale.
The “rare Colombian emerald masterpieces” discovered at Fura Gems’ Coscuez mine are distinguished by exceptional color and extraordinary size. “Their intense green color and the unmatched translucency that gives life and brilliance to the heart of these royal gems enhance their appeal,” the company highlights.
Indeed, it was at the Coscuez mine where the 1,759-carat Guinness Emerald Crystal, one of the world’s largest gem-quality crystals, was discovered. It currently resides in the collection of the Bank of the Republic of Colombia.
Furthermore, in May 2018, Fura Gems discovered a “rare and exceptional” 25.97-carat rough emerald named ‘Are’, notable for its size, color saturation, and clarity.
In the past, celebrated Colombian emeralds have topped the charts at major auctions. Admired for their color and clarity, they have repeatedly achieved the highest prices in private sales and auctions. For example, the famous Rockefeller Emerald sold for $305,500 per carat in 2018, the highest price per carat ever achieved by British auction house Christie’s for an emerald.
Colombia is the world’s largest producer of high-quality emeralds, although its production was affected in 2021. According to data from the Colombian Mining Association (ACM), 1.3 million carats were produced, a 13.3% decrease compared to 2020. In contrast, exports tripled in 2021.