For more than four thousand years, emeralds have been and continue to be one of the most sought after and valuable gemstones on earth. Colombian emeralds have always been hailed as the gold standard to which all other emerald sources are compared to. Colombia dominates the world’s emerald market, and an increase in demand has led Colombian emeralds to be valued at nearly double that of the rest of the world.

A fine emerald can be more valuable than a high quality diamond of the same carat weight. Since the day they were discovered, emeralds from Colombia are still the world’s finest. Colombian emeralds can be compared to diamonds from Golconda, sapphires from Kashmir, and rubies from Burma. These gemstones are as rare as they are beautiful.

Gem experts from all over the world consider Colombian emeralds to be the finest due to their warm and deep color. Unlike diamonds, an emerald that has imperfections but is a rich green is more valuable than a flawless emerald in a paler shade of green. Emeralds that have a deep green color with no imperfections are extremely rare and virtually priceless. Colombian emeralds can be found in the history books of civilizations across the globe. And to this day, they continue to capture our imagination.

When buying emeralds, color is of the utmost importance. Color has the most influence on a stone’s overall value. The most desirable colors range from bluish-green to yellowish-green, with medium to rich color saturation. The next important characteristic is clarity. This is determined by the amount of inclusions and fractures visible to the eye. The more clear it is, the more valuable the emerald. The finest quality emeralds range from none to moderate clarity enhancement.

3) Brilliance: The life and intensity of the reflection is important when valuing an emerald. The shine and brilliance of the reflecting facets are what capture the eye when appreciating a fine emerald.