Most World-Famous Emeralds
For over 3,000 years, emeralds have been highly valued, and several of them have gained fame. Below are four of the most famous emeralds, notable for their beauty, size, or historical significance.
The Bahia Emerald
The Bahia Emerald, mined in 2001, is a cluster of
approximately eight emerald crystals embedded in host rock, discovered in one
of Brazil's two emerald-rich states, Minas Gerais and Bahia. Brazilian emeralds
are typically of inferior quality, but this unique cluster is an exception. One
of the crystals is the largest emerald crystal
ever mined, making it an exceptional specimen. The Bahia Emerald's total weight
is 341 kg, and its emerald crystals have an estimated weight of 1,700,000
carats. The emerald's history is shrouded in mystery as it appeared in the
United States shortly after its mining, where it was the subject of a legal
dispute that lasted nearly seven years. The Bahia Emerald now belongs to its
rightful owner, with its fate yet to be determined.
Chalk Emerald
During the 18th century, the Gaekwad Dynasty, a
royal family that ruled over Baroda, an early Indian state, owned the Chalk
Emerald. The emerald, weighing approximately 38.40 carats, was mined in
Columbia and was the centerpiece of a delicate emerald and diamond necklace. The
maharajas and princes of Baroda passed the Chalk Emerald down from generation
to generation until the dynasty ended, and the state of Baroda joined India in
1949. At that point, the Chalk Emerald was sold.
After changing hands a few times, the Chalk Emerald gemstone eventually made
its way to the United States, where it was re-cut and set in a ring designed by
Harry Winston, Inc. The emerald now has a cushion cut and is surrounded by
sixty pear-shaped diamonds.
In 1972, the Chalk Emerald found a permanent home at
the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, thanks to the generosity of its
then-owners, Mr. and Mrs. O. Roy Chalk. Today, the Chalk Emerald continues to
be admired by thousands of visitors to the museum.
The Crown of the Andes
The Crown of the Andes, made of gold and emeralds, was a votive crown used to express gratitude to a deity for a blessing received. Votive crowns were commonly used in the past. This particular crown was crafted in Popayán, Columbia, in the late 1500s. During this time, there was a devastating smallpox outbreak in Columbia, but Popayán was miraculously spared. To show their appreciation, the people of the city gifted the Crown of the Andes to the statue of the Virgin Mary in the local cathedral. The crown stands at 34 cm tall and weighs slightly over 2 kg, boasting 450 emeralds. In the early 1900s, the crown was sold and it is now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
The Cambridge Emeralds
During her travels in Germany in 1818, Augusta of
Hesse-Kassel, the Duchess of Cambridge, participated in a charity lottery and
emerged as the lucky winner of a set of more than 30 cabochon emeralds. Unlike
other gems, cabochon emeralds are polished and shaped instead of being cut and
faceted.
Augusta bequeathed the Cambridge emeralds to her daughter, who later
passed them on to her own daughter, Queen Mary. Fifteen of the emeralds were
incorporated into the Vladimir tiara, which was composed of gold and diamonds. The remaining gems were
transformed into various pieces of jewelry, including brooches, necklaces,
bracelets, and earrings, by the royal jewelers at Queen Mary's request.