The Gachalá Emerald, one of the most valuable and famous
emerald
Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium.Hurlbut, Cornelius S. Jr., and Kammerling, Robert C. (1991). ''Gemology'', John Wiley & Sons, New York ...
s in the world, was found in 1967, in the mine called Vega de San Juan, located in
Gachala, a town in
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia, is a country primarily located in South America with Insular region of Colombia, insular regions in North America. The Colombian mainland is bordered by the Caribbean Sea to the north, Venezuel ...
, located from
Bogota. Gachalá
Chibcha
The Muisca (also called the Chibcha) are indigenous peoples in Colombia and were a Pre-Columbian cultures of Colombia, Pre-Columbian culture of the Altiplano Cundiboyacense that formed the Muisca Confederation before the Spanish colonizati ...
means "place of Gacha."
Presently the emerald is in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, where it was donated to the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...
by the
New York City
New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
jeweler,
Harry Winston.
Symbolism
The emerald was named in honor of Gachalá, the municipality of Cundinamarca where it was found.
[ Ficha técnica de la Esmeralda Gachalá de la página web oficial del ]Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...
of Washington, (Consulted on 06-19-2011)
Characteristics
* Shape:
Emerald
Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium or sometimes vanadium.Hurlbut, Cornelius S. Jr., and Kammerling, Robert C. (1991). ''Gemology'', John Wiley & Sons, New York ...
* Color: Intense green
* Carats: 858
Carats
* Weight:
* Size:
* Year of extraction: 1967
Conservation
The emerald is part of the permanent collection of the
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...
in
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
It was donated in 1969 by the American jeweler Harry Winston, and is labeled under number 122078 in the catalog.
See also
*
Colombian emeralds
Emeralds are green and sometime green with a blueish-tint precious gemstones that are mined in various geological settings. They are minerals in the beryl group of silicates. For more than 4,000 years, emeralds have been among the most valuable o ...
*
Chivor
Chivor is a town and municipality in the Eastern Boyacá Province, part of the Colombian Departments of Colombia, department of Boyacá Department, Boyacá. The mean temperature of the village in the Tenza Valley is and Chivor is located at from ...
*
List of individual gemstones
A number of individual gemstones are famous in their own right, either because of their size and beauty or because of the people who owned or wore them.
Aquamarines
* Dom Pedro, the world's largest cut and polished aquamarine. It is currently h ...
*
List of emeralds by size
This is a list of emeralds by size.
Emeralds
Emerald is a gemstone and a variety of the mineral beryl (Be3Al2(SiO3)6) colored green by trace amounts of chromium and sometimes vanadium. Beryl has a hardness of 7.5–8 on the Mohs scale. Most eme ...
References
External links
*
*
Emerald history of ColombiaGachalá Emerald
Natural history of Colombia
Jewelry in the Smithsonian Institution
Individual emeralds
Colombian emeralds
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