News From The Edge

Emerald Trapiche from Muzo, Colombia

We have always had a passion for the rare and unusual gemstones and recently we have been working with a Colombian cutter who specializes in Trapiche Emeralds. In Tucson this year we saw a set of three stones that looked like Stars of David (see below). We have been negotiating with him since then and finally have the set in hand. 

Some people looking at these stones wonder why they have been cut in this shape. As you can see from the image of the rough (image below) , this is the natural formation of these crystals! The cutter has taken away all the ugly parts of the crystal and what is left is the "traditional" Trapiche shape of Emerald with amazing "rays" of Goshenite (colorless beryl) radiating from it. The cutter has then polished the piece to smooth away the rough edges of the crystal.

Here you can see a cross-section of a more traditional Trapiche crystal of a very fine quality. 

Pictured below is another amazing pair of Trapiche that we call the "Lotus Pair" which have been polished form another crystal with a very unusual shape.

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