June 20, 2008
Today we switched hosts and put the new site online. We are still working on the design so you will probably see some changes in the coming weeks but the structure will remain the same. The new shopping cart software is integrated with Paypal now and we are working to integrate our merchant account into the site. You do not need a Paypal account to place an order and can use any credit card.
May 16, 2008
We've been having trouble with our shopping cart for the last month with respect to international orders. Support was not able to help us with this so we are currently working on a new design with new shopping cart software. If you are trying to order from outside the US please email us at azemerald@azemerald.com and we will help you with payment options. The new cart and design should be up in the next few weeks. Also, our toll free number has changed to 1-866-526-5623.
March 12, 2008
We will be traveling for a couple weeks and the online store will be closed until we return on 3-31-08. Feel free to email us questions while we are away.
August 21, 2007
I'm sending my next batch of Colombian emeralds to AGL for reports. The following emeralds will be unavailable to purchase for a few weeks #1001, #1003, #1005, #1009, #1010, #1011, #1017, #1019, #1020, and #1021.
August 12, 2007
After researching the major gem labs for quite awhile I have decided to start getting gem reports for all of my emeralds at American Gemological Laboratories (AGL). The first five emeralds (#1002, #1006, #1007, #1013, and #1015) have been sent to the lab and will be unavailable for purchase until they return. Below is a link to the AGL lab.
http://www.aglgemlab.com
Colored Stone magazine has a good article regarding the recent acquisition of AGL by Collectors Universe and their new Fast Track program that can be found here.
http://www.tucsonshowguide.com/stories/jan07/aglfasttrack.cfm
I’m also a big fan of a highly respected website National Gemstone. They have a great explanation of how to interpret an AGL colored stone grading report and a GIA diamond report here.
http://www.preciousgemstones.com/grading.html
Third party grading reports from respected independent labs such as AGL, GIA, or AGTA are the best way for a consumer to gain confidence in the gemstones they purchase. Colored gemstone grading reports do not assess value. I encourage anyone who buys one of our emeralds to have it appraised. If you are not happy with the appraisal, send it back within 15 days and you will get a full refund minus $15.00 for shipping costs. I do not recommend appraisers as I feel that it is a conflict of interest. A great place to go and ask for names of appraisers would be my favorite gemology forum listed below.
http://gemologyonline.com/
I expect the grading reports to be completed this week and will add scanned copies of the reports to the website as soon as they arrive.
May 13, 2007
Gemstone photography can be tricky especially when it comes to photographing Colombian emeralds. I’ve recently re-shot most of the emeralds with a new setup that consists of a Nikon D80 digital SLR with a Nikkor 105mm Macro lens. Lighting is accomplished with a LED ringlight. After trying out different setups this combination seems to reflect the actual color better than anything else. White balance on all the emerald shots is set to 6700 degrees Kelvin and I’m using an aperture of f32. I find that shooting gemstones face up is rather two-dimensional and doesn’t allow one to see into the gem. You will notice all of my shots are at an angle, which gives the emeralds depth and allows you to see more of the internal features or inclusions. This also allows you to see the fissures that can reach the surface of the emerald. I’m amazed at how bad most of the gem photography is on commercial websites and hope to change that impression with my site. I’ve also seen quite a few photographs where they use a black or green background. This will make an emerald appear darker or greener than it actually is. A neutral background will produce a more accurate representation of the emerald.
April 23, 2007
Have you heard the terms Muzo, Coscuez, or Chivor to describe emeralds from Colombia? These terms are the names of the mines where different emeralds are found in Colombia. The Muzo mine is the most recognized of the mines and produces some of the most famous and valuable emeralds. Below is a picture of six emeralds from the three mines. The two on the left are from Muzo, while the center two are from Coscuez and the right two are from Chivor. All of these emeralds were faceted by the same cutter and the rough was purchased from individual miners who only work at one of the three mining areas. Usually when one buys an emerald the actual mine locale is unknown because the emerald has already changed hands so many times. If you have an emerald analyzed by one of the major labs they can provide origin but only provide this at the country level.
What's interesting is that you can tell some differences in the emeralds from the three mines when you look at them side by side and know the origin. In general the color of the Muzo emeralds are slightly yellowish-green, the Coscuez emeralds are more green-green, while the Chivor emeralds are more bluish-green. Both the Muzo and Coscuez emeralds typically have more inclusions than the Chivor emeralds. This is evident by the way the Chivor emeralds appear to have more brilliance in the photo. If you don't know the mine origin to begin with it is nearly impossible to tell the difference between Muzo and Coscuez emeralds. Chivor emeralds are distinct enough that you can often guess. Now what about price? All of these emeralds are approximately the same size and all cost exactly the same per carat. Although most experts agree that the best color (slightly yellowish-green to slightly bluish-green) is subjective and a matter of personal taste I believe there is a trade off. This photo is a good example of the balancing act between color and clarity. If you want the Muzo color you will have more inclusions than a Chivor color emerald of the same price and size.
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