Cartagena de Indias, the emerald city

Cartagena de Indias is an architectural and cultural gem on the Caribbean coast of Colombia, a must for millions of tourists attracted by one of Latin America's most beautiful colonial cities. The city, founded in the 16th century, has a beautifully restored colonial and republican architecture, sheltered from a solid fortress listed as a World Heritage Site. It is in the small streets with their colourful and bougainvillea-filled facades that the city's most beautiful shops have been set up, including Lucy Jewelry, a famous jewellery store specialising in the famous Colombian emeralds.

Emerald, the precious stone of Colombia

The name emerald (esmeralda, in Spanish) comes from the Greek smaragdos, which means "green stone". Along with diamonds, sapphire and rubies, emerald is one of the four official gemstones. It is a mineral of the silicate group, a rare variety of the beryl family. Emeralds formed millions of years ago, when beryllium and chromium silicates united in the depths of the Earth. Geological movements then brought the crystalline minerals to the surface. The characteristic green colour of emerald comes from elements such as chromium, vanadium or iron.

A sacred stone with miraculous virtues

Since the time of Cleopatra, the legendary pharaoh who adorns herself with sumptuous emerald jewellery, many virtues have been attributed to this stone. The conquistadors, who arrived in South America in the 16th century, went mad over the beauty of Colombian emeralds. But pre-Columbian cultures, such as the Incas and Muiscas, already used these precious stones in their religious ceremonies and rituals. Many legends attribute sacred or supernatural powers to emeralds: predict the future or protect oneself from evil spirits by placing an emerald under the tongue, prevent certain diseases and stimulate mental abilities, prove love or bring harmony to a couple. It would also be the stone of people born in May, and the one offered to celebrate the 20th and 35th anniversaries... You will have understood, we easily find a reason to crack!

The most beautiful emeralds in the world are Colombian

Colombia is by far the world's leading producer of emeralds, in quantity but above all in quality. Emeralds are extracted mainly from the mines of Muzo, Coscuez, Gachalá and Chivor, located in the departments of Boyacá and Cundinamarca, not far from the capital Bogotá. Some mines can be visited, via tours organized from the capital. Due to their recognized exceptional quality, Colombian emeralds are highly sought-after on the international market.

How to choose an emerald? Lucy's advice.

It is important to be well advised when buying an emerald and to require a certificate of authenticity. The value of an emerald depends on four criteria: its colour, clarity, shape and weight.

"Colombian green" is recognized as the reference in emerald. A green that ranges from light bluish tones to darker and more intense green tones.

brightnessEmeralds naturally contain inclusions, i. e. foreign bodies (minerals, crystals, liquids, or gases), which appeared during the crystallization of the stone. Most inclusions, or "gardens" of emerald, are visible to the naked eye; those that are visible only with a magnifying glass are extremely rare... and therefore very expensive. Beyond the natural inclusions, we are therefore mainly concerned with the transparency and luminosity of the stone, the way in which it captures light, its brilliance, its brilliance.

Stone cutting is an art. Emerald being more fragile than other precious stones, the cutter must show great dexterity in order to avoid breakage. He must study the visible inclusions, to place them in such a way that they bring out the color of the gem. The so-called "emerald" waist is rectangular with bevelled edges. It approaches the hexagonal shape of the stone and allows the eye to penetrate to the deepest part of the gem. The crystals can also be cut into oval shapes, or pear-shaped.

unit of measurement is the carat: 1 carat = 0.2 gram. The heavier the gem, the more expensive it is. But a very pure gem with a bright color can reach astronomical prices, even with a very low weight.

Lucy Jewelry, a renowned family jewellery store

There are many jewellery shops in Cartagena, the historic centre is perfect for shopping. But Colombian counterfeiters are talented and the prices of some shops can be very fanciful. It is therefore important to know where you are going.

For more than 30 years, Lucy Jewelry has been working with natural Colombian emerald. This family jewellery store is located a stone's throw from Santo Domingo Square, in a magnificent 17th century colonial building. In this atmosphere full of character, you can enjoy splendid rings, pendants and earrings elegantly presented. Modern jewellery, harmoniously combining emerald, gold or silver. These unique jewels have captivated us, as much for their beauty as for their originality.

The jewellery is guaranteed and certified. The jewellery department works directly with the tailors, without intermediaries. The prices are therefore fair and competitive for Cartagena, and of course incomparable compared to those of European jewellers!

The key to Lucy's success is to know how to combine creativity, with the ancestral techniques of silversmithing and the modern technology of the trade. It is also to offer the expert advice of gemologists. We are in good hands here to have a wonderful souvenir of Cartagena de Indias!

Lucy Jewelry: Calle Santo Domingo N° 3-19, Centro Histórico, Cartagena de Indias. Open from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 8pm.

Phone +57 5 664 4255 - [email protected] - www. lucyjewelry.co - instagram.com/lucyjewelryLucy

Shop : Calle Vicente García N° 6-03, Centro Histórico, Cartagena de Indias. Open from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm.

Tel. +57 5 664 6008 - [email protected] - www. lucyjewelry.co - instagram.com/lucyjewelry