Earlier this month, an astonishing emerald was sold by Phillips in Geneva. Today, we’ve got a closer look at the remarkable (and aptly named) Amazon Queen.
Phillips sold the Amazon Queen in an auction in Geneva, Switzerland, on Monday, May 13. The emerald was offered for sale by an “important private collector” who was not named by the auction house.
The stone was touted as one of the largest gem-quality emeralds ever to come up for sale at auction. Indeed, the emerald is tantalizingly huge: 280.84 carats, per Phillips, fashioned as “an octagonal step-cut” gem. It measures about 40 x 35mm, or about 1.5 x 1.4 inches.
In the lot notes for the sale, Phillips showcased the Amazon Queen both as an unmounted gemstone and set in a gold pendant fitting, which is pictured above. There are no additional gemstones in the pendant setting, allowing the emerald itself to gleam without competition.
According to the reports that accompanied the gemstone at the sale, the emerald comes from Colombia. (That’s the reference for the “Amazon” in its name. The Amazon River flows along part of the country’s southern border.) South American emeralds from Colombian mines remain the most sought-after (and plentiful) emeralds on the market. The auction house also notes that there is “a minor amount of oil” present in small fissures in the gemstone. Some sellers treat gemstones like emeralds with oil as a way to reduce visible flaws, producing a more visually appealing stone. This close-up view from Phillips allows you to see some of the internal flaws present in the Amazon Queen.
The size of this emerald really is something else. I like that Phillips offered several visuals that emphasize the enormity of the gemstone. Look how it fits in the palm of this model’s hand!
And here’s the emerald pendant shown suspended from a gold chain. I can only imagine that the emerald would be particularly challenging to style for any wearer, even someone used to wearing the grandest of jewels. Perhaps a Saudi princess would be up to the task? Maybe a royal lady from Thailand or Malaysia?
The Amazon Queen was expected to be one of the highest-selling items at the sale in Geneva, with an estimate of 1,360,000-2,360,000 Swiss francs (or $1,500,000-2,600,000 USD). When the hammer fell, it had exceeded those hopes, selling for a whopping 2,782,500 francs (or about $3.06 million USD).
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