Are Emeralds More Rare than Diamonds?

It would be difficult to find a gemstone lover who doesn’t appreciate emeralds. Its lively green hue keeps collectors adding this vibrant stone to their collections. The stone’s fresh tint signals newness, like spring and new life itself. Who wouldn’t want such a mood-lifting jewel? Since ancient times, these verdant stones have gained admirers who understood the difficulty in harvesting them, their rarity along with their unmatched beauty.

Sales Don’t Lie

If you’ve followed Emerald’s robust auction results lately, you have a good idea of its sustained popularity with collectors and its steadily ascending value.

A splendid example of pairing a majestic emerald with timeless styling is found in the Etcetera-designed bangle that went under the gavel at Christie’s Hong Kong on October 30, 2024. The lavish octagonal step-cut Colombian emerald weighing 38.51 carats fetched $2.8M US.

The impressive stone displaying medium clarity is a prime example of the upward trend that emerald prices are heading. As with other important gemstones, emeralds with high clarity and super luster are selling especially well now.

Famous Emeralds and their Owners

The magnificent Aga Khan emerald brooch is up for auction over a half-century after its original auction debut. The sensational Colombian emerald brooch once belonged to the elegant socialite and wife of the Aga Khan, Nina Dyer (1930-1965).


It first sold at Christie’s on 1 May 1969, after Dyer’s death, for $75,000 (equivalent to $637,401 today) at their inaugural Magnificent Jewellery sale at Hotel Richemond in Geneva. Today, this same brooch has a presale estimate of $ 8 million. The stunning piece will again claim center stage in their 12 November 2024 auction, highlighting Christie’s 55-year-long jewelry auction track record in Switzerland. The 37-carat Colombian emerald brooch made by Cartier in 1960 was sold to Prince Aga Khan with a distinctly unique shape.

“It’s extremely thin and flat, giving the impression of a 50-carat stone,” says Max Fawcett, head of European jewelry. “Typically, flat stones can lose color at the center, but this emerald maintains a completely even green hue throughout.” Moreover, while its common for emeralds to display inclusions and surface [reaching] fissures, this gem is exceptionally clean and untreated. “It’s common to use oils or polymers to enhance an emerald’s clarity and stability,” he says. “Finding a stone of this size without any clarity enhancements is extraordinary.” 

It would appear that important and large Colombian emeralds have always attracted famous personalities and royalty. 

One of Hollywood royalty’s most celebrated couples was, of course, Taylor-Burton.  “Richard Burton purchased the brooch for Elizabeth Taylor during the filming of Cleopatra in Rome in the early days of their romance,” recalls Chen of Christie’s. He gave it to her in 1962 as an engagement gift. She adored the brooch by legendary jeweler Bulgari --- a magnet for other world-class beauties like Sophia Loren, Gina Lollobrigida and Ingrid Bergman. 

The Original Cleopatra Loved Emeralds

It could not have been a more appropriate gemstone gift. The last Egyptian pharaoh, Cleopatra of antiquity so loved emeralds that she had her own mines in upper Egypt to satisfy her intense craving for these cherished green jewels.

Elizabeth Taylor’s exquisite brooch of approximately 23.46 carats was worn by her on their wedding day in 1964.

After her death, it was sold through Christie’s auction, The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor, in 2011 for $6.6-M. Today, it holds the record for the most expensive piece of emerald jewelry sold at auction. The 37-carat Aga Khan emerald will likely eclipse that record.

Emeralds Around the World

Emeralds can be found around the globe in places like Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and even the United States. But connoisseurs say the finest emeralds are mined in remote mountainous regions of Colombia, particularly Muzo. Personally, I like these emeralds very much. Their intensely lush hues remind me of the fertile Colombian mountains where the stones are harvested.

However, the world’s largest emerald mine is the Kagem mine in Zambia, operated by Gemfields, where most commercial-grade emeralds are mined. Nevertheless, you can find exceptional quality stones from the Kagem mine.

Find What You Love at LEIBISH

Here at LEIBISH, you will discover our wide array of top-quality Muzo emeralds, either loose or set in jewelry.

Let us show you our exceptional Zambian Emerald Jewelry at LEIBISH. Actually, LEIBISH is a superb jewelry house for education on the fine points of top emeralds from various global sites. We curate the best-of-breed from top-producing mines the world over. Allow us to show you the fine points of any of our emeralds so you can discover exactly what you absolutely love.

A beautiful oval-shaped Zambian emerald set in a diamond side-stone ring showcasing a mesmerizing 4.46ct GIA-certified center gemstone. Enveloped by four marquise diamonds and adorned with brilliant side stones along the shank, this exquisite piece is meticulously set in a combination of platinum and 18K gold.

The largest stone we have is a 20.78-carat emerald set in a 3-stone ring.

Quality Drives Value

The old axiom “Size Matters” is true, but more importantly, size itself does not set the price. The color, luster, and face-up appearance with a top grading report will bring in record prices in both gemstones and color diamonds.

Even I was surprised at the stunning price of a 24.16-carat-weight fancy vivid orange-yellow mixed oval cut that fetched $8-M dollars today at Christys HK auction.

The timeless appeal of vivid green emeralds was underscored by the exuberant public response to the 400-year-old shipwreck Nuestra Señora de Atocha, discovered off Florida’s coast some three decades ago. One of its priceless trophies from the wreckage was an ancient 6.25-carat emerald in a simple yellow-gold band. It thrilled modern onlookers as much as it did centuries ago as a new ring.

Whatever emeralds you’ve been wishing for, LEIBISH can make those dreams come true for you.