Colombia

Colombia

The emerald mines of Colombia — chiefly Muzo, Chivor, and Coscuez in the eastern Andes — have produced the world's finest emeralds since pre-Columbian times. Formed in calcite veins rather than the schists of other sources, Colombian emeralds display a pure, slightly bluish "vivid green" with a soft inner glow that the trade regards as the ideal. Muzo greens and Chivor's lighter, brighter stones remain the global reference for emerald quality.