Gem market
Emerald market
Bogotá, Colombia
Emerald dealers (esmeralderos) trade on the street around Avenida Jiménez and Carrera Séptima by the Plaza del Rosario, and in the emerald trade buildings nearby. Imitations and synthetics are offered to unwary buyers: buy through established dealers and with a laboratory report.
Colombia produces some of the world's most prized emeralds, from the mines of Muzo, Coscuez and Chivor in Boyacá, and Bogotá is where much of that production is traded. In the city centre, around Avenida Jiménez and Carrera Séptima beside the Plaza del Rosario, esmeralderos (emerald dealers) have traded on the street for decades.
What you find
Rough and cut Colombian emeralds in every quality, traded on the pavement and in the emerald buildings nearby, where dealers, cutters and laboratories have offices. Trapiche emeralds, with their six-rayed pattern, are a Colombian speciality.
How trading works
Dealers gather on the street every day during working hours, showing stones in papers and negotiating in person. Established dealers then take serious buyers into offices, where stones can be examined under proper light and tested. The Bogotá Emerald Mart is one of the trade buildings.
Buying safely
- Imitations (glass, doublets) and synthetic emeralds are offered to unwary buyers on the street. Buy through established dealers and with a report from a recognised laboratory; Bogotá has specialised emerald labs.
- Almost all emeralds are filled with oil or resin to improve clarity; the type and amount affect value.
- Keep the invoice: you will need it for export.
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