Put that on her finger! 57,500-carat world's largest emerald worth $1.15MILLION up for auction
Last updated at 3:47 PM on 27th January 2012
The world's largest cut emerald is set to go up for auction - and is expected to fetch $1.15million.
The 57,500-carat stone, which is the size of a watermelon, is scheduled to go under the hammer tomorrow by Western Star Auctions in British Columbia.
The gem, named Teodora, was found in Brazil and cut in India, before being sold to rare gems dealer Reagan Reaney in Calgary - but there are doubts over whether it is in fact a true emerald.
'World's largest emerald': The gem, pictured here with owner Regan Reaney, is valued ay $1.15m and is set to be auctioned on Saturday
The 57,500-carat stone, named Teodora, was found in Brazil and cut in India, before being sold to the rare gems dealer Reagan Reaney in Calgary
A security guard keeps a watchful eye of the stone as residents take a look at it at Western Star Auction House in Kelowna, British Columbia
'I’m positive it contains emerald but I’m not sure how much of it is emerald,' Jeff Nechka, the gemologist who appraised the stone, told JCK Magazine.
Nechka said that he cannot even confirm that the stone is in fact the 'world’s largest emerald'.
The stone has been dyed so Nechka says it is possible that at least part of it could be dyed white beryl - the mineral that makes up an emerald.
'It has been dyed to some extent but it’s impossible to tell the intensity of the stone prior. It’s impossible to know how much of it is emerald.' he told JCK.
Director of Gemological Institute of America's West Coast Identification Service, Shane McClure, said he had not examined the stone but that if there is any white beryl in the stone, GIA would likely term it 'beryl with zones of emerald.'
'We probably would not call it emerald no matter what,' he told JCK. 'They seem to think there is indication of natural green coloration but we wouldn't call it emerald in any case.'
A worker polishes the world's largest emerald at Western Star Auction House in preparation for the public auction
Floran Lacerte lifts the world's largest emerald which weighs 11.5 kg and kisses it at the Auction House
When experts grade an emerald colour is by far their most important consideration with clarity coming in a close second.
Despite the doubt over the massive gem, Nechka said that he was confident the stone has been priced accordingly.
'If it was solid, untreated emerald, you would be looking at 10 or 20 times the value for sure,' he told JCK.
Regan Reaney, the Calgary gem wholesaler who is selling the stone, told JCK that anyone who questions the stone is welcome to examine it.
'This is 100 percent what we say it is. We know there is emerald throughout it, we don't know how much. We know it's not a total white beryl, but it has some white beryl in it. it's not gem quality, and we know it's commercial grade. But the size of it is what makes it special,' he said in the report.
A visitor holds the world's largest emerald as security guards stand nearby
If the stone is not sold, it will be sent to the Gemological Institute of America.
Emeralds - the birthstone for the month of May - get their green colouring from the presence of chromium within the stone and the effect it has on constituent mineral beryl.
Unlike diamonds they are graded by eye. If when examined by the naked eye an emerald appears free from material trapped while it was being formed then it can be considered flawless.
Emerald crystals, like all other naturally occurring gemstone crystals, grow one molecule at a time meaning it takes prolonged periods to create a quality gemstone.
The emeralds being mined today are relics from the geologic events that took place hundreds of millions of years ago deep within the Earth's crust.
And since they are expensive there are techniques to create synthetic emeralds. These fakes can be 'grown' in a laboratory by coating colourless beryl with an emerald overgrowth.
Emeralds can be found from as far afield as Columbia to Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Brazil and Canada.
