Super Hot lot of Afghan & Pakistani Emerald running a mostly Bluish Green color similar to Columbian. I think the larger portion of this is Swat material from western Pakistan. There are some nice stones in here but most of the lot is for commercial cutting as the average size is about .5 carats. The lot is largely comprised of crystal sections and there are quite a few larger stones that go over 1 and 2 carats in the lot.

I'm blowing this out at a closeout price and I don't think you would be able to pick this material up at this price at the mines in Pakistan and Afghanistan. The material is actually MUCH better than the pictures above indicate. Most of the material is very slightly to moderately included with some small crystals being glassy clean. We are estimating that approximately 40%+ of this lot is a mixture of low to high grade Facet Rough; however, that is really dependent on the way you grade Emerald. Every cutter has his own understanding of this material. Overall I think this is a great deal for the lot and it is one of our best priced items.

1. Emeralds are mined in western Pakistan in the Swat area and in the Panjsher Valley in Afghanistan; however, there have been several new finds of Emerald in Afghanistan, 1 new find in Pakistan near the border with China (This sounds like a very significant find and we are hearing rumors of crystals as big as 6 inches coming out) and there is also a fairly new find of Emerald coming from Western China from the Xingjian Province. Afghan material is generally lighter, cleaner and considerably more lustrous while Swat material tends to be the better darker Green and Bluish Green color but lacks the Vibrancy of Afghan Emerald and the clarity.

2. Afghanistan is known to produce Emerald Nodules and these are as fabled as the old Kashmir Sapphires!