Where to buy an emerald in Bogotá (Colombia): Our Experience

During our mini roadtrip with JB’s father (Philippe), we were brought to look for an emerald in Bogotá because Philippe absolutely wanted to bring back a pendant from his trip in Colombia.

Colombian emeralds are the most beautiful in the world, because apart from a few mines in Brazil, it is mainly in Colombia that natural emeralds are found. With its characteristic green color, and its inlays specific to the mine from which they are extracted.

We have researched online to find a trusted seller. Philippe was also able to get information from his jeweler in France. This jeweler is used to go to Colombia to buy emeralds. According to him, the emeralds sold in physical stores are authentic, no risk of buying a fake stone.

Then, the quality varies a lot and it actually takes an expert eye to know why an emerald costs 100€ and another of the same size 1000€.

This French jeweler unfortunately did not give us his contacts on the spot but we were able to find, by carefully reading the comments on the Internet, a particular seller, owner of a mine: Emerald by Love Corp. We went to his store in a shopping mall. The gallery itself is in a street full of jewelry stores. Having visited several stores, the prices here seem to be milder than the others. For example, a nice little raw emerald sells for about 150€. The quality is however uneven here, a piece can be very nice and the next room can be mediocre.

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However, as Philippe is looking for a very particular model, we continue our research, at the Emerald Trade Center, almost opposite our Hotel Regina (33€, link Booking). This jewelry center is also recommended by Lonely Planet.

The jewelers are really nice and take the time to show us all their stock and let us touch and try all the jewelry.

Be careful, it is a building composed of several floors and there are about twenty jewellers

Apart from the stores on the ground floor, which seem to be aimed at individuals (some sellers speak French), the other shopkeepers on the first floor tend to work with professionals. They were therefore amused to see three tourists disembark, very determined. After 20 minutes, the rumour growls, everyone seems to have been informed of what we are looking for and each salesman shows us directly their emeralds in cylindrical shape. One saleswoman even calls a friend who comes with her arms full of cylindrical emeralds, just for us.

After passing through several of the stores in the center (on 3 floors), we finally come across a store selling a huge emerald in raw form (cylindrical), very much in Philippe’s style: at Emerald Silver (store number 211, take the escalator then turn right and then slightly left)

Thus begins a long negotiation (1h30), Philippe manages to lower the price by 30%, provided that he pays in cash, in Colombian pesos. The French jeweler advises Philippe live on Facebook and gives the GO for the purchase.

Back in France, Philippe will make estimate his stone by his jeweller. He estimates it at 3500 € (except gold setting). In Bogota, he will have had it for the equivalent of 675 €. With this difference in price, it is worth making the round trip France – Colombia!

Meanwhile, seeing that I am particularly interested in emeralds, the owner of the store (Ivan) gives me a course on the quality of emeralds (in Spanish and English): intensity of color, transparency, purity … he says that by looking at an emerald, he knows exactly which mine it comes from because the inlays present only exist in this or that mine.

At one point, Ivan takes out 3 bags of cut emeralds and puts them in my hands. At least 1kg of emeralds, it’s incredible! (did not have the reflex to take pictures). I don’t know how much it’s worth but it’s as if I had a gold ingot on me 🙂 the atmosphere is super relaxed, we are in total confidence.

The salesman tells me that this is the 2nd most secure building in Bogota, after the presidential palace, so we have nothing to fear here. Even the windows and showcases are bulletproof.

He then shows me his office, where he does crimping. And brings us to see his colleagues: one person is cutting faceted emeralds, and another person is making only cabochon-shaped emeralds. The craftsmen are amused to see us there.

“Our” merchant, Ivan, buys rough stones directly from the mines, and has the emeralds cut afterwards. A jeweler creates silver or gold rings and pendants for him, and then he does the setting. His business seems to be doing well as he has just opened another store in Miami.

While the sale is closed, Ivan treats us even better than before, offering us drinks and negotiating with his buddies a better exchange rate for us (euros – COP). We leave with the certificate from the store and the invoice.

Note: while making the stopover in London (from Bogotá), the security agents in London detected the emerald at the security scan. They asked some questions in private. With the bill, no worries. It is important to have the invoice with you and not in your checked luggage.

Philippe is very happy with his purchase but I think I’m the big winner in the story🙂 I come out of it very happy, I didn’t spend a single peso, but I had 1h30 of conversation practice in Spanish on a subject that fascinates me and absorbed all the energy of the kilos of emeralds around me.

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In the street, we can see people dressed modestly, but with emeralds hidden in paper. The transactions are done discreetly, at the beginning it was even believed that they were drug dealers 😂 Apparently these stones are authentic, but come directly from the mines. The quality isn’t necessarily guaranteed, but if the black market exists, it is surely because there is something for everyone.

Vocabulary

in French	in English	in Spanish
emerald	emerald	esmeralda
ring	ring	anillo
necklace / chain	necklace / chain	collar / cadena
pendant	during	dije
earrings	earrings	aretes
bracelet	wristband / bangle	pulsera
or	gold	oro
money	silver	plata
carat	carat	quilate

Our practical advice

• Take the time to compare, try, touch, “feel” the stone… and look at yourself with the jewel in the mirror..
• Don’t come with the fear of being fooled. You are here to please yourself.
• Know that a “perfect” emerald in the jeweler’s sense of the word will be expensive even here
• It is absolutely necessary to haggle, even if the price is displayed. By using the argument “I pay in cash, in Colombian pesos”, the seller will give you a first discount price, then continue to negotiate. Philippe was able to lower the price by 30% after 1h30 of negotiation.
• Do not hesitate to ask for a magnifying glass to see the inlays of the stone and to check that the stone is perfectly well cut and has no important defects.
• An emerald without inlay isn’t an emerald
• Don’t take your emerald out of your eyes
• Ask for a certificate of authenticity. Some stores have official Colombian certificates for the most beautiful stones (they paid for it so the price will be +10% more expensive), others will deliver certificates from their store. If you wish, within 3 working days, paying about 10% of the value of the stone in addition, they will be able to ask for you an official Colombian certificate. This official certificate is of no use to you, unless you intend to resell it in France.
• The adjustment of the rings/necklace to your size is usually free of charge, because the sellers are also jewelers/setter, they will be able to adjust them for you in a few minutes or hours.
• If you buy a rough stone, it is better to ask for it to be mounted on site. Rough stones often require a custom kitten, and it will cost you a fortune to have it made in France ( i have taken classes at jewelers in France i know what I’m talking about). Labor in Colombia is cheaper, and Colombian gold (18K) is very famous too. If you prefer money, ask for Peruvian money, which is stronger. If not, ask them to put an 18K hallmark because they aren’t obliged to put hallmarks, unlike France.

Here is the corresponding vlog, good viewing: