1.22 Ct. Emerald from Afghanistan

There are gemstones that simply catch the eye, and then there are emeralds that arrest the attention of everyone in the room. This exquisite, transparent 1.22 carat pear shape green emerald from The Natural Emerald Company is of that rarified order, an objet d art that merges classical refinement with an unmistakable contemporary allure. Measuring 9.16 x 6.41 x 4.06 mm, the gem has been masterfully fashioned in a mixed brilliant cut, a choice that emphasizes both depth and scintillation, while preserving the stone s natural character. Its clarity grade is slightly included, evaluated at eye level, which lends the gem a living quality, a fingerprint of the earth that speaks to authenticity rather than perfection that has been engineered. The color registers as medium intense, a verdant tone that is vivid without overwhelming, and the polish is excellent, rendering surfaces that catch light cleanly and return it with a velvet glow. Enhancement standard, origin Afghanistan, provenance that imbues the piece with a narrative of mountainous terrain and storied deposits, a provenance that discerning collectors prize.

The gem s reflective behavior is a study in elegant balance, a conversation between internal depth and external brilliance. The mixed brilliant cut unites pavilion facets that amplify scintillation with crown facets calibrated to maintain broad flashes of face up color. Against the medium intense green, light does not merely bounce, it is absorbed and then released with a soft intensity, creating flashes of lively green that appear to move as the stone is turned. Transparency here is exceptional for an emerald of this class, allowing light to penetrate and produce layered reflections, rather than a single surface sheen. The excellent polish ensures that every facet edge is a mirror, so the stone scintillates with fine pinpoint sparkle while still maintaining the expansive planes of luminous green that are the hallmark of high quality emeralds. Slight inclusions, or jardin, threaded through the gem enrich its optical tapestry, catching light in small, intimate ways that remind the owner of the gem s natural origins, and that the most prized treasures are those that narrate a story rather than conceal it.

When placed alongside other emeralds and green gemstones, this Afghan pear reveals distinct reflective virtues. Colombian emeralds are often celebrated for a rich, bluish green with a velvety diffusion of light, a plush, sumptuous glow that reads as both deep and regal, and that tends to soften reflections into rounded fields of color. Zambian emeralds, by contrast, often show a crisper, slightly bluer green with higher apparent clarity, yielding clearer, more defined internal reflections. Brazilian emeralds can offer a lighter, fresher green, with brisker surface reflections and a brighter, airier presence. Our Afghan specimen strikes an elegant median, with the saturated grass green that Afghan deposits are known to yield, coupled with transparency sufficient to produce layered internal reflections that are neither too velvety nor overly sharp. Compared to tsavorite garnet, which boasts higher refractive index and therefore a brilliant, fiery scintillation, and demantoid garnet, famous for its lively dispersion and fire, this emerald does not compete on the scale of sparkle, rather it commands an entirely different sensibility. Emerald s strength lies in its depth, the way color and light converse to create a sense of living color, an inner luminescence rather than a parade of white flashes. In that respect, the reflective quality of this 1.22 carat pear shape emerald is profoundly elegant, the sort of radiance that reads as cultivated, refined, and timeless.

Owning this pear shape emerald from The Natural Emerald Company is more than acquiring a stone, it is securing a piece of heritage, an affirmation of refined taste. In the palm or set at the heart of a bespoke ring, pendant, or a one off commission, the gem s mixed brilliant cut will translate motion into an ever changing display of verdant light, a personal constellation that announces the owner s discernment. For those who appreciate the layered story that a slightly included, transparent emerald tells, this gem offers a singular opportunity to wear both rarity and authenticity. Our craftsmen recommend settings that allow light to access the pavilion freely, such as open back bezels or pierced galleries, to maximize the interplay of internal reflections and to showcase the medium intense color to its best advantage. The Natural Emerald Company stands ready to assist with bespoke mounting, custom design consultations, and certification documentation, ensuring that the purchase is as effortless as it is distinguished. To possess this emerald is to claim a legacy piece, an heirloom in miniature, a jewel that will reflect not only light, but status, achievement, and the quiet luxury of impeccable taste.