1.69 Ct. Cabochon Emerald from Afghanistan

This emerald arrives to you with a clear and simple truth, it is a natural treasure that has traveled from the earth into the hands of master cutters at The Natural Emerald Company. We present a transparent green oval emerald weighing 1.69 carat, with exact dimensions of 8.44 x 6.65 x 4.12 mm. Its form is a double cabochon cut which gives it a smooth, domed silhouette on both sides, and its clarity has been evaluated as very slightly included at eye level, meaning the stone reads clean and lively to the unaided eye. The color reads as medium intense green, a lively and saturated hue that is neither muted nor aggressively dark, and the polish has been finished to an excellent standard to ensure a glass like surface that captures and reflects light with gentle depth. Enhancement is standard, treated only to industry norms, and the gem carries the singular provenance of Afghanistan where its crystal first formed deep within ancient mountain folds.

Imagine the moment of formation when this emerald first came into being, long before it was touched by human hands. Deep beneath the Afghan ranges, solutions rich in chromium and vanadium met beryllium bearing pegmatites under the patient pressure and heat of geologic time, and slowly the green crystal grew. When we say that this is a natural Afghan emerald, we mean that its journey began in a landscape of dramatic cliffs and river cut valleys where miners and their families have long known how to read the subtle signs of hidden pockets. The crystal that became this 1.69 carat stone usually spent eons in a sheltered environment, absorbing trace elements that give it its medium intense green color. The internal character, the very slightly included nature that you can observe at eye level, tells a story of how the gem navigated its growth, with tiny veils and mineral fingerprints that are part of its identity. These inclusions are not flaws in the way a scratch is a flaw, they are natural records of formation, they add depth and authenticity, and they allow light to play inside the gem in a way that makes the color more lively and alive.

When the rough arrived at our workshop at The Natural Emerald Company, our cutters began by listening to the crystal rather than imposing on it a forced shape. The decision to produce a double cabochon was born from this respect for the original habit and the desire to highlight translucency and color over scintillation that a faceted cut would emphasize. The cabochon form respects weight while smoothing the stone into a tactile jewel that invites the touch. Double cabochon cutting requires precision and a steady eye, it means creating a domed crown and a domed pavilion which together create a lens like effect that intensifies the green when light enters and then gently radiates it back. During cutting our attention was on maintaining the proportions defined by its 8.44 x 6.65 x 4.12 mm dimensions, preserving as much weight as possible to honor the 1.69 carat mass, and ensuring the symmetry that allows the oval silhouette to sit harmoniously in any mounting. The excellent polish you see is the result of patient laps and finishing, a polish that refines the surface to a mirror like clarity and enhances the emeralds ability to show its medium intense color evenly across the dome.

Finally, think of this stone as a companion, a small but profound piece of geological history ready to be set and to become part of someone else story. Its origin in Afghanistan grants it a provenance valued by connoisseurs who seek authenticity, and its attributes make it versatile for use in bespoke rings, striking pendants, or elegant earrings where its double cabochon shape can be celebrated. The very slightly included clarity at eye level gives character without distracting from the gem, and standard enhancement keeps its treatment within commonly accepted practices so collectors and wearers alike can appreciate both beauty and transparency. At The Natural Emerald Company we stand behind the journey this stone has taken from mountain to workshop to you, and we are happy to discuss setting options, certification, or any further images you might like to see. This 1.69 carat oval green emerald is an invitation to carry with you a slice of time and place, polished to perfection, ready to be made into the piece that will tell your next story.