2.16 Ct. Emerald from Zambia

From the deep greens of Zambia to the palm of the lapidary, this transparent 2.16 carat round green emerald carries a quiet origin story that begins in ancient hydrothermal veins, where elemental forces coaxed chromium and vanadium into the crystal lattice, creating color that is alive. Harvested from Zambian ground, where emeralds are prized for their intense and pure green hues, this gem preserves a landscape of time and pressure in its crystal clarity. The gem measures 8.86 x 8.74 x 5.06 mm, a perfectly balanced round shape that sits confidently between substance and wearability, and it is cut as a mixed brilliant to bring the best of both brilliance and depth to its face up appearance. On first glance the color is vivid, saturated yet focused, a true Zambian green that refuses to be pastel or muddy, and the story of its formation can be read in the way light pools and flows across its table and crown. When you hold the stone, you hold a fragment of geology and culture, a jewel that began as molten conversation between earth and mineral and matured into a transparent, living color.

The journey from rough to jewel was executed with intention and skill, The Natural Emerald Company taking care to reveal the gem rather than force it into an idealized shape. The mixed brilliant cut was chosen to maximize both the scintillation of a brilliant pattern and the zoning of color that emeralds often display, creating a balance between sparkle and saturated green. At the girdle the measurements of 8.86 x 8.74 mm reflect meticulous symmetry, and the depth of 5.06 mm gives the stone a pleasing face up weight, creating a presence that reads larger than its carat weight might suggest. Clarity is graded very very slightly included at eye level, meaning the gem remains essentially clean to the unaided eye, with inclusions that are part of its natural fingerprint and that often act like internal scenery when light travels through the stone. The polish is excellent, every facet meeting cleanly, giving crisp facet junctions and a smooth table that allows light to enter and exit without obstruction, and the enhancement is standard, a careful and long established treatment that stabilizes and enriches the emerald while maintaining its natural character.

How the emerald responds to light is central to its appeal, and here the mixed brilliant cut and vivid color intensity perform like a storyteller adapting to each setting. In bright natural daylight the gem opens into a clear, lively green, the facets throwing off flashes of lighter mint and deeper forest green as the stone moves, color depth and brilliance working together so the face up color reads vivid without appearing flat. Under warm incandescent light or candlelight the emerald deepens, tending toward richer, velvety green tones that glow from within, the crown facets reflecting softer flashes and the pavilion releasing a gentle inner fire. Under cool LED or fluorescent lighting the stone becomes more electric, the mixed facet pattern producing crisp scintillation and a slightly cooler green that highlights the stone at engagement rings or modern settings, while tiny inclusions may catch the light and reveal their natural character in a way that speaks to authenticity. In spotlight or gallery lighting the cut shows off its mixed brilliant personality, creating concentrated pinpoints of light, elegant sparkle, and depth, while in low or shaded conditions the emerald maintains presence through its saturation, a steadier, jewel like glow that draws attention without needing intense illumination.

This emerald is ready to become an heirloom, a center of narrative in a ring, pendant, or bespoke piece, its Zambian origin and natural story making it an ideal focal point for personal symbolism. The Natural Emerald Company offers this stone as part of a tradition of thoughtful sourcing and careful cutting, a gem that carries the voice of the earth and the hand of the artisan, recommended for settings that allow light to traverse its table and crown so the mixed brilliant facets can perform. Care is simple, avoid prolonged exposure to harsh chemicals, clean gently with warm water and mild soap, and have settings checked regularly to protect the stone and its polish. In choosing this 2.16 carat round green emerald you choose a piece of geological history, a carefully finished jewel with vivid color intensity, very very slightly included clarity at eye level, excellent polish, standard enhancement, and real Zambian provenance, a gem that will shift and sing differently with each light source, and that will invite stories for generations to come.