Emeralds
The blocks between Fifth and Seventh avenues are Bogotá’s emerald district, and are full of shops selling these and other gems. Colombia is the world’s biggest emerald producer, but many of the gems are mined in terribly dangerous conditions.
In Bogotá’s emerald district, the stones are offered for sale on sidewalks and in luxurious stores. Emerald buying is a tricky business, however, as many stones are ‘repaired’ to hide their defects.
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- A sheet of emeralds for sale.
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- In the sidewalk emerald market: an uncut stone for sale.
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- In the sidewalk emerald market: a cut stone for sale.
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- At the intersection of Seventh Ave. and La Jimenez is the city’s informal emerald market, where men gather to buy and sell the stones.
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- An emerald miner, called a ‘guaquero,’ studies a prize stone. Behind him is Furatena, a figure from an Indian legend who was turned into emerald for an illicit love affair.
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- A window full of emeralds in La Candelaria.
Location
Press
