When people think of the term "largest" when it comes to gems, they often think of diamonds.  While there are quite a few large diamonds that have been discovered and sold over the years, emeralds also are very popular. Depending on the size, rarity and weight, they can also be very notorious and well-known.  While emeralds are known for their green color, they can also come in other color variations and different tones of green.

Zambian Emeralds have a well-known green color, while a diamond from Columbia may also have an almost lime-green color to it.  There are even emeralds which are greenish blue in color.  It depends  greatly on where the emerald was found, the soil or earth it was found in, what chemicals are in the ground, how the emerald was formed, etc. As with all other gems, the atmospheric surroundings around the gem are what determine the color and clarity of it.

What are the top emeralds in the world? Each has a little history behind the names and values that are just as well known.

1492

Yes, there actually is a piece called 1492.  This is a statue which contains over 1550 carats worth of the largest emeralds in the worlds.  This statue is valued at a whopping $1.5 million.  As of right now, you can find it on display in Pittsburgh PA, at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

The Guinness Emerald Crystal

This extremely large emerald weighs in at just under 1,800 carats.  This uncut emerald was first discovered in Columbia at the Cosquez mines.  It's also a part of a collection from the Bank of The Republic of Colombia.

The Duke of Devonshire

The Duke of Devonshire is a 1,383-carat uncut emerald.  It originally also came from Columbia, but  currently resides at the Natural History Museum in London at The Vault.

The Mogul Mughal Emerald

This emerald might not be as big as the others seen in this article; its just 217 carats, but it was sold at Auction for $2.2 million in 2001!  The Mogul Mughal Emerald can now be seen at the Museum of Islamic Art in Qatar.

The Sacred Emerald Buddha

This one is really cool.  At first glance, it almost looks like jade.  But, this is a 2,630 carat carved emerald statue.  It was originally carved from a much larger piece  - an emerald that was 3600 carats.  Besides size, this statue is so popular because it features the Buddha.

Unnamed Mughal Emerald

There is also another emerald from Mughal, but to date it has not been named.  This 17th-century Mughal wine cup doesn't just have emeralds. It also has gold and enamel.  The wine cup was sold in 2003 for £1.79 million.

The Bahia Emerald

This is a big one!  The Bahia Emerald is actually a stone that was first found in 2001 in Brazil.  The stone has over 180,000 carats of emeralds!  The stone itself is around 840 lbs, but the actual emeralds inside the stone account for approximately 79.38 lb.

The Bahia Emerald also has one of the largest single shards ever found and is described as around the size of a man's thigh.  No one really knows who owns the stone or even who found it in specifics - which makes it one of the most speculated and mysterious emeralds in the world.

If you love emeralds and want to sell or purchase  some, it's a good idea to check out Ralph Mueller & Associates or call 480.949.9229