swat emeralds
Everything you need to know
Swat Emeralds
Everything You Need to Know
Swat Emeralds Exclusively Available at The Sapphire Merchant
Table of Contents
- What is a Swat Emerald?
- Fizagat Emerald Mine in Swat Valley
- What is the History of the Swat Emeralds?
- Are Swat Emeralds Valuable?
- What Makes Swat Emerald's Unique?
- Swat Emerald's for Sale
"The Gübelin Gem Lab has evaluated Swat emeralds, noting their 'exceptional quality' with characteristics such as "liveliness, good transparency, and color saturation," comparable to the renowned emeralds from Colombia's Muzo mine."
1. What is a Swat Emerald
A Swat emerald is a rare and highly prized emerald found in Fizagat mine in the Mingora region of the Swat Valley of northern Pakistan. Lesser known than its Colombian and Zambian counterparts, Swat emerald holds its own in the world of high-end natural jewels.
Known as Zamurd to the locals, these emeralds are celebrated for their exceptional colour. They often display a vivid green to bluish-green hue, rivalling some of Colombia's finest emeralds.
Swat Emerald Rough
Emerald is a Beryllium Aluminium Silicate:
Emerald is a variety of beryl, a mineral composed of beryllium, aluminum, and silicate, forming in a hexagonal crystal structure. Silica, a common compound on Earth and an oxide of silicon, is a key component of this structure. In emeralds, silica bonds with aluminum and the rare element beryllium. The presence of trace amounts of chromium or vanadium within the beryl gives the gemstone its distinctive green color, classifying it as an emerald.
Chemical Composition: Beryllium Aluminum Silicate Be3Al2Si6O18
Crystal System: Hexagonal
Refractive Index: 1.56 to 1.60
Specific Gravity: 2.65 to 2.80
Double Refraction: 0.006 to 0.008
Mohs Hardness: 7.5
Lustre: Vitreous
2. Fizagat Emerald Mine in Swat Valley
The emerald-bearing veins of quartz and schist are located in rugged and mountainous terrain, making access and mining conditions challenging. Miners locate potential emerald-bearing zones through surface indications, such as mineralised rocks, or by following natural fault lines where emeralds are likely to form.
The mining process for Swat emeralds is labour-intensive and relies heavily on traditional techniques rather than advanced machinery. Due to the lack of large-scale equipment and the fragile nature of emeralds, mining is primarily done by hand. Miners use hammers and chisels to extract the emerald-bearing rock and picks and shovels to carefully remove surrounding material without damaging the gems. This manual approach helps preserve the delicate and brittle emerald crystal, which can be prone to breakage under heavy machinery.
Once extracted, the emerald-bearing rocks are transported to a sorting area where they are washed to remove dirt and debris, making it easier to identify the raw crystals. Miners then carefully break down the rocks to isolate the emerald crystals. This process requires skill and patience to identify and remove without causing damage to the valuable crystals. The emeralds are then carefully cleaned and sorted by size, colour, and quality.
Emeralds are graded on their colour, clarity, and size. High-quality emerald crystal is sold to local dealers or exporters, who may further cut and polish them for the international market. Lower-quality stones are sold for use in less expensive jewellery. Swat emeralds are typically smaller than emeralds from other sources, so larger sizes, especially over 1 carat plus, are scarce and valuable.
Swat Valley emerald miner, washing and sorting the gravels in search of emerald rough
Political Instability & Swat Emerald Mining
The Swat Valley has historically experienced periods of political instability and conflict, which have disrupted mining activities and reduced the supply of emeralds. This has limited the region's ability to produce and export gemstones consistently. After almost disappearing from the market for centuries, mining resumed in 1958, and Swat Emeralds reappeared in the modern gem market. Known as Zamurd to the locals, these emeralds are celebrated for their exceptional colour.
Spectaular Swat Valley with its towering mountains
Mignora, the largest city in Swat Valley
3. What is the History of the Swat Emeralds?
The Swat emerald mines are located in the rugged Swat Valley of northern Pakistan and boast a rich history that intertwines with the region's ancient culture and trade routes.
While specific historical references to Swat emeralds are scarce, the emerald trade in antiquity, as described in texts like those of Pliny the Elder, hints at the rich history of these gems. Emerald mining in Swat dates back at least 2,000 years, and evidence suggests that these emeralds were likely traded along the Silk Road. The Swat Valley, a significant crossroad of the Silk Road, was a thriving hub for trade, including precious goods like gemstones. The exchange of emeralds alongside other goods likely reached distant markets in China, India, Persia, the Roman Empire and beyond.
Artifacts discovered in Swat and its neighbouring regions include jewellery and gemstones that suggest an established trade network was in place. At Barikot, an important archaeological site in Swat, archaeologists found gemstones and intricate jewellery as part of an ancient burial site. These items suggest that gemstones such as emeralds were traded, gifted, and used in rituals. Though not explicitly identified as Swat emeralds, their presence in ancient burial sites and Buddhist relics aligns with the trade culture of ancient times.
Local legends from Swat Valley recount the area's gemstones being treasured by ancient traders and rulers. While anecdotal, these stories reflect the cultural importance of emeralds in the region's history. Again, definitive historical documentation is sparse, but Swat's geographic and cultural context, combined with its ancient mining activity, strongly supports the idea that Swat emeralds were part of the Silk Road trade.
Swat Valley Buddhist Ruin
4. Are Swat Emerald's Valuable?
Yes, Swat emeralds, with their exceptional colour and clarity, are not just valuable but also highly prized. The value of high-quality Swat specimens rivals that of Colombian and Zambian emeralds, making them a treasure in the world of gemstones.
Swiss watchmakers use Swat emeralds in fine jewellery, particularly high-end timepieces. According to Mohammad Ayaz, an emerald dealer in Mingora, "The Swati emerald is one of the best qualities and is mostly used in Swiss watches" (Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2020). It is important to note that while many luxury watch brands feature emeralds in their creations, their exact origin (such as Swat Valley) is not usually disclosed. For example, brands like Audemars Piguet have released watches adorned with baguette-cut emeralds. However, the specific sourcing details are typically proprietary.
Swat Emeralds have undergone evaluation by Gübelin, the most prestigious gem laboratory in the world. This evaluation found them to be of exceptional quality, with characteristics such as liveliness, good transparency, and colour saturation, rivalling Emeralds from the Muzo mine in Colombia. The Gübelin evaluation is highly respected in the gemstone industry, and its endorsement of Swat Emeralds further solidifies its reputation as a precious gemstone that competes with its finest counterparts in the global gemstones market.
5. What Makes Swat Emeralds Unique
Alongside Panjsir emeralds, Swat emeralds are particularly scarce due to smaller deposits and unique geological formations. The Swat Valley contains fewer and smaller emerald deposits compared to Colombia, which is home to some of the world's largest and most productive emerald mines, such as Muzo, Chivor, and Coscuez. The small scale of Swat's emerald deposits naturally limits the volume of gemstones available. Emeralds are already rare precious gemstones (much rarer than diamonds and sapphires). The limited availability of Swat emeralds makes them even more desirable to gem collectors and coinessuers who have a true appreciation of highly sought-after luxury gemstones of unusual origin.
Swat Emerald ring available for purchase through The Sapphire Merchant. The Swat emerald can be removed from the setting upon request.
6. Swat Emeralds for Sale
The Sapphire Merchant is New Zealand's premier precious gemstone boutique and custom jewellery house. We serve clients in New Zealand and around the world.
Here at The Sapphire Merchant, we are passionate about Swat emeralds, their rarity, beauty and mysterious history. We have a selection of extraordinary high-grade Swat emeralds that are rarely seen on the market. Additionally, we also have unlisted Swat emeralds in our private collection.
A Swat emerald is an investment into one of nature's finest and most exclusive treasures. To explore the process of acquiring one for your personal collection, speak with us today.