Gemstones of Colorado

Colorado has more than thirty different varieties of gemstone. The official state gemstone is aquamarine, mostly found on Mount Antero. Other gems in Colorado include amazonite, garnet, topaz, tourmaline, lapis lazuli, quartz crystal, smoky and rose quartz, amethyst, turquoise, peridot, sapphire, and zircon.

Mount Antero

Agate, chalcedony, and jasper are found in many places. Amazonite is a variety of microcline feldspar. It is usually blue or green. Colorado amazonite is special because it can appear as well-formed crystals, as opposed to the formless shapes found elsewhere in the world. The crystals can also be very large. Much of Colorado's amazonite can be found in the Pikes Peak granite. The granite provides the lead inclusions that color the microcline blue instead of pink. The Crystal Peak area between Woodland Park and Lake George is famous for its amazonite and other crystals, but it is now mostly private land and cannot be hunted.

Amazonite and Smoky Quartz, Copper

Among Colorado minerals that generate a high dollar volume are varieties of cryptocrystalline quartz. In its various forms, this mineral is known as carnelian, chalcedony, onyx, sardonyx, chrysoprase, agate, jasper, petrified wood and many others. It is found in many locations around the state, with petrified (agatized) wood occurrences in Arapahoe, Douglas, Elbert, Delta, and El Paso counties.

Aquamarine

Colorado Rhodochrosite Crystals

228-carat Harrods Diamond up for grabs = $ 21.9m

The largest white diamond to come to auction will appear at Christie’s in Geneva on May 11. The 228-carat, pear-shaped diamond has an estimate of $20m to $30m. The stone was mined about 20 years ago in South Africa. The VS1, G color diamond was formerly known as the Harrods Diamond. After making its debut in Dubai, 'The Rock' will travel to Taipei, New York and Geneva, where it will be auctioned on May 11.

The Mughal Empire in Gold and Gems

The Mughals were descendants of the Central Asian conqueror Timur (known in the West as Tamerlane) and the Mongol ruler, Genghis Khan. The Mughal Empire, which at its peak spanned modern-day India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, was established by Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur, who invaded India in 1526. The Mughals ruled for over three centuries before the arrival of the British in 1858.

The Timur ruby (also Khiraj-i-alam, "Tribute to the World") is an unfaceted, 361-carat polished red spinel gemstone set in a necklace in 1853

Crown of the Emperor Bahadur Shah II, the last Mughal emperor. 1850. Gold, turquoises, rubies, diamonds, pearls, emeralds.

Carved emerald circular box. Mughal India circa 1635.

Turban ornament. 1700-1750. Wearing plumes in a turban indicated royal status in Mughal India.

Treasures were encrusted with rubies, diamonds and emeralds and set in gold using the kundan technique, a typically Indian method of setting gemstones without the use of bezels and prongs. Emerald is 217.80 carats and dates to 1695-1696. It is the largest inscribed Mughal emerald known.

Kundan set eagle pendant. Rubies, diamonds, pearls, enamel.

Mughal parrot finger ring (c.1600–1625) It is set with rubies, emeralds, diamonds and a single sapphire.

Bird Finger Ring (17th century). Gold, rubies, emeralds, turquoises.

The reign of Shah Jahan, the fifth emperor, was the golden age of Mughal architecture. He erected several large monuments, the most famous of which is the Taj Mahal at Agra, as well as the Moti Masjid, Agra, the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid, Delhi, and the Lahore Fort. The Mughal Empire reached it's zenith during the reign of Aurangzeb.

Pendant in the form of an eagle, 18th century. Gold, cast and chased, set with foiled diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphires in gold. Gold and enamel belt buckle in two pieces with inlaid diamonds. Enamel decoration on reverse of tiger attacking a boar. Rectangular element with small round ring through which oblong ring fits. Hook is attached to this. Enamel tiger attacking a deer in foliage on reverse.

Gold, pearl, ruby, diamond and enamel squatting duck on a stand.

Gold and enamel figurine of an elephant with large natural baroque pearl forming its back and diamonds on its head.

A carved emerald flask with stopper, India, circa 18th century. The body of faceted hexagonal form, cut and carved on each face with a floral stem, the stopper carved with eight stylised leaves and a star design to the top. Dress archery ring of Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan. Second quarter of the 17th century. Gold set with carved and polished uncut diamonds, rubies and emeralds.

An Imperial Mughal spinel necklace with eleven polished baroque spinels for a total weight of 1,131.59 carats. Three of the spinels are engraved. Two with the name of Emperor Jahangir (1569-1627), one with the three names of Emperor Jahangir, Emperor Shah Jahan and Emperor Alamgir, also known as Aurangzeb. Portrait of Mumtaz Mahal (Arjumand Banu Begum). She was the favourite wife of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. She died shortly after giving birth to her fourteenth child in 1631. The following year the emperor began work on the mausoleum that would house her body. The result was the world-famous Taj Mahal.

A Mughal masterpiece. The necklace features five pendant Golconda diamonds with emerald drops. The central stone weighs 28 carats and is the largest table-cut diamond known. The five surrounding stones—weighing 96 carats, collectively—comprise the largest known matching set of table-cut diamonds. From the 17th century. A rare Mughal pale green jadeite snuff bottle. 1800-1900. The translucent stone is of pale icy green tone. 2 in. (5 cm.) high, pink tourmaline stopper and bone spoon.

1 of 1 vintage pink gold Patek Philippe watch - $7.6m

A new sale record was set at Sotheby’s spring watch auction in Hong Kong. The sale was headlined by the only known ref. 2499 in pink gold with a dial signed “Gobbi Milano”. The 37.5mm watch from 1957 had a pre-sale estimate between $3m to $6m. The hammer price was HK$50m which comes to around $7.68M US.