The Journey of an Emerald

Our emeralds come from the mines in the Muzo region, in the department of Boyacá. This mining district, which has been in operation since pre-Columbian times, produces crystals whose deep green color sets the standard worldwide. It is here that each stone begins its journey, extracted from the rock on the mountainside.

We buy directly on site—along the banks of the Itoco River from the guaqueros who sift through mine tailings, or in the town of Muzo, where people know us and miners come to show us their stones. Every purchase is weighed and documented on the spot. There’s no one else between us and the person who dug the stone out of the ground.

Before any evaluation, the stone is immersed in a bath that dissolves any oils or resins. It then reveals its true natural state, inclusions and all. It is on this basis—and this basis alone—that we assess its quality and decide on its next steps.

The stone is entrusted to Christian, our gem cutter, who divides his time between his workshops in Muzo and Bogotá. He examines the rough stone, selects the orientation that will best showcase its color, and then cuts and polishes it. The weight is recorded before and after his work: this documented weight measurement accompanies each emerald throughout its entire journey.

The cut stone is then sent to an independent gemological laboratory in Bogotá for a comprehensive analysis, including spectrometry, microscopy, and treatment testing. This initial Colombian certificate establishes the nature of the stone, its origin, and its exact condition before it leaves the country.

The emerald is entrusted to a licensed exporter, who prepares the official paperwork: declarations, mining taxes, and export permits. Nothing leaves Colombia without being declared. Although this step is invisible to you, it is the backbone of our traceability system.

The stone is transported across the Atlantic via a secure and insured shipment, and is then cleared through customs upon arrival in France. It enters the country accompanied by all of its original and export documents.

Once in France, each stone is sent to a French laboratory for an independent second appraisal. Two laboratories, two countries, two certificates that corroborate each other: that is our definition of verifiable origin.

The stones are photographed using macro photography in our studio in Orléans, under carefully calibrated lighting. The goal is simple: to show the stone exactly as it is, inclusions and all, so that what you see on the screen matches what you receive.

Each emerald is placed in secure storage, assigned an identification number, and accompanied by a complete file: weight measurements recorded at each stage, certificates, and photos. It is then listed for sale on johya.com. Its journey doesn’t end there—it continues with you.