Panshir Emerald
Emeralds from Afghanistan's Panshir region are exceptionally beautiful stones, whose vivid color, often accented with blue-green hues, offers a unique brilliance. Extremely rare, Afghan emeralds have become highly sought-after by collectors, investors and jewelry enthusiasts alike.
Emeralds from Afghanistan's Panshir region are exceptionally beautiful stones, whose vivid color, often accented with blue-green hues, offers a unique brilliance. Extremely rare, Afghan emeralds have become highly sought-after by collectors, investors and jewelry enthusiasts alike.
Discover our sourcing
At Bonnot Paris, our worldwide network enables us to meet all your requests for traditional or rare stones.
Each stone is selected for its rarity, clarity and ethics, guaranteeing traceability, exceptional quality and fair prices.
Our expertise
The expertise of Maison Bonnot Paris is the result of an alchemy between tradition and innovation. Our stones are precision-cut, guaranteeing exceptional brilliance and symmetry.
Each piece is handcrafted in 18-carat gold, demonstrating our commitment to quality.
From the casting process to the final polish, each creation is the result of the meticulous work of four specialized craftsmen.
This collaborative process ensures that each piece of jewelry is a work of art in its own right.
Finally, we are committed to completing each piece within four weeks, combining speed and excellence.
Our know-how is the indelible signature of the quality and authenticity we offer our customers.
Panshir emerald comes from the province of Panshir or Panjshir, which is normally spelled Panchir in French, but the English spelling dominates. It's a valley in northeastern Afghanistan, about 150 km from Kabul. Afghan emeralds are the rarest of all emeralds. Their commercial exploitation began in the 1970s/80s. The Mikeni, Bakhi, Barun and Butak mines are among the most famous.
There was a time when emeralds from Afghanistan were of little interest, due to their inclusions. However, thanks to modern cutting processes that produce superb small faceted stones with barely visible imperfections, they are now among the most coveted emeralds of all. Each of our Afghan emeralds is certified by a gemmological laboratory.
Afghan emeralds are sought-after for their intense color, often with bluish undertones. The hue most appreciated by amateurs and professionals alike is a vivid green, even if these emeralds from the Panshir Valley have inclusions. They are often compared to the finest emeralds from Colombia, which are much easier to find.
Some small Afghan emeralds are of exceptional quality, in terms of clarity. Large Afghan emeralds of excellent quality are extremely rare and expensive. There are also lovely lighter variations, as well as golden shades.
When buying a Panshir emerald or having an exceptional emerald engagement ring created, color is key. Clarity is important, but many emeralds have inclusions that are perfectly tolerable. Of course, carats and cut are also taken into account.
Typically, these stones are emerald-cut , square or rectangular, but there are also Afghan cabochon emeralds and oval emeralds. A wider variety of cuts can be found with gems such as green sapphire. Why is this so? Because Afghan emeralds are very rare, and it's essential to preserve as many carats as possible.
And never buy an emerald from Afghanistan without a certificate of authenticity: fake Afghan emeralds are quite common.
The price of a Panshir emerald is often several thousand euros per carat. As a rough guide, depending on a number of factors, a top-quality stone from this region can cost at least €5,000 per carat.
Even if inclusions are part of the emerald universe, the fewer they are, the higher the prices. And some Afghan stones, particularly vivid and larger than average, fetch astronomical prices. However, Afghan emeralds are sometimes more affordable. They are, for example, smaller, may have undergone treatment and/or have different color zones and are a little less uniform.
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