A few weeks ago, at 3:30 AM in Bogotá, I packed my bag for a 48-hour adventure into the eastern Colombian mountain ranges. My pulse was racing, my energy was high, and my expectations were even higher. I could barely believe that I was about to be picked up, that I would be driven six hours deep into a region I had never visited before, and that later that day, I would witness firsthand how our Colombian emeralds are mined.
But before I noticed, I was there, taking my first steps into an artisanal mine on the outskirts of Muzo, Boyacá, the emerald capital of the world. The air was dense, the humidity heavy, and every step felt heavier than normal. Yet nothing compared to the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by the deep black soil, the hardness of the rocks, and the luster of pyrite shining through the dim light of the tunnel.
As we walked in, our guide explained that the vein on the ceiling was our path to the emeralds. It felt surreal, to admire these natural processes that occurred some 3-5 million years ago.
Some hundred meters inside the mountain, we found the drill and tools left behind by the previous shift of miners. And now, it was our turn.
A professional miner showed us how to lift and operate the drill, which weighed over 5kg, much heavier than I expected. One by one, we took our turns, each giving it our best. We were mining, we were sweaty, and we were exhausted.
Then, after just a few more drills from the professional miner and some careful clearing of debris with our hands, it happened...a first spark of green appeared right before our eyes. We had found our first emerald.
At that moment, it felt like a dream. But I was living it. Holding in my hand the purest, most natural version of the gemstone that I have made it my purpose to bring to the other side of the globe.
And yet, this was only the beginning. We were then introduced to the many other tasks artisanal miners take on during their 8-hour shifts. We could truly understand the hard work behind sourcing these rare gemstones. We drilled, dug, and used our bare hands to move through the rocky terrain. We filled an entire wagon with debris, carefully washed it, and after nearly four hours of intense work, we had handpicked a small handful of raw Colombian emeralds. What a humbling reminder of just how rare and precious they truly are.
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There’s so much more to this story, so many details I will treasure forever. But today, I just wanted to share this small glimpse into an experience that has forever changed my perspective.
I am more motivated than ever to continue presenting Colombian emeralds to the world with pride through Oro Muisca.
Thanks for reading and allowing me to share a bit of what is behind my everyday 💚
Daniela Trifiletti, Founder and Director
