Emerald and Gold Treasures of the Spanish Galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha

Photo by AGL

During the 1970s and 1980s, treasure hunters discovered the centuries-old remains of the sunken Spanish galleons Nuetra Señora de Atocha and Santa Margarita. Not only did they find massive amounts of silver and gold in coins, bars, and chains, but they also uncovered a number of rough emeralds and several pieces of emerald-set jewelry.

Gemological testing of the emeralds revealed inclusions typical of stones mined in Colombia as well as possible evidence of extended submersion in seawater. Study of the jewelry revealed a high karat gold content and fine workmanship that represented methods typical of the era.

This research was published in Gems & Gemology in the winter of 1989. See below for the article!

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