What is being described as the “world’s largest cut emerald” is being auctioned in Canada by Kelowna-based Western Star Auctions on Jan. 25.

The 57,500 ct. oval stone weighs around 25 pounds and is the “size of a watermelon,” Western Star Auctions owner Mike Odenbach tells JCK.

The stone, named Teodora (or “God’s Gift”), has been appraised at $1.15 million, but Odenbach thinks it will sell for far more. The company plans to post a grading report later today, Odenbach says.

Regan Reaney, the Calgary gem wholesaler who brought the gem to the auction house, says it was found somewhere in Brazil and cut in India. A gemologist, Jeff Nechka, owner of Premier Gems, who examined the “forest green” stone dubbed it natural but “slightly treated.”

“We are sure it is of the beryl family,” Nechka says. “It has definitely been treated but we are not sure how much it has been treated. It’s impressive someone was even able to cut something like that.”

Reaney says the stone has a “stunning” aura.

“I wish it were translucent—then it would be a billion-dollar stone,” he says. “But we took it to a jewelry store and they were just blown away by this. Even the gemologist, when he picked this up, he was like a kid at Christmas. His eyes just lit up. There aren’t enough words in the English language to describe this.”

Reaney says that while there have been bigger rough emeralds, this is thought to be the largest cut stone.  

“It’s a real showpiece,” he says. “Just a wow.”

JCK