NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This year marks the 400th anniversary of Nuestra Señora de Atocha, a Spanish treasure galleon that sank in 1622 and was later found off the coast of Florida in 1985. Revered as one of the richest discoveries of sunken treasure in history, the hoard included emerald jewelry and luxe objets d’art from the Muzo mines. When the cache first came up for auction in 2015, Muzo made the decision to acquire several pieces, knowing the gems’ storied provenance would add to the rich history of the Muzo’s legendary mine.
Muzo’s collection, now known as The Private Collection is the largest privately-owned collection of Atocha emerald artifacts which includes The Royal Orb, The Atocha Cross and The Atocha Ring. Yesterday, the Atocha shipwreck made headlines again at Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale; a fine crystal from the Atocha that was transformed into a 5.27 carat, octagonal step-cut emerald engagement ring for Mitzi Perdue, wife of the late Frank Perdue, who funded the recovery mission, was auctioned off, with all proceeds benefiting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.
Says Jason Woods, President of Muzo, “We were delighted to see the strong results of the ‘Atocha’ origin emerald piece making headlines for such a worthy cause. Muzo’s history and legacy of producing the best emeralds in the world continues to inspire and attract collectors 400 years later.”
ABOUT MUZO
As a leading producer of the world's most exceptional emeralds, Muzo prides itself on its CSR initiatives, emphasizing complete transparency from mine to Maison. Located in the Boyacá region of Colombia, the Muzo emerald mine employs more than 1,000 local men and women, contributing significantly to its economic growth. The company has modernized mining practices to preserve the local environment and ensure community workers' health and safety. The Muzo Foundation is proud to provide the local community with such resources as a free health clinic and local canteen.
