Mid-1990s
Guillermo starts a small business at 19 YR in Chiquinquirá, a town near Colombia's emerald mines. He watches emerald traders work outside his window every day.
Late 1990s
He combines his IT background with a passion for emeralds, building his first emerald price list and launching emeralds.co one of the world's first online emerald stores.
2002
Emerald Elegance launches on eBay, marking the beginning of Guillermo's journey in the emerald trade. Over the next two decades, he builds an exceptional reputation with 100% positive feedback and thousands of verified customers, specializing exclusively in Colombian emeralds. The company becomes a regular exhibitor at premier gem shows worldwide, including Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Tucson, establishing itself as a trusted name in fine authentic Colombian emeralds.
2000s – 2010s
Guillermo becomes President of ACODES (Asociación Colombiana de Exportadores de Esmeraldas), the national body representing Colombia's emerald export industry. He joins the International Colored Gemstone Association (ICA) and FEDEsmeralds..
Entering a phase of strong growth, the brand began collaborating with artists, influencers, and participating in major fashion events. At the same time, we expanded into international markets, bringing our colombian emeralds to a global audience.
Our founder, Guillermo Galvis, has spent decades building relationships across Colombia’s emerald industry, from miners and exporters to international trade leaders. As part of that mission, he helped organize the first World Emerald Symposium in Colombia, a historic event that brought together global experts to celebrate, protect, and elevate the future of Colombian emeralds.
For us, emeralds are more than gemstones—they are heritage, craftsmanship, and trust. That same passion is what inspires Emeralds.co: connecting the world with authentic Colombian emeralds through knowledge, transparency, and timeless beauty.
2021
Featured by Jewellery Outlook as an industry leader on the future of digital emerald trading. Becomes an Ambassador for the global gemstone trading platform Gembridge.
2023
Interviewed by NPR on Colombian emerald mining, representing the industry on one of the world's largest public radio platforms. and Portafolio Colombia Interview on ACODES growth projections for Colombian emerald exports.
Guillermo and his team continue bringing value to customers around the world in wholesale and online. Guillermo leads Emerald Elegance, offering buyers direct access to genuine Colombian emeralds sourced, selected, and sold by one of the industry's most trusted voices.
