The Isabella Emerald, Cortes Treasure
On April 5, 1993 the Associated Press announced that the treasure explorer Victor
Benilous, President of Archaeological Discovery Ventures INC., had recovered the
legendary “Isabella Emerald ©” the prized possession of the Conquistador Hernan
Cortes, Conqueror of Mexico.
It had been recovered with the help of the descendents of Hernan Cortes who held
and guarded the secret of the possible location of a treasure lost on a private
merchant ship wrecked in the international waters of the Caribbean on its way back
to Spain.
The 964 ct. GIA certified Isabella Emerald is the world’s largest gem crystal
emerald. Originally known as the Emerald of Judgment, It was taken from
Montezuma, the Great Aztec Emperor, by Cortes and was renamed The Isabella
Emerald in Honor of Queen Isabella of Portugal, the wife of Charles V.
The initial recovery included over 100,000 carats of cut and polished emeralds, over a million carats of
uncut emeralds, including the world’s largest emerald conglomerate weighing an incredible 25,644
carats. The recovered treasure consists of hundreds of unique pieces of gold and priceless emerald
jewelry as well as jade and gold masks, golden idols, sacrificial knives and instruments, gold and silver
bars, 8 very rare Mayan ceremonial crystal skulls, and a signet ring that belonged to Cortes. There is an
Aztec Codex legend that predicts that the secrets of the Universe shall be revealed when all 12 Crystal
Skulls are united with the Emerald of Judgment.
According to GemCutter Magazine in 1993, 99% of the emeralds in the market are artificially dyed to
increase their value. None of the historic Cortes emeralds has been enhanced in any way – no dyes, no
polymers and no infused oils. All stones are natural emerald gemstones.
Included in this package are copies of the actual media coverage on the discovery as well as industry
interest letters, and some comparable sale information. If you have any questions, please contact the
person who provided you with this package.
Media Coverage
USA Today
Featured the discovery on its front page.
Time Magazine
Featured it on its front cover (International Issue)
Treasure Diver Magazine
Declared it the “Greatest Treasure ever found”
Island Magazine
Celebrated by featuring a hard cover collectors’ issue
Sources Magazine
The authority in Under Water Journal also called it the “Greatest Treasure
ever found”
The Compass magazine
Dedicated 4 full color pages on the discovery.
Oceanorama Magazine
For the Oceanographic Institutes, based in France, reported the discovery of
the “Biggest emerald ever found”.
Gallimard
One of the world’s most recognized publishers had the Isabella Emerald
featured in the book "Diamonds & Precious Stones" as one of the world's
most famous emeralds, along side stones like the Hope Diamond and the
British Crown Jewels.
Virtually every major newspaper throughout the United States and Canada featured the story,
including local papers in Geneva, Germany, Spain, Korea, Japan, Puerto Rico, Cuba and virtually all
of the South American Countries carried the story of the discovery.
TV interviews were featured on NBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN nationally and internationally, including
live talk shows via satellite, in Australia and New Zealand,
Interviews by the Paris paper "Le Dimanche" and the London Times generated a request from the
Queen Mother to view the “Isabella Emerald Treasure Collection”.