In Muzo, luck and chance are like two more neighbors in town — old, familiar faces. People buy and sell raffles, lottery tickets, or betting slips in the hope of a stroke of fortune that might change their lives. But this corner of Boyacá, in central Colombia, is best known for a more enchanted version of luck: emeralds, the most valuable in the world.
The relentless pursuit and improbable discovery of emeralds have defined life here since the days when only Indigenous peoples inhabited the land. Although greed for the gems once sparked violent conflicts that bled the region dry, today there’s a sense of peace and a notable shift in the air: the emerald trade, which used to happen in person to verify the stones’ value, is now conducted via TikTok and social media.
