Among the major actors in the Colombian emerald industry, some embody a part of its history. Jimmy Molina is one of them. Owner of Las Pavas, one of the largest mining concessions in the Muzo region, he is today a key figure in the market. His name resonates with respect, both in the galleries of Boyacá and in the closed circles of Bogotá. A man of field experience, he nevertheless cultivates discretion. But behind the scenes of the trade and in the heart of the mines, his influence is very real.
A heritage forged in the mine
Jimmy Molina was born in the emerald. Born into a mining family, he grew up in the rough but fascinating world of the Muzo mines. From an early age, he learned to recognize promising veins, to estimate the potential of a rock, to read the earth as others read the lines of a hand.
His career is inextricably linked with that of Victor Carranza, a legendary figure nicknamed the “emerald czar”. For many years, Jimmy was Carranza’s right-hand, assisting in major decisions and operating at the heart of a system in which power, stones and alliances were forged in a complexity as complex as that of minerals and politics. This position enabled him to acquire not only an in-depth knowledge of the market, but also a rare insight into the human dynamics that govern the emerald trade.
Las Pavas: a promising territory for Colombian emerald
Today, Jimmy Molina and his family is at the head of Las Pavas, an immense deposit whose potential is attracting the covetous attention of investors. This concession, strategically located in the Muzo emerald belt, is considered one of the last great territories likely to reveal first-rate emeralds.
Jimmy Molina remains a man close to his people. In Muzo, Otanche and Coscuez, he is greeted with warmth and respect. He knows the families, the paths, the difficulties. He has seen entire generations make a living from the green stone, and he knows that the emerald trade relies not just on carats, but on human beings.
The story of a Colombian emerald revealed by instinct
Among the many anecdotes that punctuate Jimmy Molina’s career, one alone sums up his unique take on emerald. One day, a worker extracted an imposing stone, but judged it to be of little interest: too dull, too fractured, it was quickly discarded and offered at a low price by a dealer at the Emerald Trade Center.
Most move on. But Jimmy, true to his intuition, decides to take a closer look. Under the light of a camera, he spots a faint, almost imperceptible green glow. Buoyed by his instinct, he bought the stone and entrusted it to a cutter. The result exceeded all expectations: a series of emeralds of striking color and rare purity, sold at a record price.
This stone, which nobody wanted, became one of the most exceptional jewels of his career. A lesson, no doubt, in patience, vision and the quiet faith that characterizes the great men of the trade.
A man between tradition and transmission
Jimmy Molina is a pillar of the Colombian emerald market. Not for his visibility, which he rarely seeks, but for the confidence he inspires and the expertise he embodies. He is one of those rare men capable of bringing together mountains and markets, miners and collectors, tradition and the future. His career reminds us that the world of precious stones is not just about brilliance: it’s about people, transmission and respect. And that in the heart of Colombia, in the green lands of Muzo, still beats the heart of an authentic passion, carried by figures like his.
