“No stone has a colour that is more delightful to the eye,” wrote the Roman scholar Pliny, and of course it was the lush, vibrant green of an emerald that he was talking about. Symbols of peace, inspiration, new beginnings and growth, emeralds are mentioned in some of the world’s most ancient texts, adored for centuries.
We hand select each and every emerald in our collection and love seeing these glimmering green beauties in your ring stacks. Thought to be amongst the first gems ever discovered, here are just some of the reasons we find them so beguiling.
Emeralds are rarer than diamonds
Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl. Other varieties include aquamarine, morganite and the golden yellow heliodor (the presence of chromium or vanadium is what gives an emerald its lush green hue).
While diamonds are judged on their clarity, and lack of colour, an emerald is assessed based on its tonal grade and how vivid and saturated the green is. The darker, more intense the hue, the more valuable the emerald.
We often think of beautiful, sparkling diamonds as being the rarest gemstones around, but emeralds can end up claiming that title, as quality stones can be up to 20 times rarer than diamonds.
Their inclusions can be things of beauty
Inclusions can be found in 99 per cent of natural emeralds. Rather than being viewed as imperfections, emerald inclusions are often referred to as their jardin, or garden, and each emerald boasts its own beautiful inner world.
Emeralds were loved by royalty in all corners of the globe
Emeralds have adorned rings, necklaces, bracelets and crowns of royalty and cultural leaders all across the world – they were prized by Indian Shahs, can be found in the Russian crown jewels, and there are several pieces in the British royal collection.
They were also an adored gemstone of Cleopatra, who reportedly claimed ownership of all emerald mines in Egypt during her reign, where the gemstone was considered a symbol of fertility and immortality.
Shah Jahan of India, famous for building the Taj Mahal, was so taken by emeralds that his collection included stunning carved pieces, inscribed with sacred texts and used as talismans.
The Duchess of Cambridge has a suite of emerald and diamond jewels that includes earrings, a necklace and a bracelet, while the Hollywood queen of gemstones, Elizabeth Taylor, loved emeralds and was regularly spotted wearing a striking pair of emerald and diamond earrings on the red carpet (she even wore an emerald and diamond brooch on her wedding dress when she married Richard Burton).
Our love of emeralds goes back centuries
There is evidence that emeralds were mined in Egypt as early as 1500BC, and the oldest emeralds are about 2.97 billion years old. The Vedas, which are ancient Indian scriptures, contain several references for the use of emeralds.
They are world record holders
In 2017, a huge 18-carat Columbian emerald dubbed The Rockefeller Emerald sold for an astounding US$5.5 million, making it the highest price per carat for an emerald ever sold. The world record for most expensive emerald goes to Elizabeth Taylor’s 23.46-carat Bulgari pendant, which sold for more than $6.5 million in December 2011.
Emeralds are at the centre of many myths, legends and folklore
Over the centuries, emeralds took on all sorts of mystical associations. It was thought that wearing them could help protect against memory loss, and their beautiful green hue has led to associations with abundance – whether that be in nature or finances – as well as links to the goddess Venus.
Dubbed the “stone of successful love”, emerald’s soothing energy is said to open and nurture the heart.
One of our most beloved emerald pieces is the Evil Eye Marquise Emerald & Diamond Ring. Designed by Chupi as a token of protection and good fortune, a sparkling emerald is held in a solid gold East-West setting and flanked by classic diamonds.
