As the month of May draws to a close, we’d be remiss not to discuss the birthstone of all of the May babies out there: the emerald. In various cultures, emeralds were thought to bring great happiness to the wearer, especially to new married couples; they were also supposed to protect you from various diseases and even act as an antidote to poisons! (Don’t try that one at home.)
Today, emeralds are one of the most desirable precious gemstones out there, and nearly every royal collection has at least one major emerald piece. Here’s my top ten list of royal emerald jewelry. Feel free to offer your own list in the comments!
10. The Greek Emeralds:Originally from Russia, these cabochon emeralds came to Greece with Olga Constantinovna, wife of King George I. They have been set and reset various times; the current parure dates to the era of Queen Elisabeth (whose initial can be seen in the design of the tiara). Today, they’re worn by the former Greek queen, Anne-Marie (pictured above).
9. The Seven Emerald Tiara: Part of the state jewels of Iran, this tiara features seven large cabochon emeralds. It was made in 1958 by Harry Winston for the last empress of Iran, Farah Diba. The jewels were retained by the state after the revolution, and today they are on display to the public in Tehran.
8. The Norwegian Emeralds: One of the many sets of jewelry once owned by Queen Josefina of Sweden (granddaughter of Josephine de Beauharnais), these emeralds nearly saved a future king. Princess Ingeborg of Sweden gave them to her daughter, Crown Princess Martha of Sweden, on the eve of World War II, so that Martha could sell them if she and her children faced problems in exile. Today, the emeralds are worn by Queen Sonja (pictured above).
7. Grand duch*ess Ella’s Emerald Kokoshnik: This tiara, featuring a geometric design studded with cabochon emeralds, was a wedding gift to Grand duch*ess Elizaveta Feodorovna in 1884. Eventually sold by the Romanovs after the revolution, it was purchased by the Yugoslavian royals. Queen Maria of Yugoslavia (pictured above) wore it for years before selling it to Van Cleef & Arpels, who removed the emeralds.
6.The Chaumet Emerald Tiara: Often derided for its resemblance to a superheroine’s headpiece, this tiara from the grand ducal family of Luxembourg’s collection dates to the art deco period. Chaumet set a single, enormous cabochon emerald amid diamond designs. The piece is worn today by Grand duch*ess Maria Teresa (pictured above).
5.The Swedish Emeralds: Among the vast jewelry holdings of the Swedish royal family is a demi-parure of emeralds (with a necklace and two brooches, but no tiara). The necklace from the set was originally worn as a belt by the first king from the Bernadotte dynasty, Carl XIV Johan of Sweden; it was later shortened. The emeralds reside in the family’s jewel foundation, and they’re often paired with one of the all-diamond tiaras from the royal collection. Crown Princess Victoria (pictured above) wore them at the Nobel ceremony in 2012.
4. The Danish Emeralds: Part of the nation’s crown jewels, the Danish emerald parure is on display at Rosenborg Castle — unless Queen Margrethe II (pictured above) decides to wear it. The parure was made in 1840, but the emeralds have been in the family for at least a century longer. This set is one that can only be worn by queens or queens consort.
3. Queen Mary’s Art Deco Emerald Choker: Famous for its “Disco Di” appearance as a headband in 1985 (pictured above), this choker was originally part of the extensive Delhi Durbar parure. In 1981, the Queen gave this to the new Princess of Wales as a part of her wedding presents. Queen Mary wore it as a choker necklace, and most of the time, Princess Diana did, too — even after her divorce. It was returned to the palace vaults after her death in 1997. And technically, this necklace is also a part of…
2. The Cambridge Emeralds: Won by the duch*ess of Cambridge (Queen Mary’s grandmother) in a charity lottery in the nineteenth-century, this cache of emeralds nearly left royal hands altogether when Queen Mary’s brother bequeathed them to his mistress. Mary reacquired them and made them the workhorses of her collection, setting them in the Delhi Durbar parure and using them to create an alternate setting for the Vladimir Tiara (pictured above).
1.The duch*ess of Angoulême’s Emerald Tiara: Housed today in the Louvre, this diamond and emerald tiara was made ca. 1820 by Bapst for PrincessMarie Thérèse, duch*ess ofAngoulême. She was the daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, and she was queen of France herself — for roughly twenty minutes. The tiara was worn by Empress Eugenie, and then was sold when the country auctioned off all of its crown jewels. It only returned to France in the twenty-first century, but now you can see up close and in person (as in the display pictured above).
Related
FAQs
Pure green emeralds – When an emerald crystal has the perfect combination of chromium and vanadium in it and very little iron, it has a pure green colour. Pure green emeralds have almost no noticeable overtones and are generally the most valuable emeralds of all.
What are the highest quality emeralds? ›
Pure green emeralds – When an emerald crystal has the perfect combination of chromium and vanadium in it and very little iron, it has a pure green colour. Pure green emeralds have almost no noticeable overtones and are generally the most valuable emeralds of all.
Which is the most expensive emerald? ›
There are many famous emeralds, but the Rockefeller emerald stands out among them all. It is not the largest emerald in the world, or even the largest gem quality emerald. However, it is the largest flawless emerald in the world and the most expensive emerald at $5.5 million USD.
What is the most famous emerald? ›
The Guinness Emerald Crystal is one of the largest gemstone-quality crystals ever discovered. Weighing in at 1,759 carats, this uncut emerald was found in the Cosquez mines of Columbia. Currently, the Guinness Emerald Crystal is privately held in the collection of the Bank of the Republic of Columbia.
Where do the best emeralds in the world come from? ›
Of all the different emerald sources in the world, the greatest amount of high-quality emeralds comes from Colombia. Colombian emeralds also make up around 90% of all emeralds in the gem trade, with the remaining 10% split between Zambia and Brazil.
Which is better, Colombian or Zambian emerald? ›
Both emerald gems are beautiful and valuable stones with their own distinct characteristics. Colombian Emeralds are typically the more expensive choice due to the rarity of their origin and their higher quality.
What is the highest grade of emeralds? ›
Therefore, they can be graded by the preferred grading system for all gemstones: Natural AAA, AA, or A. Natural AAA: This is the highest quality. It represents are the top 10% of gemstones. Natural AAA emeralds are rich green, moderately to slightly included, and they exhibit very high brilliance.
What is the rarest type of emerald? ›
The Trapiche Emerald, recognized as the rarest type of emerald, remains a captivating enigma in the realm of precious gemstones.
What cut of emerald is the best? ›
Emeralds are cut in many popular shapes, with the round cut emerald and octagon "emerald" cut shape being most popular. Round emeralds can also improve the refractive quality of the emerald, giving it more sparkle. However, more than other gemstones, color reigns supreme.
What Colour emerald is most valuable? ›
A fine emerald can be more expensive than a high quality diamond of the same carat weight. The most prized emeralds have a rich green color, are highly transparent and are filled with brilliancy.
The biggest emerald in the world is the Bahia Emerald: 1,700,000 carats. The Bahia Emerald contains one of the largest single shard ever found. The stone, weighing approximately 341 kg or 1,700,000 carats, originated from Bahia, Brazil and is crystals embedded in host rock.
What are the 7 Super emeralds? ›
A more powerful form of the Chaos Emeralds in the colors green, orange, dark blue, red, purple, dodger blue and gray.
What is the highest price paid for an emerald? ›
The gem is actually the most expensive per-carat emerald in the world. The Rockefeller emerald is the considered the largest emerald of its clarity in the world, with an astonishing price point of $5.5 million US dollars.
Which emerald is the best quality? ›
Colombian emeralds are generally considered the most valuable due to their exceptional color quality and historical prestige. However, high-quality Zambian emeralds with deep green color and high clarity can also command high prices.
How can you tell if an emerald is good quality? ›
One of the easiest ways to identify a real emerald from a fake is to use a loupe or magnifying glass to examine the gemstone. Real emeralds often have inclusions, or natural imperfections, that can be seen under magnification. These inclusions can help confirm the authenticity of the emerald.
Can emeralds be worn everyday? ›
Despite their delicate appearance, emeralds are a durable gem that can be worn every day. They measure 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, so they have fair to good hardness and their levels of colour stability are great. The only thing that lets emeralds down is their toughness; they are brittle due to their inclusions.
How to tell if an emerald is quality? ›
Consider the Cut and Carat Weight.
In addition to color and clarity, the cut and carat weight of an emerald can also help identify if it is real or fake. Real emeralds are often cut in a way that maximizes their color and minimizes any inclusions. Fakes may have a less precise cut or be cut in a way that hides flaws.
Are darker emeralds better quality? ›
TONE AND SATURATION
Note that darker does not mean better. Rich color is the darkest one should look for in emeralds. The finest gemstones are based on taste and generally range from medium, medium rich, to rich color.
What is the difference between AAA and AA emeralds? ›
Known for their unique inclusions, AAA grade emeralds will feature fewer naturally occurring inclusions categorising their clarity as 'slightly included' as compared to A or AA emeralds which are "Included" or "Heavily Included".
