There are plenty of beautiful gemstones in the world, but there’s something irresistible about the rich and lush hue of emerald. Whether you wear an emerald ring, pendant, bracelet or earrings, the glamorous jewel can instantly lend an elegant yet impressive twist to your look, especially when teamed with a complementing metal.
But before we answer your question, let us first understand what makes this exotic gem so unique.
Intriguing History
Emeralds are one of the oldest gemstones and have been used in jewellery for thousands of years. It’s believed that queen Cleopatra loved these vibrant green jewels so much that she not only used them in her royal adornments but also claimed all the emerald mined in Egypt as her own. Other ancient Egyptians buried mummies with emeralds around their necks, hoping that this would bring eternal youth. Even the Incas and Aztecs of South America highly valued these gems and deemed emeralds as holy stones.
Did You Know?
Emerald, being the gem of spring, is regarded as the May birthstone. This gemstone has also been linked to the Greek goddess of love and beauty, Venus. It is believed to symbolize love, faith, and compassion. Other ancient Egyptians buried mummies with emerald pendants around their necks, hoping that this would bring them eternal youth.
Additionally, emeralds are said to make their wearer more intelligent and creative while also protecting them from the evil eye. Its green hue is also associated with abundance, rebirth, and good fortune.
What the Green!
Unsurprisingly, what makes the emerald so desirable is its colour. It is available in almost all shades of green. However, the most coveted and expensive emerald specimens display a slightly bluish-green to an intense deep green colour and vivid saturation. Gems with medium-dark tones and no colour zoning are highly preferred.
Flawed and Beautiful
An emerald enthusiast would know that most of these stones are far from flawless. Nearly all emeralds feature mossy or garden-like fissures known as Jardin (French for garden-like). These internal inclusions are considered to be flaws in other gemstones, but appreciated in emeralds, simply because they add to their natural beauty. In fact, many actually prefer to buy emeralds with minute Jardin since they help distinguish a real gem from a fake.
Back to the main question – which metal looks best with emerald?
Yellow Gold. Emerald jewellery set in this warm metal radiates a classic, sophisticated look. Yellow gold undeniably brings out emerald’s splendourous green hue to the maximum.
If you have a bluish-green gem, we would particularly recommend teaming it with yellow gold, as this pairing makes the emerald appear a purer green. You’ll also be happy to know that this alluring metal offers good durability and can easily withstand everyday use.
We hope this article helped you decide on the million-dollar question. Now that you know what metal to opt for, all you need to do is simply buy (we’re sure you have already picked a design) the emerald jewellery piece you have your eyes set on.
Also Read: How to Care for Emerald jewellery?
