Emerald Jewellery
Diamonds are often considered to be the most expensive and desirable gemstones, but in fact, emeralds are 20 times rarer than diamonds and can sometimes be more valuable. Considered by some to be ‘the stone of successful love, perhaps opening the heart and the mind’, emeralds have been around for billions of years. These precious gemstones were first mined in Ancient Egypt around 1500BC and today, the majority of emeralds come from South America, in particular Colombia. Emeralds are also mined in other places across the world such as Brazil, Zambia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the US to create emerald jewellery
Do emeralds require specific care?
Emeralds are timeless and can be passed down between generations, however, they are a soft gemstone. This means that extra care is required to preserve your emerald jewellery to maintain its optimum condition. This is why, compared to diamonds they aren't recommend as much for engagement rings. Certain designs and ways of setting the stone can help avoid scratches and so on if a ring is desired for this purpose.
The best way to clean emeralds to help them to regain their sparkle is simple – use a warm cloth with a mild detergent. It’s best not to wear emeralds in a particularly hot shower and to also store them away from your other jewellery pieces. Emeralds can scratch or even crack with significant force.
Why are emeralds green?
Emeralds are always green and the vivid colour comes from trace amounts of chromium or vanadium. That being said, the hues of emeralds can vary greatly from yellow green to a deep jade colour. If the hue of the green gemstone is too light then the stone is not considered to be an emerald, but remains a ‘green beryl’. The most valuable gemstones are a pure medium to dark green colour with an evenly distributed colour saturation.
Are emeralds clear?
The majority of emeralds contain inclusions which are formed by gases and minerals that they take on during the crystallisation process. Contrary to diamonds, the attractive patterns created by the inclusions actually increase the value of the gem and also mean that each and every emerald is totally unique.
Taylor Black Emerald Jewellery
Here at the Cotswolds studio, I make a few jewellery pieces with this beautiful green gemstone. Probably my most popular and favourite item are the emerald stud earrings. I can also make these to different size requirements if you want to discuss a bespoke commission. One of my original and enduring designs, the Stud Bangle features Emeralds and is available in both silver and gold plate. A more recent design is the Emerald Stacking Ring
A number of commissions I have undertaken also include either re-working Emeralds in an existing piece of jewellery or using new ones which I can source for you.
