Emeralds

With its rich history and mystical healing powers we are a little bit obsessed with emerald at the moment and two of our most recent bespoke pieces feature this intriguing and majestic gem. This 18ct yellow gold wave ring is particularly close to our heart, designed and made by Dave for Dave and Barry's Mother. Dave bought this emerald 6 years ago and hasn't wanted to part with it since, saving it for that one special project worthy of such an exquisitely beautiful emerald. Dave then remembered his mother telling him how much she loved emeralds and would have loved one as an an engagement ring, thus inspiring him to create this beautiful ring; giving the emerald the justice it deserves whilst still keeping it in his family.

 





 

The second emerald to feed our passion is set in this twist ring, which was a commissioned piece created for a very special Christmas gift. The twist ring is formed from a continuous piece of hand forged platinum that contours around the finger to form an open ring with tapered ends. A deep green pear cut emerald is set upon a soft grey background. The contrast in colours are like fire and water taking us to a place of lushest, rich landscapes.


Emeralds have a vast and compelling history; described by Rome's Pliny the Elder as "nothing greens greener". Emeralds' have soothed souls and excited imaginations since antiquity and even now the colour green is known and  used to alleviate tension and eye strain. It was also believed that emeralds could prevent and cure diseases like cholera and malaria. Ancient Myth professes the wearer of emeralds bestow the ability to see into the future as well as to reveal truth of a lovers oath and protect from evil spells.

Legends and witchcraft aside, emeralds are probably most famous for their royal status and were a particular favourite with Cleopatra who was known to have a passion for emerald and used it in her royal adornments. Therefore it is probably not surprising that the first known emerald mines were found in Egypt dating back to at least 330BC into the 1700s.

From what is now Colombia, emerald was part of the pillage when sixteenth-century Spanish explorers invaded the New World. The Spanish, who treasured gold and silver far more than gems, traded emeralds with the Incas who used them for their jewellery and religious ceremonies. It was these trades that caught the intrigue of European and Asian Royalty to emeralds' magnificence and opened up emerald trade to the rest of the world and thus here we are today.

Our collection of emerald jewellery is always being added to. To check this out you can visit our pages below or you can pop into our London store to see the collection. If you are interested in commissioning a piece of jewellery, visit our bespoke page to learn about the process or get in touch for a chat. We are always happy to explore new ideas and work with clients throughout the world. More of our bespoke jewellery and unique wave and twist rings can be seen in our journal, or shop our collection online.