Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Graff and other luxury jewellers make emeralds the newest trend in high jewellery
Emerald cut, cabochon cut and beads made with emeralds – luxury jewellers such as Louis Vuitton, Cartier and Graff are creating statement pieces for the latest trend
A vivid gemstone with flaws that tell tales, the emerald enjoys pride of place in high jewellery, with a greater supply – from new mines in Brazil and Zambia to legendary ones in Colombia – making the gemstone more popular than ever.
“The deep and rich green colour of emeralds keeps fascinating gem connoisseurs, and a wealth of minute inclusions trapped within the crystal gives each stone individuality,” says Daniel Nyfeler, managing director of the reputed Gübelin Gem Lab in Switzerland.
“In addition to gems from Colombia, sources such as Zambia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan have entered the market, providing consumers with a choice to select from. For clients looking for responsibly sourced gemstones, certain Zambian miners can offer robust traceability and a transparent supply chain.”
Gemfields is one company which has earned quite a reputation for sustainably-mined emeralds and has put Zambian emeralds on the map.
“Our Kagem emerald mine now produces an estimated 25 per cent of the world’s emerald supply,” says Sean Gilbertson, CEO of Gemfields, the company that owns jewellery brand Fabergé. “Responsible sourcing is becoming increasingly important to consumers and Gemfields’ core values of transparency. Integrity and legitimacy speak directly to these concerns.”
For larger important stones, it is advisable to get a certificate of origin. Specialised labs such as Gübelin Gem Lab, SSEF, GRS and GIA can all offer gemmological reports.
“We work a lot with emeralds. It’s a gem that speaks to us. Even the inclusions seen in an emerald can be special, as they often look mossy and are sometimes called jardin [garden in French], which can complement the stone quite nicely,” says Albert Boghossian, CEO of Boghossian.
“It is extremely rare to find an emerald without any sort of clarity enhancement [‘no-oil’]. It’s important to look at its purity and its colour, dark green being the most sought-after colour. Colombian emeralds are said to be the purest, with the most vivid green colour.”
Miracles of nature, emeralds require an almost impossible set of circumstances to be formed. “A 30-tonne truckload of rock from Kagem yields only two to three grams of emerald,” reveals Gemfields’ Gilbertson.
What qualities should you look out for in an emerald while making a purchase?