Meet Your Greens… The Jeweller editor, Belinda Morris makes the introduction
30 Sep 2020
Image: Goodman Morris Green Tourmaline Gold Ring
If shades of blue, combined with white and a dash of red, are the colours of summer, then autumn, for me, is all about green.
Any shade – I love them all – from Granny Smith apple and zingy lime, to British racing green, forest and khaki. And while my head can easily be turned by a sage cashmere boyfriend cardi, it’s the greens featuring in jewellery that really have my mouth watering.
It almost certainly dates back to childhood – I loved my mother’s engagement ring with its central square-cut emerald, which is vivid, crystal clear and so pretty. But these days – with a little more gem and jewellery knowledge under my belt – I no longer draw the line at emeralds (one of the ‘big four’ gemstones along with diamonds, sapphires and rubies). I still think they’re beautiful, but there’s so much to choose from out there… and that includes green crystal, green enamel, green resin and green glass!
Image: Alex Dove Green Sapphire Cushion Diamond Ring (left), Green Sapphire Halo Ring (right)
And it just so happens that green – in all its guises – is enjoying a ‘moment’, particularly when it comes to jewellery. Apart from the fact that green tones have a calming effect (and we could all use a touch of calm) a year or two back it was a ‘colour of the year’ (as decreed by colour specialists Pantone) and the fashion and jewellery worlds love it now as much as ever.
Image: Ana de Costa Jade and Gold Chain Earrings (left), Perle Noire and Tsavorite Pendant (right)
So, you takes your choice. If you want bold and strong – think malachite. Or perhaps, a little akin to emerald, there’s bright and beautiful tsavorite. Peridot can vary in tone from yellowy lime to a grass green and green tourmaline (or stunning pink and green together – not for nothing is it called ‘watermelon toumaline’) is strong and sharp. If you prefer something rather more muted, nephrite can have a soft, hazy look, jade (from the same family) can vary from almost white to pastel sea green or peppermint and some ‘black’ pearls can take on an iridescent, dark green look. And if you thought amethyst always came in shades of purple… not so – there’s also green amethyst.
Image: Mark Milton Green Amethyst Ring (left), Maviada Chrysoprase and Pearl Earrings (right)
If you like your gems and jewellery to come with a lacing of mysticism let me give you a few nuggets of wisdom to consider. Many centuries ago emeralds were believed to possess healing powers; jade was reckoned to cure hip problems and in the Middle Ages the terrors of the night were warded off by peridot and vomiting was cured with malachite – which also absorbs negative energy. Star signs, birth months and lucky numbers are also assigned gems – emerald happens to be the (generally accepted) stone for Taurus (May) and peridot belongs to Leo (August), but these beliefs are pretty fluid.
Image: Angel Whisperer pendant with malachite (left), Daphne Krinos 18ct Gold and Tourmaline Brooch (right)
I hope I’m whetting your appetite (and it just so happens that apatite gemstones can also come in leafy/grassy shades) to check out jewellery featuring coloured gems in mouth-watering green hues. Here’s my selection of fabulous, inspirational pieces of jewellery by designers and brands – all members of the National Association of Jewellers. It’s just a fraction of what’s out there – search for your nearest NAJ jeweller on our Find a Jeweller page to meet so many more greens.
Image: Andrew Geogegan Satellite Peridot 18ct Rose Gold Ring (left), Chocolate Box Cocktail Ring with Green Tourmalines in 18ct Yellow Gold (right)
Image: Nadine Aysoy Jade and Tsavorite Earrings (bottom left), Zeemou Zeng Peridot Ring (bottom right)
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Source: The National Association of Jewellers