Key takeaways
• Emeralds hold deep historical significance, with ancient origins ranging from Egyptian royal adornments by Cleopatra to religious usage by the Incas.
• Demantoid garnets are highly prized and rare green gemstones discovered in 19th-century Russia, known for their unique horsetail inclusions and exceptional sparkle.
• Natural fancy green diamonds derive their rare coloration from deep underground radiation, exemplified by the historical 41-carat Dresden Green diamond.
Jewelry lovers have been drawn to green gems for as long as they’ve been discovered, and that’s a few thousand years by now. Nature produces an awe-inspiring array of naturally verdant jewels – and some of the most tantalizing examples are featured here for your enjoyment.
“Nothing greens greener.” (describing an emerald)
Pliny the Elder, 1st Century AD, Rome
The ancient Dresden green diamond dismounted from its setting; Credit Dresden Germany
Luxurious Hoards
If emerald is your favorite gemstone, you’re in good company. Emerald mines were first known in ancient Egypt as early as 330 BC. Cleopatra developed such a passion for the lively stones that she conscripted them for all her royal adornments.
And throughout time, they have never lost their luster with loyal fans. Spanish explorers invaded the New World in the 16th century. In South America, they came upon emeralds, only to discover that the Incas had been using them for over half a century in various religious ceremonies.
You can imagine that, with their popularity pervading so many ancient cultures, countless legends will have included the brilliant green rocks in their histories. At one time, simply wearing an emerald was believed to expose the truth or deceitfulness of a lover’s oath.
It was also thought to transform one into an eloquent speaker. Today, we think of emeralds in more of an inspirational context, reflecting new life and creating a feeling of spring in which everything flourishes again. Fortunately, May babies claim emerald as their birthstone, and couples with a long marriage memorialize their 20th and 35th anniversaries with this lush gemstone.
Demantoid garnets display a characteristic horsetail inclusion shown here. Credit Jess Jewelers
Green Like a Garnet
What’s a garnet doing in a green gemstone list? Demantoid (meaning diamond-like) garnets were first discovered in the mid-19th century, in the waning years of Alexander II’s reign in Russia. That extraordinarily luxuriant green stone mesmerized its original discoverers and remains relatively rare today. Found in the remote Ural Mountains, demantoid garnets quickly became the coveted stone of Russia’s privileged royalty.
The highly dispersive gem has the potential to display extraordinary sparkle and life. Its high dispersion often results in the stone flaunting a captivating play of prismatic colors. Distinctive natural horsetail inclusions help identify demantoid garnets from other stones.
Large stones are such a rarity that many cutters today have never had the pleasure of working with sizable rough demantoid garnets. The difficulty in acquiring demantoid rough in large carats, combined with its relative rarity, has fueled an ongoing obsession with the striking gem amongst savvy collectors the world over.
Expertly matched Deep Brownish Yellow cushion diamond ring; Credit LEIBISH
Fancy That
Of course, earth-mined diamonds are uncommon finds. Diamonds produced in attractive colors, collectively referred to as fancy color diamonds, do exist, but rarely occur in the annual output. Their infrequent discovery in large-carat rough sends shockwaves through the diamond trade. Fancy color diamonds receive their coloration in several ways. Crystals can be exposed to trace elements like boron, resulting in a blue diamond. Nitrogen introduced during a diamond’s growth phase influences a crystal to appear yellow.
But one of the rarest in this elite subset of fancy color diamonds is the natural fancy green diamond. It draws its tint from exposure to natural radiation lurking deep underground during the formative stage. The most famous fancy green diamond of all time, known as The Dresden Green, has resided at Dresden Castle in Germany for nearly two centuries. The 41-carat natural fancy green diamond was discovered before 1722, when all diamonds were believed to originate from India.
The mesmerizing green hues found in these rare diamonds today make them the object of desire for the sophisticated collector and the envy of those longing to own one.
If your client expresses budget constraints, offer them a fancy green sapphire or a winsome green beryl. But there are also rich favorite garnets and sparkling peridots to consider. With affordable options available now, green stone lovers can find their joy at every price point.
