The Emerald

The emerald has captivated people throughout ancient history, and remains a treasured jewel today. Like many valuable gems, emeralds have been surrounded by folklore and mysticism and believed to possess supernatural powers throughout history. This vibrantly colored gemstone has been historically thought to bestow good luck on its owner, and instill virtues such as mental clarity, wisdom and youth. Egyptians even buried emeralds with their dead under the belief that they would grant perpetual youth. The emerald was a subject of high regard, even worship, by ancient Incas and Aztecs. The belief that emeralds aid in eyesight has been examined consistently across numerous cultures over time, as has the notion that emeralds can grant insight into the future.

The emerald is a variety of Beryl, a mineral occurring in a range of colors from colorless to pink to green to red. The most widely known forms of beryl are its blue variety, aquamarine, and its green variety, the emerald. The term “emerald” is thought to stem from an Old French word that translates to “green gemstone.” A deep, vibrant green is the characteristic color of the most valued emeralds, a hue attributed to traces of chromium present in the gems. Unlike many other gems, inclusions in emeralds are tolerated as a natural feature, and vibrant, intense green color attributes more to an emerald’s value than the presence or absence of flaws within it.

Colombia is the origin of some of the most beautiful and valuable emeralds in the world. Colombian emeralds are renowned for their deep green hue absent a devaluing blue tint. A majority of the world’s emerald supply today comes from Colombia, with much of it originating in the same areas mined by ancient civilizations. Emeralds are also mined in other areas throughout the world including Brazil, Zimbabwe, India, Pakistan, and Russia, to name a few.

Emeralds are set in all styles of jewelry. A single emerald makes a beautiful solitaire ring, or multiple smaller emeralds may be set surrounding a larger stone, a popular design for diamond rings. Because of the presence of inclusions in natural emerald, cutting emeralds is challenging and requires utmost precision and skill. The emerald cut, now also a popular cut for diamonds, was created to alleviate some of the challenges associated with emerald cutting and emphasize the beauty of the stone. It is common today for emeralds used in jewelry to be treated with special oil, wax or resin to enhance their appearance.

About the Author: Ian Maher is the CEO of Maliere, a leading provider of diamond rings and other platinum and gold rings. For more information, please visit www.Maliere.com.

Elizabethan Jewelry – Past and Present

Elizabeth I reigned as Queen of England from 1558 to 1603, an era that brought with it much advancement in the Western world. Fashion is no exception, and the Queen’s own love for style contributed to many changes in fashion trends of the time. Jewelry of the Elizabethan era reflected in many ways the jewelry of today, though the most valuable metals and gemstones were mostly limited to the upper class or those in a position of nobility.

Necklaces were commonly worn by women of the Elizabethan age, who often wore multiple necklaces at the same time. The carcanet, a wide, collar-like necklace crafted from fine metal and jewels and often worn along with other necklaces is a piece characteristic of the era. Gold pendants were a common accessory for women later in the era, succeeding the popularity of brooches. Pearls, gold, silver, diamonds, emeralds, sapphires and other precious metals and gemstones were incorporated into beautiful necklaces and other pieces of jewelry worn by the upper class. Though gemstones were fashioned into different shapes for jewelry using basic methods in this era, gemstone cutting technology and expertise was quite limited in comparison to the complex, multi-faceted gemstone cuts common today.

Another piece of jewelry common to both Elizabethan era and today is the ring. Similar to modern day practice, rings were worn to symbolize marriage, and were often crafted of gold and engraved with a message. Though rings were worn as a symbol of marriage, they were not typically worn by men, and even wedding rings were mostly limited to the upper class. Rings were sometimes worn on both the first and the second joint of the finger, not just the first as rings are most commonly seen today, and it would not be uncommon for every finger to be adorned with a ring except the middle.

Earrings experienced some popularity in the later part of the Elizabethan era. Women would have both ears pierced, while men would have only one. Earrings were typically a continuous hoop, possibly holding a pendant, as the modern day post style and hook style had yet to be invented.

The Elizabethan era spans forty five years, and no single style exemplifies it directly. In fact, Elizabethan jewelry alone is a topic that has been examined in volumes of literature. Genuine Elizabethan jewelry as well as new pieces influenced by the styles of the era are still worn today. Many jewelry styles of today owe their existence to concepts originating centuries ago during the Elizabethan era of English history.

About the Author: Ian Maher is the CEO of Maliere, a leading provider of diamond rings and other platinum and gold rings. For more information, please visit http://www.maliere.com

Jewelry – the Fail Proof Christmas Gift for a Woman

It is that time of year again—shoppers reveling in the spirit of giving, Christmas lights twinkling along busy streets, the deadline to find the perfect gift for that special someone perilously encroaching—the Christmas season brings with it both the occasion to celebrate with loved ones and the pressure to show them you have been paying attention. But even the most thoughtful boyfriends, fiancés and husbands often find themselves wrought with uncertainty when it comes to giving that special woman a special gift for the holidays she will not soon forget.

It is practically universally true that women love jewelry. Though style preferences vary greatly among women, one would be hard pressed to find a woman who truly does not appreciate beautiful necklaces, eternity rings or diamond earrings. And it is not just the value and outward beauty of jewelry that a woman loves—it is the symbolism of the piece as a gift from the man she loves; it is the thoughtfulness that led you to select the specific piece of jewelry for her; it is the love represented by the gesture.

Inherent symbolism, personal significance and of course outward beauty make jewelry the perfect gift for a man to give to the woman he loves. Giving a woman a personalized gift of jewelry involves first gaining insight into her preferences and style. If you have been with a woman for a long time, perhaps you already know what style of jewelry she likes. But you can also pick up on some clues she may be sharing without even realizing it. For instance, does she always wear silver jewelry, or does she mix it up between gold and silver? Does she prefer to wear matching necklace, earring and bracelet sets, or does she mix and match styles? Does she wear large dangling earrings, or does she prefer simple, understated pieces? By observing her jewelry over a period of at least several days, you can gain valuable insight into her preferences that can help you select the perfect gift. And you do not have to go it alone. Discussing your observations with your jewelry retailer can give you the expert perspective you need to select the perfect piece of jewelry for the lady in your life.

If you have given her jewelry as a gift in the past, you can use this experience to help determine what to give her this Christmas. If you have given her a beautiful sapphire ring in the past, and she loved it, why not give her a coordinating pair of sapphire earrings and a necklace to match?

Options abound in Christmas shopping for the woman in your life. The gift of jewelry alleviates the risk of giving an impersonal or unromantic gift. After all, just because she loves kitchen appliances and warm socks does not mean that is what she wants to receive from her beloved man on Christmas morning.

About the Author: Ian Maher is the CEO of Maliere, a leading provider of eternity rings and other diamond platinum rings and gold rings. For more information, please visit www.Maliere.com.