Emerald

Emerald is a distinct color named for the emerald gemstone and is a light, bright shade of green with a slightly bluish undertone. It has been the most desirable and valuable green-colored stone for more than 5,000 years.

Emerald is a variety of the mineral beryl. Pure beryl is colorless, but when a trace amount of metal is present, the beryl takes on color. Trace amounts of iron will tint the beryl either a greenish-yellow (heliodore), a greenish-blue (aquamarine), or a light green (green beryl), depending on the oxidation present. Only the presence of vanadium or chromium can turn beryl into the rich green of an emerald—and it is this color that determines whether a stone is actually an emerald and not just another green-colored stone. Emeralds are valuable because it is rare that beryl is formed in a location where it is exposed to either vanadium or chromium. The majority of emeralds today are found in Colombia and Zambia, but they can be located anywhere in the world. Emeralds are 20 times more rare than diamonds, and it is this rarity that made the stone so highly prized throughout history, especially among royalty.

Ancient Egyptians mined the stone from 1500 B.C., and Cleopatra had her own mines to supply her passion for emeralds which she set in lavish jewelry. When visiting dignitaries left Egypt, Cleopatra sent them off with her likeness carved onto large emeralds.

The Roman emperor, Nero, also had a special love of emeralds and had a collection of the beautiful gems, which were known by the ancient Greek word for green, smaragdus.  In his Natural History, the first-century Roman historian, Pliny the Elder, recorded: “When smaragdi that are tabular in shape are laid flat, they reflect objects just as mirrors do. The Emperor Nero used to watch the fights between gladiators in a reflecting smardagus.”¹ The color green was thought to be soothing to the eyes in Nero’s day, so perhaps he did have an emerald  polished into a type of lens he could watch the gladiator games through, unimpeded by the sun’s glare. (Perhaps the first “mirrored” “stadium glasses.”)

The Incas used emeralds in their jewelry and for religious ceremonies for 500 years before the Spanish explorers invaded what is now Colombia in the sixteenth century. The conquerors plundered the Inca’s treasures and then traded Incan emeralds for gold and silver, which they prized more highly than the precious gems. This trade helped increase awareness of emeralds and the desire for them—especially by European and Asian royalty.

As befitting Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the Empress of India, Queen Victoria had an extensive collection of jewelry, all set with the most expensive of jewels. One of the most valuable pieces in her royal collection and one of her personal favorites was the exquisitely-crafted Emerald and Diamond Tiara, comprised of 19 inverted pear-shaped emeralds, the largest weighing 15 carats. The tiara was designed for her in 1845 by her husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a man of many talents, and set in the Gothic style.

Whatever your personal style, your leather sofa in beautiful Turncoat Emerald is sure to crown it with luxe.