Historically, emeralds have been appreciated by many cultures, from ancient Egyptians to European royalty, ensuring their place in high-end jewelry. Emeralds are loved not only for their vibrant green color but also for the symbolic meanings they hold. These precious rocks are associated with renewal, growth, and prosperity, which makes them more than decorative elements.
Royals have favored custom emerald green brooches since Ancient Egypt due to their rarity and beauty. A perfect example of a delicate and stylish emerald brooch is the Irish Guards Brooch worn by royal ladies who present shamrocks to the regiment. The brooch is made of gold in the shape of a shamrock with textured leaves and a small emerald as a centerpiece. Since 2011, it has been worn only by the Princess of Wales, pinned to her lapel or on the left side of her chest.
The vivid green of emeralds is striking and pairs well with different precious metals and other gemstones, making them a great choice for elaborate and eye-catching brooches. One of the most traditional combinations in jewelry is emerald with diamonds, and brooches are no exception. The rich green hue of emeralds and the brilliance of diamonds create a perfect appearance and complement any outfit.
Continuing to explore the most prominent pieces from the British royal custom collection of brooches, we can’t but have a closer look at the famous Delhi Durbar set, which includes a personalized diamond and emerald brooch often worn by Queen Elizabeth – the Cambridge Emerald Cluster Brooch. This piece features a huge oval-shaped cabochon emerald surrounded by a double cluster of diamonds. What’s interesting about the brooch is that it consists of two sections: the one described above and the second one, an emerald drop pendant that can be taken off.
Another royal shamrock motif brooch with emeralds grabbed our attention. This personalized brooch is part of Queen Mary’s jewelry collection and now belongs to Princess Michael of Kent. The custom brooch is a three-leafed shamrock embellished with diamonds, with a larger stone set in the center. The leaves are “colored” with green emeralds placed inside on knife-edge settings.
The emeralds and diamonds combination is one of the most stunning and high-priced unions in jewelry. In 2011, the most expensive custom diamond and emerald brooch was sold at Christie’s for $6.578 million. The brooch was made by Bulgari in 1958 and belonged to American actress Elizabeth Taylor; it was a gift from Richard Burton upon their engagement in 1962. The personalized item features a sophisticated 23.44-carat rectangular-cut Colombian emerald surrounded by pear-shaped and round brilliant-cut diamonds mounted in platinum – an exquisite and highly valuable piece.
Emeralds suit a wide range of brooch designs from Art Deco floral and animalistic motifs to classic designs with big stones combined with diamonds, meaning they can be easily integrated into any wardrobe. A personalized emerald green brooch is not only about glamor; imagine an owl or dragon brooch where emeralds are mounted as eyes. Such a brooch will look lovely both on a blazer lapel or a knitted vest and will definitely spark great conversations.
