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Ring roundup: emeralds with friends.

One of my favorite things about emeralds is how they pop when they’re well placed with other gemstones. Let’s take a look.

Sapphire, emerald, and diamond ring. Via Diamonds in the Library.

I pinned this ring on Pinterest ages ago and I’ve been trying to find the original source again so that I could show it to you on here…and I finally found it!

Isn’t it gorgeous? Not the best picture, but you can tell what it looks like. I’d wear it all the time. It’s set with an emerald-cut sapphire measuring approx. 10.40 x 9.20 x 6.10 mm, flanked by tapered baguette-cut diamonds and framed by fancy-cut emeralds. Unique shape, stunning color combination. An example of a ring I would go to great lengths to buy rather than just admiring. Divine.

Art Deco emerald and diamond ring, circa 1920. Via Diamonds in the Library.

This Art Deco emerald and diamond ring is another long-time favorite and another that I would dearly love to own (this is rapidly becoming a dangerous post). Just look at that delicate composition, the perfect marriage of colors, shapes and textures. This ring, circa 1920, “glistens with a bright-green central emerald-cut emerald and four half-moon emeralds lovingly framed in platinum and teeny-tiny rose-cut diamonds.” I adore it.

Art Deco navette-shaped emerald, sapphire, and diamond ring. Via Diamonds in the Library.

This Art Deco ring has the same color combination as the first one but a very different design. The navette-shaped, diamond-adorned setting centers a 1.40 carat deep blue sapphire, accented by an outer border of calibre-cut emeralds. I think the contrast of the thin line of green with the intense pop of blue and the light sparkle of the diamonds makes for a lively, eye-catching and lovely piece.

Oscar Heyman cocktail ring with a 1.38 carat diamond surrounded by 1.18 carats of additional diamonds and 6.29 carats total of emeralds and sapphires. Via Diamonds in the Library.

This Oscar Heyman cocktail ring is an estate piece – it looks like it’s at least inspire by the fabulous vintage cocktail rings of the 50’s and 60’s, but it could just be the chunky, colorful Oscar Heyman signature. The ring centers a 1.38 carat diamond surrounded by 1.18 carats of additional diamonds and 6.29 carats total of emeralds and sapphires.

Cabochon emerald, diamond, and sapphire ring. Via Diamonds in the Library.

This ring is a little different from the others in one obvious way; its emerald is a cabochon. It’s undated, but it looks to me like it has some Edwardian influence in the design. As I mentioned, it centers a deep-green emerald cabochon (5.10 cts) surrounded by cabochon sapphires (1.70 cts) and set in white gold adorned with diamonds. Fabulous.

All images and info in this post are thanks to the seller of each piece. Please see the link in each description for sources.

This blog post is called "emeralds with friends" and it's all about the admiration of rings that feature emeralds looking amazing alongside other gemstones like diamonds and sapphires. Via Diamonds in the Library.

Elizabeth Taylor’s Bulgari emeralds and diamonds.

Last week, Bulgari held a party at which they displayed several of Ms. Taylor’s most famous Bulgari pieces. This is enough of an excuse for me to talk about her.

More specifically: her Bulgari emeralds.

Elizabeth Taylor with her Bulgari emerald and diamond suite. Via Diamonds in the Library.(Image via The Jewllery Editor.)

Elizabeth Taylor’s Bulgari emerald and diamond suite was a gift from her legendary lover and occasional husband, Richard Burton. He bought it for her while they were filming Cleopatra in Italy. (Click here for my review of a book that involves that movie shoot!)

We’re going to take a look at all of the pieces from Elizabeth Taylor’s incredible suite of Bulgari emeralds. It’s going to be great!

Detail - floral brooch from Elizabeth Taylor's Bulgari emerald and diamond suite, circa 1960. Via Diamonds in the Library.(Close-up of the brooch, via Maia Davitashvili.)

Floral brooch from Elizabeth Taylor's Bulgari emerald and diamond suite, circa 1960. Via Diamonds in the Library.
This spectacular Bulgari brooch is adorning La Liz’s hair from amid that fluff of feathers in the photo at the top, because she is the coolest person who ever lived. The brooch is mounted en tremblant, designed as a spray of variously-shaped diamond flower blossoms set with oval-cut emerald pistils and petals, extending baguette-cut diamond stems. It’s mounted in platinum and is circa 1960.

Earrings from Elizabeth Taylor's Bulgari emerald and diamond suite, circa 1960.

These, as you may have surmised, are the earrings. Bulgari, circa 1960, round and pear-shaped diamonds accenting two exceptional pair-shaped emeralds. Also: perfection. These earrings – like their late owner – are glamor incarnate.

Elizabeth Taylor, fabulously wearing some of her Bulgari emeralds. I spy the emerald and diamond earrings and the floral brooch.

Necklace from Elizabeth Taylor's Bulgari emerald and diamond suite, circa 1962. Via Diamonds in the Library.
Here’s the necklace, possibly the most iconic and fabulous of this set. It’s shown here without the large pendant, which is detachable. It’s rather short, only 14.25 inches. The necklace is set with a graduated series of sixteen rectangular-cut and square-cut emeralds, each within a circular-cut diamond surround, spaced by graduated circular-cut, marquise-cut and pear-shaped diamond quatrefoils. It was made in 1962.
Detail - Necklace from Elizabeth Taylor's Bulgari emerald and diamond suite, circa 1962. Via Diamonds in the Library.
You can see the detail is really spectacular – it’s not just giant emeralds with some diamonds attached, it’s complex and carefully designed.

Pendant brooch from Elizabeth Taylor's Bulgari emerald and diamond suite, circa 1958. Via Diamonds in the Library.
The pendant/brooch, which could attach to the end of the necklace or be worn on its own. It features a rectangular-cut emerald within a pear-shaped diamond surround. It’s very slightly older than the rest of the set, circa 1958.

Necklace with attached pendant brooch from Elizabeth Taylor's Bulgari emerald and diamond suite. Via Diamonds in the Library.(Image via Yahoo News.)

Here’s the necklace with the pendant/brooch attached, being handled by some very lucky Christie’s employee.

A beautiful photo of a younger Liz wearing her Bulgari emeralds, minus the necklace.

The bracelet is like a smaller, slightly compressed version of the necklace. It’s set with a graduated series of thirteen rectangular-cut and square-cut emeralds, spaced by rectangular-cut diamonds, trimmed with circular-cut diamond trefoils and pear-shaped diamonds, and is mounted in platinum. It was made in 1963 and is extremely drool-worthy.

Last, but certainly not least, the ring. It’s set with a rectangular-cut emerald, within a circular and modified triangular-cut diamond surround, mounted in platinum. Bulgari, circa 1962. Perfection.

If you want to see more of Liz’s beautiful bling (and why wouldn’t you?) check out my Pinterest board dedicated to her collection.

This one’s just in case you were anything other than totally convinced that she was the coolest ever.

Elisabeth Taylor’s Bulgari emeralds and diamonds were listed in Christie’s December 2011 The Collection of Elizabeth Taylor: The Legendary Jewels, Evening Sale (I). The Images and info in this post came from a number of different sources; please see links in individual descriptions for attributions.

A young Elizabeth Taylor looking beautiful in her Bulgari emerald and diamond suite (minus the necklace). Elizabeth Taylor looking amazing in an incredible hat and pieces from her Bulgari emerald and diamond suite. Elizabeth Taylor’s Bulgari emeralds and diamonds.

Van Cleef and Arpels diamond and emerald pendant necklace, circa 1951.

This piece was made by Van Cleef and Arpels in 1951.

Van Cleef and Arpels diamond and emerald pendant necklace, circa 1951. Via Diamonds in the Library.

Suspending on a drop-shaped emerald weighing approximately 27.00 carats, surmounted by brilliant-cut and baguette diamonds, completed by a necklace set with baguette diamonds, the diamonds together weighing approximately 11.00 carats, mounted in platinum. It is 380mm (about 15 inches) long, which is just how I was picturing it when I tried it on in my head.

Detail of a Van Cleef and Arpels diamond and emerald pendant necklace, circa 1951. Via Diamonds in the Library.

It’s simple, but an emerald like that packs a punch and the diamond detailing makes it even more special. I would like to wear it, please.

This necklace was listed in Sotheby’s 09 October 2012 Magnificent Jewels and Jadeite sale. All images and info are thanks to Sotheby’s.

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