Spring
Seasonal jewellery trends from luxury jewellers Parkhouse
When Pantone announced ‘ Greenery ’ as their colour of the year there was genuine excitement that 2017 was going to be no ordinary year . The fresh , zesty yellow-green shade shouts ‘ revitalise ’, ‘ refresh ’ and ‘ renew ’. Gone are the neutral shades of the last decade as we say hello to a new era of bold , super-bright colour .
Emerald , the most famous of the green gemstones , is the official birthstone of May and of course , Taureans ( April 21 - May 21 ), and so the perfect gem to spotlight in our April / May issue . Emeralds are considered to be a symbol of rebirth and love . They carry the rich green colour of Spring and radiate a beautiful vivid tone .
The majority of people will recognise an emerald based on its signature ‘ emerald ’ cut and its trademark deep , lush , green colour , but there ’ s a lot more to this eye-catching gemstone . Its name derives from the ancient Greek word for green , ‘ smaragdus ’, and it ’ s believed to have soothed souls for centuries . Rome ’ s Pliny the Elder described the emerald as having the ability to restore weary eyes , with its soft , green colour found to be of comfort .
The first known emerald mines were in Egypt , dating back to at least 330 BC , with Cleopatra known to have a passion for the gem , using it in her royal adornments . In more recent times both Jackie Kennedy and Halle Berry have opted for emerald engagement rings , with Berry ’ s 4-carat emerald ring reportedly being one of the most standout and costly rings with an estimated value of $ 200,000 .
Emerald & Diamond Dress Ring £ 1,795
Emeralds are one of the four , globally recognised ‘ precious ’ stones - the other three being rubies , diamonds and sapphires . A less expensive alternative to the emerald , is the dark green semi-precious Tourmaline gemstone .
Parkhouse Hampshire 96 Above Bar , Southampton , SO14 7JR www . parkhousehampshire . com