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Ancient Egypt stone of fertility - Emerald
Emerald’s lush green has soothed souls and excited imaginations since antiquity. Its name comes from the ancient Greek word for green, “smaragdus.”
Pliny the Elder described emerald in his Natural History, published in the first century AD: “…nothing greens greener” was his verdict. He described the use of emerald by early lapidaries, who “have no better method of restoring their eyes than by looking at the emerald, its soft, green color comforting and removing their weariness and lassitude.” Even today the color green is known to relieve stress and eye strain.
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Faberge Unveils the Romanov Necklace
Fabergé presented the Romanov necklace recently, which is a magnificent contemporary emerald and diamond collar that was inspired by a historic design from the House of Fabergé. This creation is a regal reworking of an early Fabergé jewel, recreated and contemporized from an archival gouache design dated 1885.
The Romanov necklace is designed to spread over the shoulder and neckline in a silky openwork trellis of sumptuous emeralds and white round diamonds and rose diamonds, shimmering with a soft, vintage luster. In all, the necklace is set with 2,225 gemstones, totaling 363.48 carats, including 1,991 round white diamonds, totaling 98.15 carats, 151 rose-cut diamonds, totaling 43.29 carats, with one rose diamond of 0.67 carats and a pear-shaped rose cut of 3.48 carats. The necklace was crafted in white gold.
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GIA Helps African Youth Discover the Science of Gems
Thirty-five students from Johannesburg, South Africa, and Gaborone, Botswana, eager to get their first glimpse of gemology – from rough crystals to finished jewelry pieces – recently learned the basics of gemology, mineralogy and geology. Two GIA Junior Gemologist Program™ workshops, sponsored by GIA (Gemological Institute of America), were held in Johannesburg. The students, from the ages of 10 to 15, received hands-on, practical training with loupes and other specialized gemological equipment as they learned to identify and assess gems such as quartz, fluorite, corundum and calcite. This was the first time that GIA offered the program in either country.
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