The style list: Emerald, a coffee-table book by Gemfields

This 272-page hardcover book features 400 colour images and write-ups about the rare and precious green gemstone.

A handout photo of "Emerald" book (Courtesy: Thames & Hudson)

That Cleopatra took fierce pride in her emerald mines and Cartier designed emerald-encrusted crown jewels for the maharaja of Patiala are facts that many will know. Even the rarity of an emerald, 20 times more than that of a fine diamond, is relatively common knowledge. But did you know that a rich trove of Elizabethan emerald jewellery from the 16th century was discovered in London in 1912? Or that, of the four Cs, colour - vivid or bluish green and as transparent as possible - is the most important factor to determine the worth of this particular gem? A new book, Emerald, released by Gemfields, the world's leading supplier of ethically sourced coloured gems, unveils these and other intriguing facts about the precious green stone.
The 272-page hardcover coffee-table book has been collated by some of the biggest names in the overlapping worlds of jewellery and journalism. These include: Joanna Hardy, gemmologist, television personality and ex-Sotheby's specialist; Hettie Judah, who writes about fashion, art and design for various international publications; and Franca Sozzani, the award-winning editor of Vogue Italia. From interviews with gem hunters and jewellers to stories tracing countless myths and legends, Emerald is replete with the stone's long and romantic history.
The book, which has 400 colour images, including photography by Bert Stern and Horst P Horst, and pictures from the archives of the great jewellery houses, is divided into three sections. The first features classic images of emeralds from art, advertising and fashion, interspersed with pictures of iconic women and their jewels, including Elizabeth Taylor, Angelina Jolie and Princess Diana. Part two displays the world's most significant pieces of emerald jewellery, including many previously unseen designs from private and royal collections, some of which are more than 5,000 years old. These are represented alongside designs from modern jewellery houses, including Cartier, Boucheron, Bvlgari and Harry Winston, as well as contemporary designers such as Hemmerle, Leo de Vroomen and Sevan Biçacki.
The third section tells the story of the emerald trade from mine to market. This includes a chapter on the exciting discovery of the world's largest emerald, which was unearthed in Zambia's Lufwanyama district in a mine owned by Kagem Mining, in partnership with the Zambian government and Gemfields. This section is illustrated with specially commissioned photography from across four continents, shot by Errol Rainey, one of London's most sought-after creatives.
The book, published by Thames and Hudson, and priced at Dh425, claims to be as much of a keepsake as the gem it's about, so take your time poring over the bewitching images and multifaceted tales.
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