The Chalk Emerald
The Flamboyant Maharini
The Chalk Emerald was originally owned by the flamboyant Maharani Sita Devi Sahib of Baroda, India. In 1943 Sita Devi married the second wealthiest prince of India and promptly went on a spending spree that lasted forty years.
Seven Days
Legend has it that while on a trip to United States after the Second World War the Maharini spent ten million dollars in seven days. After she divorced her husband in 1956, the Maharini began selling precious jewels of the royal Indian treasury to maintain her jet set lifestyle.
Harry’s Setting
The wealthy jeweler Harry Winston purchased from the Maharini an emerald necklace that was set with an exquisite 38+ carat emerald. Winston re-cut the large emerald, now weighing 37+ carats, and set it in a platinum ring surrounded with fifteen carats of colorless pear-shaped diamonds.
Clair and the Queen
Winston’s emerald ring was purchased by Oscar Roy Chalk, a wealthy New York Entrepreneur, who gave the ring to his wife Clair, who once wore the stunning emerald ring to a state dinner at the White House, in honor of Queen Elizabeth II. During the dinner, however, Mrs Chalk observed that the queen was wearing a less attractive emerald ring. Mrs Chalk discreetly turned her ring around on her finger, so as not to upstage Her Excellency the Queen.
The Chalk Emerald Today
In 1972 Mr and Mrs Chalk donated the fantastic emerald ring to the Smithsonian Institution and is on display in the Gem Gallery at the National Museum of Natural History.
The Mackay Emerald:
Symbol of Second Chances
Miss Anna Case
This incredible Art Deco style necklace was designed by Cartier in 1931 for Clarence Hungerford Mackay, the son of a wealthy telegraph mogul, who gave the necklace as a wedding present to his second wife Miss Anna Case, a lyric soprano of the New York Metropolitan Opera.
The Family Doctor
Mackay’s first wife ran away to Paris with the family doctor in 1910, and Mackay finally divorced her in 1914.
Religious Restrictions
Two years later Mackay met and fell in love with the young songstress Miss Anna Case, but due to religious restrictions of the Catholic Church, he was not able to marry Miss Anna Case until after the death of his first wife.
Fourteen Long Years
For fourteen long years, Mackay and Miss Anna Case were lovers. When one evening in 1930 Mackay learned of the death of his first wife, he sent Miss Anna Case a carload full of white roses and a diamond engagement ring set with a tiny enamel bluebird.
A Wedding
Mackay and Miss Anna Case were married one year later, and Mackay gave the iconic emerald necklace to his beloved wife.
A Death
Mrs. Anna Case outlived her husband by 45 years. She never remarried and bequeathed the necklace to the Smithsonian in 1984.
The Mackay Necklace Today
The Mackay necklace is set in platinum with the 167+ carat Mackay Emerald, 35 smaller emeralds and more than 1,200 colorless diamonds and is currently on display in the Gem Hall at the National Museum of Natural History.
Source: djevojka
chalcedony.sterling silver.14kt rose gf.bracelet.
Ooo… I love this combination of blue chalcedony and rose gold!
Source: janetsetterjewelry
Source: janetsetterjewelry
The Gachala Emerald
The 858 carat uncut Gachala Emerald was found at the Vega de San Juan mine in Gachala, Colombia, in 1967. This gorgeous, high quality emerald is about five centimeters wide. Emeralds of this size and quality are extremely rare. Harry Winston donated the Gachala Emerald to the Smithsonian in 1969.
Source: geogallery.si.edu
Pure Grassy Green Beryl: The Emerald!
Emerald is the pure, grassy green variety of the mineral beryl. Beryl comes in many shades of green from light yellowish green to blue green to the pure grassy green of emerald. If the stone is too pale or too yellow, then it will be classified as green beryl. Too much blue and it will be called an aquamarine.
Emerald Symbolism List
HOURS and SEASONS
Hour 2:00pm
Days Tuesday and Friday
Season Spring
MAY BIRTHSTONE
Modern (post-1900)
Traditional (1800-1900)
Historic (pre-1800)
Hindu
Arabic
Polish
Russian
JUNE BIRTHSTONE
Historic (pre-1800)
Jewish
Roman
Italian
WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES
Modern (post-1900) 20th and 35th
Traditional (1800-1900) 55th
CELESTIAL
Star Spica Virginis 17º of Libra
Planets Mercury and Venus
Zodiac Cancer
Angels Sammael, Anneal and Muriel
Apostles James and John the Evangelist
GEOGRAPHIES
North Carolina Official State Gemstone
Countries Peru and Spain
Chopard’s Frog and Crown ring
So adorable.
From Chopard’s Animal World Collection. “The Frog with Crown ring is both an amusing nod to fairy tales and a very detailed figure. Mounted on a ring of white gold, a frog of emeralds and black diamonds seems ready to jump out and offer up its tiny crown of yellow gold set with brilliants, amongst which is a yellow diamond.”
Source: ryantee82
Incredible. Hypothetical future husband: I’d be okay with this as an engagement ring….
Source: langantiques.com
Hello. My name is Tina, and I live in beautiful Washington State, with my husband Dan and our dog Sgt Pepper. Gemstories is my blog. Here you will find all kinds of stories about gemstones, from history to folklore, theology to decorative arts. Old mineralogical magic books, dusty libraries, and weird rock shops, I love all that stuff. I hope you enjoy reading!
