Emerald Earrings

Shopping for a pair of vintage emerald earrings? That’s not surprising — emerald chandelier earrings, antique emerald drop earrings and other earrings set with the vibrant stone are sophisticated and glamorous, and that verdant color, and the cachet of wielding a gem beloved and worn by so many queens and princesses (hello, Cleopatra!), could seduce anyone.

Dorothy may have worn ruby slippers, but it was the Emerald City that she was trying to get to. Upon her arrival, she was advised to wear green-tinted eyeglasses to protect her eyes from all the “brightness and glory” in L. Frank Baum’s book The Wizard of Oz. Jewelry lovers born in May can wear their beautiful birthstone, distinguished by its rich green color, on their way to see the Wizard or any other magical place.

While emeralds graced the engagement rings of style icons Wallis Simpson and Jackie Kennedy — and emeralds and yellow diamonds are adding boldness to today’s engagement rings — perhaps no one liked emeralds and emerald jewelry more than Elizabeth Taylor (or her alter ego, Cleopatra).

During the December 2011 auction of Taylor’s jewels that was held at Christie’s, there was a suite of emerald jewels that had been by Bulgari and gifted to the actress by Richard Burton to commemorate their engagement (no celebrity, or civilian for that matter, can rival Taylor in her fervor for Bvlgari). The suite consisted of an emerald and diamond ring, an emerald and flower diamond brooch, an emerald and diamond necklace, an emerald and diamond pendant brooch, an emerald and diamond bracelet and a pair of emerald and diamond ear pendants. The pendant earrings, set in platinum, featured pear-shaped emeralds and a graduated circular-cut diamond surround. 

Earrings are the best type of jewelry to give or receive. For one thing, unlike rings for your finger, they’re basically one size fits all.

Earrings are also easier to wear than a necklace, which requires coordination with the neckline of the dress, top or jacket it accompanies. In addition, they’re more eye-catching than bracelets: Even the most beautiful bangle can be overlooked on the wrist, while earrings, worn on either side of your face, are almost 100 percent guaranteed to be noticed, especially the stunning ones. Although the term is often misapplied, true drop earrings are characterized by a long lean line ending in a pear-shaped stone — such as an emerald — that drops just below the earlobe. These accessories were popular in the Art Deco era, which encompassed the 1920s and ’30s and ushered in a very distinct look in jewelry design.

Find antique and vintage emerald earrings today on 1stDibs.