Emerald Necklaces

A pendant is the easiest way to own a larger emerald, because a stone at the throat takes far fewer knocks than one on a finger. Every necklace here centers on a natural emerald, with the degree of clarity enhancement disclosed.

Green Emerald and Fancy Vivid Yellow Diamond Pendant.

USD 6,550

Round Emerald Solitaire Pendant

USD 4,550

Why emerald suits a necklace better than almost any other piece

Emerald sits at 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale and its natural inclusions make it easier to chip than ruby or sapphire. That is a real constraint on a ring and barely a constraint on a pendant.

Fewer impacts. A necklace does not catch door frames or bench tops, so an exposed prong setting that would worry you on a ring is reasonable here.
More stone for the money. Because the risk is lower, the same budget buys a larger emerald in a pendant than it sensibly would in a ring.
Better light. A pendant is viewed straight on in daylight against skin, which is where a well cut emerald shows its color most honestly.

Judging the green against skin

A pendant is seen face on and at a distance, which changes what matters in the stone.

Check that the color holds to the edges. Green often pools in the center of a poorly oriented stone, and that shows more in a pendant than in a ring.
Look for a window. If you can see straight through the middle of the stone to what is behind it, the cut was kept shallow to hold weight, and the color washes out exactly where the eye goes.
Read the oil line. Degree of clarity enhancement runs from none through minor, moderate and significant, and it explains more price gaps than any other line on the certificate.

Metal, chain and style

White gold and platinum keep the green cool and raise the contrast, which suits warmer Colombian material.
Yellow gold warms the stone and is the traditional pairing for emerald.
Rose gold softens the contrast and flatters cooler, bluer Zambian greens.

Style follows the stone. Solitaire pendants show the most emerald, halos make a modest stone read considerably larger and add a buffer around the girdle, and drop designs suit pear and oval shapes that hang naturally. For chain length, 16 to 18 inches places a pendant just below the collarbone and works with most necklines.

Living with it

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. Never an ultrasonic or steam cleaner, both of which strip the oil that nearly every emerald carries and leave the inclusions more visible.

Oil can dry out over a decade or more and a jeweler can replace it. That is routine maintenance for the stone rather than a fault in the piece.

FAQ'S ABOUT EMERALD NECKLACES

The center stone decides it. Color, degree of oil, origin and size each move price independently, so two pendants of the same carat weight can be priced several times apart.

Yes. A pendant is one of the safest ways to wear emerald daily, since it takes far fewer knocks than a ring. Keep it off during anything physical and clean it with warm soapy water only.

Pear and oval hang naturally and face up larger per carat, which is why they are common in drop designs. Emerald cut shows color depth rather than sparkle and reads as the more classic choice.

Center stones of real size carry a laboratory report confirming natural origin, degree of clarity enhancement and an origin opinion where the laboratory will give one. Small accent diamonds are not individually certified, which is standard practice across the industry.

Warm water, mild soap and a soft cloth. Ultrasonic and steam cleaning strip the oil treatment and should never be used on emerald.