Emerald and Diamond Ring, Bulgari

Unique Elements
We selected this ring for the magnificent size, clarity and color of the circular emeralds. This ring is definitely a red carpet moment maker. Pair it with the emerald drops in our collection for your own Angelina Jolie awards look.

Cocktail Ring A large ring worn on any finger other than the left ring finger can be called a cocktail ring. The history of the cocktail ring goes back to the American prohibition era of the 1920s. During this time, alcoholic beverages were banned, leading to the rise of illegal drinking establishments called speakeasies where for the first time, women were also in attendance. These art deco era women would drink glamorous cocktails in their best outfits which included oversized gemstone rings to flash while raising their glasses. Cocktail rings can feature any large stone, from diamond, sapphire, pearl and emerald to tourmaline, aquamarine or citrine. Others feature smaller stones set together to form flowers or animals such as panthers or tigers.

Emerald The name emerald comes from the ancient Greek word for green and is the green to greenish blue variety of beryl. If a stone is “too light” to be an emerald, it is called a green beryl, although there is no agreement as to exactly where this distinction applies. Emeralds have been mined since 330BC and were used in Cleopatra’s jewelry, as well as by royalty throughout the world. Emerald is the birthstone of May and the stone of the 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries.

Cabochon A cabochon is a gem which has been shaped and polished but not faceted, typically with a domed top and flat bottom. Cabochons are often cut for opaque stones, for softer translucent gems as well as to highlight phenomenon such as asterism “star” and chatoyancy “cat’s eye”, as these would not show in faceted stones. The 'sugarloaf' cabochon cut features a 4-sided pyramid shape.

Bulgari Founded in Rome in 1884 by Sotirios Voulgaris, who changed his name to Bulgari, the company continued to expand after World War 2 with the introduction of its renowned Serpenti collection of bracelet-watches. During the 1950s and 60s Bulgari continued to make its name for use of multi-colored stones, creating pieces for Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman and Gina Lollobrigida. Today the house continues to be known for angular forms, strong colors, cabochon gems and enduring collections such as Serpenti and Parentesi.