Since St. Patrick’s Day is upcoming, I thought I’d write about green gems. When shopping by color, gems are a great way to incorporate a trendy color into your look without investing in a garment that you may wear one season, especially if the color of the moment isn’t your best shade. Green isn’t always flattering for everyone, and with the exception of St. Patrick’s Day, wearing it head-to-toe isn’t a good look. Even Kermit The Frog admitted it’s not easy, being green. So, for those of you who are not going as a Muppet, leprechaun, or legume for Halloween, gems might be the best way to carry off the wearing of the green.
The good news is, there are lots of beautiful shades of green in the natural world, and gemstones are no exception. There are both transparent and opaque precious and semi-precious stones from which to choose. I’ve heard many people say they dislike their birthstone for August, the Peridot, but if that is the case for you, then I suggest you look around to find a better representation of the gem. Peridot can be found in a variety of shades, from olive to a mouth-watering, bright candy green. Peridot is an example of a transparent green gem, but most probably prefer the deep green of emeralds. Unfortunately, emeralds are considered a precious gem, and are very difficult to find in larger sizes. It is usually heavily included, and it is extremely costly if you can find a specimen that is a true emerald green.
In the opaque semi-precious realm, though, there are lots of pretty green gems from which to choose. Jade, or jadeite, is probably one that leaps to mind when you think of green stones, but there is also malachite, serpentine, agate, aventurine, and two transparent options, chrome diopside, and Tsavorite garnet. Each of these offers a distinctive shade in the green range, from earthy, olive green to a grass or fern green, to a rich marbleized forest green.
Looking for a fashion-forward way to wear green jewelry? Pearls might be a good option for you, as they take a dye well, and while you probably won’t wear dyed green pearls to a formal event, dyed freshwater pearls are an inexpensive way to be seen in green. If you have green as one of your wedding theme colors, or are planning an autumn wedding, you have more green options than you might have thought.
Whether you hope the luck of the Irish will be with you on March 17, or you just want to wear a color represented in nature, green gemstones are abundant and beautiful. Best of luck finding that pot of gold, and sparkle on!
Laura