Emeralds occupy a singular place in the world of fine gemstones. Prized by Egyptian pharaohs, favoured by Mughal emperors, and worn today by collectors who understand that no two stones are alike, the emerald is both the most forgiving and the most misunderstood of the precious gems. Buying one well requires a different frame of reference than buying a diamond. The rewards, when you get it right, are extraordinary. What Makes an Emerald an Emerald The emerald is the green variety of beryl, a...

There is no question reshaping the fine jewellery conversation more thoroughly right now than this one: should I buy a lab-grown diamond or a natural one? It sounds simple. The answer is not. Both are real diamonds. Both are graded by the same gemological laboratories. Both will sit in your ring, your necklace, your heirloom. And yet the two stones represent fundamentally different propositions — in origin, in rarity, in long-term value, and in what they mean to the person wearing them. This...

On the afternoon of 27 August 2026, one of the most historically significant pieces of jewellery in European public custody was stolen from the MAK (Museum of Applied Arts) in Vienna. The target: a 1939 Van Cleef & Arpels platinum and diamond necklace with direct royal provenance, valued at approximately $4.3 million. The piece has not been recovered. What Was Taken The necklace is no ordinary museum exhibit. Commissioned by Queen Nazli of Egypt in 1939 as a wedding gift for her daughter,...