size: 19 x 10mm weight: 2.25 grams material: platinum gemstones: natural Colombian emerald 0.84ct natural diamonds: 0.20ctw, Vs-SI, G-H chain not included Notes from the Curator Colombian emeralds from the Muzo and Chivor mines derive their intense green from a scarce combination of chromium and vanadium present only in those Andean deposits, and this 0.84-carat pear-shaped specimen forms within black shales intercalated with dolomitic limestones of Valanginian-Hauterivian age—the same Lower Cretaceous strata that have yielded gem-grade crystals for more than five centuries. The pear cut dates to the late 1400s, when Flemish polisher Lodewyk van Bercken developed symmetrical polishing techniques that combined the brilliance of the round cut with the drama of a pointed terminus; set here in platinum with a diamond halo, the teardrop silhouette allows light to enter the emerald's pavilion at an angle that intensifies saturation while preserving the stone's natural fire. Platinum became the preferred setting metal for colored gems in the early twentieth century because its neutral tone does not shift the apparent hue of the center stone, and the 0.20 carats of near-colorless diamonds framing this emerald serve the same purpose: they amplify brilliance without competing for attention, a restraint that lets the Colombian green speak for itself.