The Color of Money, Green and Fengshui

The latest in-thing is green jewellery and clothing. Is this a sure-fire sign that everyone is getting money-conscious? While greenbacks are always in demand, market clamouring for green stones in jewellery are a new phenomenon. Fashion icons are now going green with envy over green tourmalines, peridot, jade, tsavorites and of course, emeralds.

Green gemstones are enjoying a renaissance. Green is synonymous with trees, with money and with springtime, renewal of hope and a new beginning. Green is also the colour of envy. In feng shui, green usually connotes freshness, vitality and growth. It signifies the wood element and growth energy. Green has always been a favourite with the Chinese who cherish green jade.

Green gems were once only associated with emeralds, but as one of four precious stones, emeralds are expensive. There are however other green stones, which can be as appealing as emeralds. Green quartz, peridot and tsavorites are great substitutes and anyone can aspire to own a 20-carat peridot. An emerald this large can cost well over a million ringgit!

 Peridots are favoured for necklaces, as it is easy to find big peridots of matching colour. Consistency of colour is important for wraparound necklaces and bracelets. Emeralds tend to be notoriously difficult as some are darker, lighter or suffer from uneven colourations.

With Christian Dior, Fendi and Escada promoting green on the catwalk this summer, it’s easy to see why green is suddenly the flavour of the season. Green quartz, tourmaline, peridot and tsavorites are suddenly being dusted off the shelf and set into trinkets. Teamed with yellow gold or white platinum, green is now seen as lush and lovely.

Green garnets are also much sought after. When cut into briolets or faceted drops, they can be worn with denims. Green gems go well with yellow citrines and red garnets. Bvlgari’s new jewels in semi-precious stones sparkle with green peridots, while Utopia’s new ‘Batik’ collection is inspired by precious embroidery that glitters with green.