Exuding her own kind of sophistication and style, Elizabeth Taylor brought her sense of luxury to women everywhere through her iconic emerald necklace. Almost no picture was taken of her without it, and until this day, the jewel is associated with her name. Behind each jewel is not just the icon most famously known for wearing it, but also a history that boasts of its character. The deep rich colour of emerald has captivated the attention of artists and women for many years, and it is known to be one of the few precious gems where inclusions add value to the stone. Another distinguished characteristic of emeralds is the cut, which was created to enhance the colour and quality of this stone because it mimics its original crystal shape. What is not known is that the origin of this timeless gem can be traced back to Egypt. The earliest known emerald mine was located in the mountain valley of Wadi Sikait in Egypt’s Eastern Desert. The majority of mining operations date from the Roman and Byzantine eras, which span from the late first century BC to the sixth century AD….
