Carrie Symonds and the eloquence of Emeralds

Married in a secret ceremony in a beautiful floor length white dress with lace cut outs by designer Christos Costarellos.  Carrie Symonds boho style shone through with barefoot photos and hay bales in the garden of Number 10.   A noted campaigner for eco issues, Carrie chose to rent her wedding gown from a website called My Wardrobe HQ.

Carrie seems to favour a sustainable and minimalist approach to her jewellery too .  She often chooses simple, plain band rings which she wears on her index finger and has key pieces of jewellery to which she returns for different occasions.  Her wedding jewellery was in keeping with this style.  An elegant gold ring adorned her index finger and a gemstone sparkled on her ring finger.  I believe both rings are part of her jewellery collection as she’s been photographed wearing them before. During Boris’s first speech as PM she teamed her jewellery with the now famous sell out pink Ghost dress.

The sentiment of wearing jewellery from your own collection for your Wedding Day is a lovely one.  Pieces of your favourite jewellery can be bought to life in different ways by wearing them with something new.  Heritage pieces can also be borrowed from family members for your perfect ‘something old’.

Carrie’s Engagement Ring is pre-loved and reportedly a Johnson family heirloom.  A beautiful deep green Oval Emerald surrounded by a sparking halo of round brilliant Diamonds on a Diamond pave band .  The Emerald is said to be in excess of 3 carats with 2 carats of Diamonds in the surround.  I would guess at a Platinum setting and the ring has been estimated at around £30,000.  The stunning ring is traditional in style, an oval cluster is timeless and enduringly popular.  Although far from a traditional choice for an Engagement Ring, this beautiful Emerald seems to suit Carrie’s personality.  She hasn’t shied away from bringing her own style to the role of ‘First Fiancée’. 

The romantic in me wants to say that Boris chose the deep green Emerald to match Carrie’s eyes or to fit with her nickname ‘apples’ although this does apparently refer to her ‘apple cheeks’.  He may also have opted for a coloured gemstone after taking inspiration from the Royal family, many of whom have gemstone rings instead of a traditional Diamond.

 

Emeralds though, do represent Eloquence, Wit and Foresight.  If we’re to read in to the secret language behind the choice of an Emerald it is certainly a perfect fit for Carrie’s history as communications manager and her early passion for theatre.  She studied Art History and Theatre Studies at The University of Warwick.

The choice of an heirloom Engagement Ring also suits Carrie’s environmentally conscious lifestyle.  She is well known for renting outfits rather than buying and has chosen this option on important occasions before.  The black dress she wore to meet The Queen at Balmoral in 2019 was also rented.

Carrie first debuted her Engagement Ring at the Points of Light Awards, an International Women’s Day event at Downing Street ~ pic above.  She wore a high necked floral Anthropologie dress and accessorised with her signature index finger ring and gold bangle.

Emerald is a soft gemstone and wouldn’t be my first recommendation for an Engagement Ring.  However, with proper care and attention Emeralds are a sensational gemstone to wear. They are not as hard as Diamond, sitting at between a 7.5 and 8 on the MOHS scale of hardness compared to a Diamond at 10, the top of the scale.  For this reason Emeralds do require more care and attention than Diamonds to protect them from knocks and scrapes which can damage the gemstone.

Unusual, exciting and always eye catching, we often like to compliment our Emerald Rings with dazzling diamonds.

The traditional gift for a 55th Wedding anniversary and also the birthstone for May, Emeralds have long been associated with powerful women and are often called ‘Cleopatra’s stone’.  Considered by Ancient Egyptians as a symbol of fertility and immortality Cleopatra is said to have adorned herself and her palace with Emeralds.  They are also reputed to guard against snake bites 🐍 although I don’t recommend putting that to the test…!

 

 

 

Mrs Johnson’s Engagement Ring has also drawn comparison with The Duchess of Cambridge’s beautiful Sapphire Engagement Ring.  Also a Ring with a history, Prince William reportedly proposed with the 12ct Sapphire which once belonged to his mother Lady Diana Spencer to ensure she didn’t miss out on his Wedding Day.  The Duchess’s Engagement Ring is also an oval with a diamond surround but the shoulders of the ring are plain whereas Carrie’s are set with Diamonds.  

 

 

Although the Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton undoubtedly started a trend for coloured gemstone Engagement Rings rather than Diamonds, for me that’s where the comparison ends.  Both Rings are oval with a Diamond surround but Sapphires and Emeralds have completely different looks and meanings.  The history and sentiment behind each ring is completely different too.  As arguably the most famous ring in the world though, perhaps I’m being a little strict with those who draw comparison.  Whenever there is a proposal that features a gemstone that isn’t a Diamond it is very tempting to consider that it might have been inspired by the Engagement Ring of the future Queen of England…

 

I personally love the choice of gemstones for Engagement Rings.  It’s a great way to express your personality and choose something a little bit different from a Diamond.  As mentioned before, Emeralds do require careful wear so it’s always worth considering how you will wear your Engagement Ring before opting for this particular gemstone.  If you’re unsure then do Contact Us and we can guide you to the best choice for an Engagement Ring you will treasure forever.

With the reputed mystical property of enabling the wearer to see into the future, we hope this particular Emerald sees many happy days ahead. 

Our Congratulations to Carrie and Boris Johnson.