Thaindian News

Mumbai, July 20 (IANS) Deep coloured emeralds from Zambia will sparkle at a special jewellery collection for India - to be unveiled by Bollywoood diva Madhuri Dixit this week - that will also raise funds for Asian elephants and tigers.

Ten top Indian jewellers have created exciting new designs with Zambian emeralds for the special jewellery collection under the ‘Emeralds for Elephants’ project.

Madhuri, the Indian brand ambassador, will launch it at a glittering function in Mumbai later this week. The collection will also showcase a Ganesh installation by well known sculptor, Arzan Khambatta, called Emerald Avighna.

Gemfields, the leading emerald mining company of Zambia, has collaborated with the World Land Trust and Wildlife Trust of India to initiate a project to raise funds for the protection of Asian elephants and tigers.

A part of the proceeds from the sale of the Emerald Jewellery Collection will go to create elephant corridors as a means to protect elephants in India, who are increasingly at risk as their migratory routes bring them into contact with human habitations.

A leading coloured gemstone producer, Gemfields had organised the highly successful ‘Emeralds for Elephants’ programme in Selfridges, London in June 2010.

It had provided Zambian emeralds for eight of the world’s top designers to create a unique item of jewellery inspired by the elephants themselves. Among the jewels was a 678 carat green stone called the ‘Emerald Queen’. It graced the forehead of a life sized fibreglass elephant, which was also auctioned to raise funds for the network of wildlife corridors for elephant migration.

Gemfields has a joint venture mining company with the government of Zambia, and produces ethical, conflict free gemstones with a clear certification of origin. It produces almost 20 percent of the supply of emeralds in the world market.

The best emeralds are said to come from Colombia, but Zambian stones have made a name for themselves with their deep green colour. The magnificent, radiant green of the emerald is a colour which conveys harmony and love of nature.

According to Gemfields, there has been a ‘green revolution’ in jewellery trends this year with emerald jewellery being worn at most major celebrity events around the world such as film award nights. At the 64th Cannes Film Festival, four stars who chose to wear the green stone included Angelina Jolie, Uma Thurman and Melanie Griffith. Emeralds were also aglitter at the Oscar Awards function.

In the past few years, emerald jewellery has been catching the eye of the Indian consumer as well. Jaipur city is a major processing centre for coloured gemstones. Emeralds were once among the favourite gemstones of royalty in India for their dazzling colour and perceived astrological qualities.

(Shubha Singh can be contacted at shubhasingh101@gmail.com)