Few red carpet looks have been as feverishly emulated in recent years as the giant Lorraine Schwartz emerald drop earrings Angelina Jolie wore to the 2009 Oscars.
Since then, Jolie has forged an enduring partnership with jewelry designer Robert Procop, who created her famous architectural engagement ring and partners with the actress on a charitable collection of fine jewelry, Style of Jolie, which features emeralds (among other gems) prominently.
Now Procop’s firm, Robert Procop Exceptional Jewels, is taking the designer’s most prized emeralds on a tour of select independent jewelry retail stores around the country, beginning in late April.
The 39.01 ct. Emerald City stone is a standout in Robert Procop’s emerald exhibition.
The traveling exhibition of never-before-seen emeralds and emerald jewelry will feature several stunning greens, all available for purchase. Dates for the tour are still in flux, but confirmed stops include Darren McClung Jewelry in Palo Alto, Calif., April 25–26; Donoho’s in The Woodlands, Texas, May 8–10; and Chas. Schwartz & Son in Washington, D.C., May 2–3.
Among the showpieces on display will be the Emerald City, a 39.01 ct. natural formation from the mines of Colombia featuring vivid and intense green hexagonal prisms and a shape that resembles the skyline of a mega city; the Jades of Muzo, a rare pair of 125 ct. t.w. sugar loaf Muzo Colombian emeralds; and the African Kryptonite, considered one of the rarest emeralds in the world, a 106.53 ct. natural stone from Nigeria, which is suspended in a diamond-studded capsule pendant.
Procop says he wanted to tour the stones and finished pieces because, “I’ve collected some very rare and unique jewels from all over the world, and the prices have not elevated in the past few years—so they’re priced very well, which [provides] value for the retailer.”
The 106.53 ct. African Kryptonite emerald, also scheduled to be on display
Procop’s amour for emeralds is deeply rooted, he says, adding, “I think there’s no other green that comes out of the world that’s as beautiful as a very fine Zambian emerald. It’s the third dimension of light and brilliancy that’s always so fascinating to me.”
He added that each stop on the tour will feature a presentation that is “more of an educational process than anything else. I think one of the elements when consumers are purchasing fine jewels is to have them understand it.”
Procop will attend of a handful of presentations, lecturing to consumers about his cache and emeralds in general. He expects attendance at each stop to be composed primarily of core clientele and collectors, as “most of the [individuals] who would really appreciate the quality would be collectors.”
Follow JCK on Instagram: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Twitter: @jckmagazine
Follow JCK on Facebook: @jckmagazine
