Occasions and gifts

Jewellery Inspired by St. Patrick’s Day – Green Gems and Shamrocks

On 17th March, all our Irish friends are celebrating St. Patrick’s Day! So in honour of it, we decided to take a look at some beautiful jewellery with lush green gemstones and discover the story of St. Patrick and why Ireland is called the “Emerald Isle”.

Emerald bracelet - green gemstone jewellery inspired by St. Patricks Day

The story of St. Patrick

St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland. In the 4th century, at 17 years of age, he was captured and taken from Wales to Ireland as a slave. For six years he worked as a shepherd. He spent most of this time alone, herding sheep in the deep green valleys of Ireland until he received a spiritual calling and became the country’s most influential religious and national figure.

St Patrick sent to Ireland by the Pope; St Mary’s Cathedral, Kilkenny. Photo by Sheila1988, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

Why is Ireland called the Emerald Isle?

The unique colour of luscious green emeralds has often been compared to sunlight playing on green grass. These stunning emerald drop earrings below are accented with diamonds and set in fine white gold. They are the ideal jewellery accessory if you want to wear precious green gems with lots of sparkle.

Why Ireland is called The Emerald Isle

You’ve probably heard people referring to Ireland as ‘the Emerald Isle’. The name comes from a poem called When Erin First Rose by the Irish poet, William Drennan. It refers to Ireland’s lush, grassy hills. Their vibrant colour reminded Drennan of the emerald.

These stunning emerald rings have a perfect green hue. You can see why Drennan used it to describe his home country’s luscious natural beauty.

Emerald rings - green gemstone jewellery inspired by St. Patricks Day

Three-stone rings

After six years in captivity, St. Patrick finally escaped home. But upon his return, he had a dream where an angel told him to return to Ireland as a missionary. According to legend, he used the Celtic shamrock symbol to explain concept of Holy Trinity to his Irish diciples. Originally the shamrock, or the three-leaf clover, was a pagan symbol of rebirth and spring.

This beautiful three-stone ring below is made with one emerald and two diamonds. The origin of this modern trilogy ring design is found in Ireland. The Celtic knot, closely tied to the symbolic shamrock, was often featured on Irish trinity rings.

Emerald ring - green gemstone jewellery

More gorgeous green gemstones

Another green gem that deserves a special mention is the green peridot. It’s not as famous as  the emerald, but its citrus green shade is utterly luxurious. It’s also a very sparkly gemstone, because of the way it reflects light.

Finally, we shouldn’t forget the green sapphire. Here you can see it displayed below. This exquisite green sapphire ring is surrounded by diamonds and is set in fine hallmarked gold. It adds the perfect touch of luxury to any outfit.

Green sapphire ring - green gemstone jewellery for St. Patricks Day