The antique 5.67-carat Colombian emerald jewel has been held by the O’Brien dynasty for more than a century and is being offered to collectors at Hancocks London this month. With a provenance tied to direct descendants of Brian Boru, the last High King of Ireland, it is being described as a rare opportunity to acquire a piece of Irish aristocratic history.

A remarkable emerald jewel with deep Irish royal connections is making its way onto the market in London, drawing attention from collectors of both fine gemstones and historic provenance. The convertible pendant and bangle, known as the Inchiquin Emerald, dates to the late Victorian era and combines 19th century craftsmanship with a lineage that reaches back to one of Ireland’s most storied dynasties.

The jewel is linked to the O’Briens, the Barons of Inchiquin and direct descendants of Brian Boru, who ruled Ireland in the 11th century. It was given to Ethel Jane Foster on her marriage to the Hon. Lucius William O’Brien, eldest son of the 14th Baron Inchiquin, at Richard’s Castle near Ludlow in Shropshire on January 14, 1896.

Lucius William O’Brien later inherited the title of 15th Baron Inchiquin in 1900, along with the Gaelic Irish titles of Chief of the Name of O’Brien and Prince of Thomond. The barony itself was created by Henry VIII in 1543 for Murrough O’Brien, whose lineage traces directly back to Brian Boru, making it one of the oldest titles in the Peerage of Ireland.

The jewel’s history appears in the 1939 will of Lady Ethel Inchiquin, which refers to it as “…my large emerald and diamond bracelet given me by my mother on my marriage…” She died the following year in 1940.

After passing through the family by descent for generations, the emerald has now resurfaced at Hancocks London. For collectors, it offers a rare combination of noble provenance, antique craftsmanship and gemological importance.

Read more

Guy Burton, managing director of Hancocks London, said, “The Inchiquin Emerald belongs to an exceptionally small group of named heritage jewels available today. Its importance has several levels: the strength of its provenance, its rarity, and the remarkable gemmological qualities and beauty of the emerald itself. Jewels of this caliber come to market very rarely, and to find a Colombian emerald of such quality with provenance connected to Irish nobility and set in such a beautifully crafted antique jewel is unheard of. We are incredibly excited to be able to offer collectors an opportunity of this significance.”

Scientific testing by the Swiss Gemmological Institute SSEF has confirmed the stone’s exceptional qualities. The institute identified the 5.67-carat octagonal emerald as Colombian and found no indications of clarity modification, a detail that adds to its rarity and value.

The SSEF awarded the stone a special Appendix letter, a distinction reserved for the rarest and most extraordinary gemstones. The report says the emerald “exhibits a remarkable size and weight, combined with an attractive green color and a fine clarity” and adds that “An emerald from Colombia of this size and quality can be considered rare and exceptional.”

The emerald is set in yellow-gold claws and surrounded by 12 old mine-cut diamonds, with an outer frame of eight old European-cut diamonds and diamond points. The diamonds total about 10.50 carats, and the entire jewel can be worn either as a bangle or as a pendant, a hallmark of inventive Victorian design.

The Inchiquin Emerald is now on display at Hancocks London, with a price available on request.