One does not usually associate beautiful jewelry with the time of the Spanish Inquisition. But in the Smithsonian Institution’s collection of gems, there is an exquisite necklace holder stand and a necklace badge holder of diamonds and emeralds.

It is an incredible double row of diamonds and emeralds finishing in a chandelier of emeralds. There’s unfortunately no information about the provenance of this necklace holders. The large diamonds and Columbian emeralds were most likely cut in India in the 17th century. This would make them one of the earliest examples of cut gemstones in the Smithsonian’s Collection. They are really only legends surrounding this necklace and what type of wall necklace holder display stand were used in this era. They indicate that it was worn at times by Spanish and French high class society. In the early 20th century, it was bought by the Maharajah of Indore, whose son sold the necklace in 1947 to Harry Winston. Winston subsequently sold the necklace to Mrs. Cora Hubbard Williams of Pittsburgh. She donated it to the Smithsonian in 1972.

Emeralds are a type of crystal known as beryls. Beryls are usually clear crystals, but when infused with chromium or vanadium, they keep many shades of green. The purest green are the rarest emeralds and many people actually prefer an emerald that has a blue-green tint.

Before the 16th century, the only known emerald deposits were in Cleopatra’s Egyptian mines. But after emeralds were found in Columbia, those later became the “gold standard” in emeralds. Columbian emeralds have been discovered by archaeologists among artifacts of such tribes as the Inca, Maya, Aztec, Toltec and the almost unknown Chibcha Indians.