Courtesy of Harry Winston
Harry Winston is synonymous with two things: dazzling white diamonds and New York City. But according to legend, it was an emerald that first sparked its eponymous founder’s passion for gems. At 12, the future jeweler happened upon a glimmering green stone—priced at 25 cents—in a pawn shop. Already well-versed in gemstones through the family business, he knew it was a two-carat emerald and bought it; two days later, he sold the stone for $800. By age 15, he had dropped out of school to join his father in the jewelry shop. The instincts that would define his name were already firmly set in place.
The house that bears his name has long demonstrated an equally discerning eye for colored gemstones. This Victoria Falls masterpiece is, as its name suggests, modeled on the rich colors of one of the world’s most spectacular waterfalls, which sits on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe where the Zambezi River plunges over a basalt cliff. A detachable 5.9-carat emerald anchors the platinum collar, echoing the lush microclimate surrounding the natural wonder, and is carefully matched to the smaller stones scattered throughout the necklace. An interior row of round sapphires hugs the neck, while tsavorites, tourmalines, and light-blue sapphires recreate the frothing and churning of the falls.
Larger than life, in more ways than one: Harry Winston’s Victoria Falls necklace cascades with approximately 89 carats of emeralds, sapphires, tsavorites, aquamarines, mint tourmalines, and
diamonds, crowned by a detachable 5.9-carat emerald. Now, with the matching earrings, the suite has 285 stones and roughly 100 carats.
Courtesy of Harry Winston
Locals refer to the site as Mosioa-Tunya or “the smoke that thunders” because its mist can rise more than 1,600 feet in the air, while the roar of its water can be heard for miles. Much like its namesake, this necklace—part of a suite that includes a matching pair of earrings—announces its arrival from afar. As an adolescent, Winston could hardly have imagined the cascading effect of his shrewd eye for color and clarity. Price upon request
