Renowned for their striking green colour, emeralds have captivated civilisations for thousands of years. To the ancient Egyptians, green represented fertility and eternal life. Pharaohs were buried with emeralds as protective talismans to aid them in the afterlife. Emeralds were famously treasured by Cleopatra, who loved the gem so much that she claimed ownership of Egypt’s emerald mines. These mines were worked by labourers devoted entirely to unearthing stones for the queen