Sentimentality Reigns: Emeraude Toubia Talks Family and the Meaningfulness of Jewelry

DALLAS, Sept. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- With a name like Emeraude—French for Emerald—Emeraude Toubia was destined to have a life full of glamour, including jewelry worn at the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA) Spectrum & Cutting Edge Awards photo shoot.

The Montreal, Canada-born former beauty queen, model, and now actress grew up in Texas with an international heritage (mom is Mexican, dad is part Lebanese) that accounts for her smoldering good looks and cosmopolitan résumé. Gigs include myriad Latina-infused roles, including co-host of a red carpet special for the Billboard Latin Music Awards and telenovela work for Nickelodeon Latin America. Other work includes ads for brands like Maybelline. Lately, Toubia earns accolades as the half-human, half-angel warrior Isabelle Lightwood on the fantasy series "Shadowhunters," a character who values jewelry. "She wears a necklace with a huge stone that lights up when demons are around and she's ready to battle," explains Toubia. In one episode, a demon ripped it from her neck, but the quick-thinking Lightwood wrapped it around her wrist in order to still channel its defensive properties. "That jewelry relates to the show—it's a big part of her signature look," she notes.

In her personal life, jewelry also plays an important role. One of her earliest memories is a gold ring with Rubies, Emeralds, and Diamonds depicting the Mexican Virgin of Guadeloupe, which belonged to her maternal grandmother.

"It was beautiful and authentic," says Toubia. "The symbolism behind it was important because my grandmother is an angel—she is everything to me and I love her so much. Because of that, what she wears is special to me."

Toubia's mother is a jewelry collector and another treasured figure in her life. "My mom loves Swarovski, and I always give her crystals in new colors," she says. For her future mother-in-law—Prince Royce recently gave Toubia a colorless engagement ring from Tiffany & Co.—she sprang for a butterfly ring with little white stones peppered throughout the piece.

In the self-gifting arena, Toubia has started her own fine jewelry collection, investing in better pieces that are now accessible thanks to time spent on various sets. "Nothing can compensate for the loss of moments missed at weddings, Christmases, and birthdays spent working, but fine jewelry can be a sort of reward for hard work," she says. One such acquisition occurred recently in Athens, Greece, where she bought a one-of-a-kind karat-gold ring with Jade and a carved Goddess of Health figure. It was one of her first big jewelry purchases. "Another jeweler stopped me on the street and asked me where I got the ring," Toubia recollects.

Her fave looks, however, are anything super feminine. "I'm a girly girl—if it's a rose or butterfly or flower, it speaks to me," she says. Pink and Turquoise are among her beloved hues. "I love color," she says. A particular pink is on her must-have list for the future. "I wish to eventually have a pink Diamond because they are so super rare," she reveals.

And while thin, white gold hoop earrings with small diamonds effortlessly accessorize daily looks, front-runners from her AGTA shoot include a sprawling 18K and 22K rose gold Y necklace from Zoltan David that featured a 46.2 ct. pink Opal. On her ears: elongated 14K rose and white gold numbers with nearly 20 carats of marquise Morganites and small purple Sapphire accents made by Mark Loren Designs.

Both styles were striking and compatible, though definitely not twinning. That was a specific request from the 30-year-old star—nothing matchy matchy. "She said it wasn't her style," recalls longtime stylist Tod Hallman, who coordinated outfits for the day. "She wanted to be playful, so she went through the racks and grabbed things she gravitated towards."

When her eyes landed on the lavender one-shoulder gown by Kevan Hall that they paired with all the pink gemstones, Toubia was in cotton candy heaven given that her red-carpet style is romantic. "That dress was light and colorful and young," she remarks.

"She said she loved the jewelry but also said 'I can wear this dress'," notes Hallman.

AGTA CEO Douglas Hucker knew that look was a winner. "She was smiling more in that picture," he says of her obvious favorite color.

The frock also helped her channel her inner Marilyn Monroe—it resembled the one the actress wore in her iconic performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." "No woman can say nice jewelry doesn't make you feel special or like a little girl again," she adds.

Finally, she couldn't participate in a jewelry shoot without trying on at least one emerald. The one to wear? Obviously, the Best of Show ring in platinum and 18K yellow gold with a 7.16 ct. Russian Emerald by Joseph Ambalu of Amba Gem Corp.

"That ring—OMG!" she says. "I put it on my finger and had to take some pictures. It was surreal, so beautifully put together with white Diamonds on the sides. Jewelry speaks differently to everyone, but I recognize the details in each piece and the way everyone around me was respecting these jewels. They're not just about the stones but about the time and effort the designers put into them. These are their little babies."

For further information regarding the AGTA Spectrum Awards™, contact Lauren Hewlett at (800) 972-1162 or visit the AGTA website at www.agta.org.

The American Gem Trade Association is a not-for-profit Association serving the natural colored gemstone and cultured pearl industry since 1981.  Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, The AGTA serves the industry as "The Authority in Color."

SOURCE American Gem Trade Association

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