For evening, an emerald can be the organizing detail of the entire look. We like beginning with one decision: will the green sit beside the face, at the neckline, or on the hand?

Green jewelry does not need an elaborate outfit to make an impression. For a restrained palette, we like emerald earrings with white, cream, and the natural texture of linen. The interest comes from the relationship between color, surface, and scale.

At Cannes in 2016, Julia Roberts wore a Chopard necklace with a pear-shaped emerald and a black off-the-shoulder Armani Privé dress, as reported by Åse Anderson in The Jewellery Editor. It is a memorable reference for a pendant with space around it.

Some red-carpet references remain useful long after the event. Angelina Jolie’s 2009 Oscars appearance is one of them: British Vogue documents her pear-shaped emerald drop earrings by Lorraine Schwartz, worn with a black Elie Saab gown.