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Emeralds have been used injewelry for centuries and have been coveted as a precious gemstone sinceancient times. It’s the most popular green gemstone with the very word‘emerald’ used as a synonym for green.
But how does emerald performas an engagement ring stone and can it be worn on a daily basis?
Let’s take a look at thepros and cons of emerald engagement rings and how to choose the best emeraldfor your money.
What Is an Emerald Gemstone?
Emerald is the green varietyof the beryl mineral family, and is closely related to other famous beryl gemstones– aquamarine (blue beryl), morganite (pink beryl), heliodor (yellow beryl) andgoshenite (colorless beryl).
Most emeralds come fromColombia, Zambia and Brazil but the stone is also mined in other countries likeChina and India. The color of emeralds can range depending on where the stoneis mined from. Emeralds get their famous green hue from the presence ofchromium, vanadium and iron during its formation.
Pros and Cons of Emerald Engagement Rings
Emeralds can be made intomost types of jewelry, but the many inclusions and fractures within emeraldsmake it brittle and prone to breakage. They’re perfect for earrings, pendants,and other non-exposed jewelry types, but for engagement rings, they need to beused with care. Here are the pros and cons:
Pros:
- Emerald is a valuable gemstone that tends to holdits value over time. It’s prestigious and is considered a precious gemstone.
- Emerald gemstones are versatile and pair well with arange of setting styles. This gives you many options for a non-traditionalengagement ring.
- Emeralds are typically more affordable thandiamonds.
- An engagement ring with an emerald is a less commonchoice, making your ring more unique.
- Emerald symbolism is perfect for a marrying couple –hope, peace, growth, fertility, healing and a strong mutual bond.
- It’s the May birthstone which adds an extra layer ofmeaning if your birthday is in May.
Cons:
- Durability is the main concern with emeralds, asthey’re brittle and easily fracture. Although they have a good Mohs hardness rating of 7.5 to 8, daily wear and tear can damageemerald rings and expose it to serious damage, which is why a protective ring settingis essential.
- Emeralds are typically heavily included, oftenfeaturing large inclusions within them. While these are called ‘jardin’ (Frenchfor garden because of their tendril like appearance) to make them appear moredesirable, they’re still inclusions albeit with a fancy name.
Emerald Engagement Ring Designs
Regardless of emerald’s softer durability, it’s stilla fairly popular option for engagement rings. With proper care and a goodsetting, an emerald engagement ring can last a lifetime.
Emerald has a classic look when paired with yellowgold, but it takes on a modern aesthetic when set in white gold settings. Italso pairs well with other gemstones, especially diamonds.
Here are some of ourfavorite emerald engagement ring designs and why we love them:
1- Bezel Set Halo Emerald Ring: This ring features an emerald gemstone set within a yellow gold bezel, surrounded by baguette diamonds which are also set in a bezel setting. The result is a mix of faceting patterns and colors that create a truly unique look.
Emerald cut emerald gemstone with baguette halo diamonds. Check Price Here.
2- Halo Three Stone Ring: This extravagant halo ring features an emerald three stone ring set in yellow gold. The diamond halo adds sparkle to the look, which accentuates the color of the emerald.
Three Stone Emerald Ring with Halo. Check Price Here.
3- Raw Emerald Ring: While faceted emeralds are stunning, rough emeralds have a natural and relaxing beauty. These are perfect for a bohemian vibe and is enhanced by a yellow gold setting.
Rough emerald in 18k gold by Ornamento Studio. Check Price Here.
4- Emerald Floral Ring: Smaller emeralds can be cleverly crafted into intricate designs, like the imperial ring below. It features 9 emeralds and 32 melee diamonds and because smaller stones are often less expensive, you get more bang for your buck with a design like this.
Emerald and diamond imperial ring. Check Price Here.
5- Antique Emerald Ring: Because emeralds have been used in jewelry for so long, there are many genuine antiques available for purchase. This is ideal for someone who likes the designs of yesteryear. If you like vintage designs but want a new ring, opt for a vintage-inspired ring setting like the ones featured here.
Victorian Emerald Ring by TRU Vintage Diamonds. Check Price Here.
6- Bezel Set Emerald: The bezel setting is the most secure for emerald engagement rings, as it provides a buffer and keeps the edges safe. It can make the stone appear smaller than it is and dim its sparkle to some extent but if security is the main thing you’re after, the bezel setting is your best bet.
Bezel set emerald ring. See it here.
7- Side Stone Setting: The color and inclusions of the emerald is enhanced by the simple sparkle of the small side stone diamonds in this pave ring setting. The contrast of the cool toned green stone and the warm toned silver setting make for a chic and sleek look.
Diamond side stone emerald ring. See it here.
8- Three Stone Emerald and Diamond Ring: Three stone rings are known for their meaningfulness. If a center emerald is not your thing but you still want to incorporate some emerald into your ring, consider using them as side stones.
Three stone emerald and diamond ring. Check Price Here.
9- Handcrafted Unique Designs: Emeralds go beautifully with unique handcrafted designs and perfectly suits rustic styles. This is ideal for the bride looking for a non-traditional ring option.
Floral lab grown emerald ring by Breeze Studio Co. Check Price Here.
Choosing the Best Emerald Gemstone
If you’ve decided that youwould like an emerald engagement ring, knowing how to choose the right one willhelp you avoid getting ripped off. Here’s what you need to look out for:
Emerald Color
Color is the most importantaspect of an emerald, so do your search diligently. Look for the best in hue,saturation and tone.
- Hue– This refers to the primary and secondary colors of thestone. Green will always be the primary color for emerald, but sometimes yellowor blue secondary tones can also exist.
- Saturation– This means how intense thegreen color is in the stone. The more vivid and saturated the stone, the morevaluable.
- Tone– Is the emerald light ordark? The best tone is medium, which shows the hue to maximum effect.
Emerald Clarity
Notice the flaws in this emerald. See the 360 degree video here.
Because clear,inclusion-free emeralds are exceedingly rare, emeralds with inclusions aregenerally accepted. Emeralds get their inclusions from liquids, minerals andgases that get trapped within the stone. One good thing about emeraldinclusions is that you can easily tell a fake emerald from a real one – anatural emerald will always have inclusions.
As mentioned above, theseinclusions are called jardin in amarketing attempt to make them more acceptable. They give emeralds theircharacteristic look, making emeralds one of the few gemstones that are acceptedwith their flaws.
Emerald Cut
Emeralds are cut to bringout the beauty of their color, rather than to maximize their brilliance. In general, the best cutfor emeralds is the emerald cut whichfeatures long open facets and steps. The emerald cut also reduces the amount ofemerald rough that’s wasted making it an economical choice.
Becauseof the clarity issues with emerald, faceting it into brilliant shapes can gettricky as the stone could fracture during the process.
Emerald Carat
Smaller emeralds are lessexpensive, while larger sized stones go up in price. Emeralds come in a widerange of sizes, but the deciding factor of value is the quality of the color. Alarge stone with poor, faint color will be considered less valuable than asmaller stone with excellent color.
Even a small emerald can be maximized in a cleverly designed ring setting, making it appear larger and more impressive than it is. This double halo emerald ring is a perfect example of that.
Emerald Treatments and Enhancements
Emerald is commonly treatedto enhance color and clarity. Common treatments include using oil, polymer orprepolymer fillers to fill internal fractures and enhance color.
While treatments are commonfor natural emeralds, it can be difficult to tell to what extent a stone hasbeen treated. Over time, the filling can weaken and the stone can fracture orchip. Oil fillings tend to be temporary while polymer and prepolymer fillingsare considered permanent.
It’s important that your retailerlets you know what treatments have been done on the stone so you can make aninformed decision when purchasing.
Is SyntheticEmerald a Good Idea?
Synthetic emerald ring by Tipsy Weddings. Check Price Here.
First things first –synthetic emeralds aren’t fake emeralds. They’re the real thing except they’regrown in labs. Synthetic emeralds are budget and environmentally friendly andare perfect if you want the emerald look without a big price tag.
However, they don’t have theinclusions common in emeralds and their perfection gives them away as beingsynthetic.
While synthetic emeralds area great option, fake emeralds like glass or colored quartz are not worth much,if anything. Avoid these when shopping for an emerald by asking for theauthenticity report of the stone or checking about its origin.
Emerald Symbolismand Meaning
For an engagement ring,emerald gemstones, called the stone of successful love, hold the perfectsymbolism:
- Symbolizes hope and the future
- Represents growth, fertility and renewal
- Preserves love and passion
- Symbolizes patience, understanding, unity andcompassion
- The green of emeralds represent healing
Cleaning and Caring for Emerald Rings
Whether an emeraldengagement ring is the right choice for you largely depends on your lifestyleand how hard you are on your rings. For people who use their hands a lot forwork, an emerald engagement ring might not be the best choice.
Even so, it’s always a goodidea to take off the ring when engaging in physical activity or working withchemicals, including swimming, doing sports, gardening or doing householdchores.
Never put an emerald in anultrasonic cleaner, as the intense vibrations can cause the stone to fractureand craze. The best way to maintain your ring is to simply use warm water, amild soap and a soft toothbrush or cloth to wash the ring. Don’t use abrasivematerials to clean an emerald ring as this could scratch it.
Always store emerald ringsin a separate pouch away from harder materials and dust.
Where to Buy Emerald Engagement Rings
If you’re planning onpurchasing a valuable emerald ring, it’s important to purchase from a reputableand trustworthy site.
Authenticity report by James Allen
Always ensure that theretailer provides clear images and/or videos of the exact gemstone, to ensureyou get an accurate representation of the stone’s inclusions. Purchase from a reputable seller with a solidreturns policy and look for an authenticity report.
For emerald engagement ringsand loose emeralds, we recommend the following platforms:
James Allen
Withone of the largest online diamond inventories, James Allen is known for theirhigh-quality products and excellent customer service. They also offer widerange of emerald gemstones of all shapes, sizes and prices. Their gemstonedisplay technology makes it easy to view each emerald carefully and cherry pickthe best of the bunch.
Blue Nile
BlueNile offers a very good collection of emerald jewelry, including engagementrings. They’re known for their solid craftsmanship, competitive prices and greatcustomer service. Blue Nile also has an extensive collection of emeraldbirthstone jewelry, which make for ideal gifts.
Etsy
Ideal if you’re after ahandcrafted, artisan ring or a genuine vintage piece. There’s a wide range of emeraldengagement rings so take your time to sift through and find the right one.Communicate with the seller about any concerns you have and always checkcustomer reviews.
Amazon
Amazon offers a range of emeraldengagement rings often by the same retailers that also offer their products onEtsy. Ensure you carefully check each product and ask any questions from theseller.
TagsGemstone Engagement Ring
