Emerald Wedding Rings: A Unique Choice For Men

Emeralds are a popular choice for wedding rings, with their rich green colour and association with love, loyalty, and faithfulness. They are also the birthstone for May. However, emeralds are softer than other stones and more prone to scratching and cracking, making them less durable for everyday wear. For this reason, jewellers often recommend rubies, sapphires, or diamonds for wedding rings, as these stones are harder and more scratch-resistant. Nevertheless, some people choose to use emeralds in their wedding rings, either as a centrepiece or as side stones, and take extra care to avoid damaging the stone.

The durability of emeralds

Hardness

On the Mohs Hardness Scale, emeralds are ranked at 7.5-8, depending on how pure the beryl mineral is. This means that emeralds are very scratch-resistant compared to most materials encountered daily. For context, your fingernails are around 2.5 on the same scale.

Toughness

Toughness refers to how much a stone can withstand being knocked around without breaking or chipping. Emeralds are considered brittle due to their inclusions, making them more susceptible to breaking when hit. However, in relative terms, your finger is much more likely to break before an emerald does.

Stability

Stability refers to how well the crystal resists various chemicals and conditions, including light, heat, and chemicals. Emeralds are stable when exposed to light and heat, and their colour will not change over time. They are also stable when exposed to most chemicals. However, the oil and resin fillers commonly used to treat emeralds are susceptible to extreme heat and chemicals. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid exposing emeralds to extreme heat and to remove jewellery when handling household cleaners.

Overall, emeralds are quite durable for most day-to-day activities. However, they require special care when cleaning and should be cleaned with warm, soapy water and a toothbrush rather than a jewellery cleaning machine.

The toughness of emeralds

Despite their inclusions, emeralds are quite tough. They are ranked 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs hardness scale, which measures scratch resistance. This means that very little can scratch an emerald. In fact, an emerald is harder than quartz and can be as hard as a topaz. Most everyday materials will not scratch an emerald, which is why they are popular gemstones.

To enhance the toughness of emeralds in jewelry, they are often set in bezel or V-prong settings. These settings go all the way around the stone, covering its entire edge and enclosing the most fragile parts (the corners) in metal. These settings provide excellent protection for any gem and are ideal for rings intended for daily wear.

The stability of emeralds

Emeralds are stable in light and heat, and exposure to most chemicals. Their fillers, however, such as oil and resin, are susceptible to extreme heat and chemicals. In general, it is advised not to wear jewellery when handling household cleaners. Bleach and chlorine, for example, will damage most settings as they are alloys made of different metals and not pure silver or gold.

Emeralds are also stable in terms of colour. Unlike aquamarines, which will fade in daylight, or the dark-blue variety of beryl, which is hard to preserve from fading, the heat of a lamp, daylight, or intense UV rays will not damage the green colour of emeralds.

Overall, for most day-to-day activities, emeralds are quite stable and durable.

The colour of emeralds

Emeralds are prized for their vibrant and vivid green colours, which encapsulate the beauty of spring. The gemstone belongs to the beryl family of minerals and is the birthstone for May. The most desirable emeralds are bluish-green to pure green, with bright colour saturation and a tone that is not too dark. The most valuable emeralds are very transparent, with their colour evenly distributed and no visible zones of colour. The green intensity in the best emeralds may vary, and the presence of trace elements such as chromium, vanadium and iron determine their exact colour.

Colombian emeralds are said to have a pure, warm and intense green colour, while Zambian emeralds have a cooler, more bluish-green hue. Brazilian emeralds are associated with the colour of green grass. The appearance of emeralds is sometimes associated with the location of the mine from which they are sourced.

Emeralds are measured on the GIA tone scale, which runs from 0 (white or colourless) to 10 (black). Fine emeralds tend to fall between 2 and 8. The gemstone is also assessed by its hue, tone and saturation. The hue is the gradation of the colour, or the particular tint of green. The tone is the degree of absorption of light by the gemstone, determining the intensity of the colour. Saturation is how vivid the dominant colour is in the gemstone.

The cut of emeralds

The cut of an emerald is an important consideration when choosing an emerald wedding ring. The cut of a gemstone refers to the way it is faceted and polished to maximise its optical properties and enhance its natural beauty. The shape of an emerald, on the other hand, refers to its overall outline.

The emerald cut is the historical cut for this gemstone and was developed over 500 years ago to protect the brittle emerald from chipping during faceting. This rectangular shape is characterised by chiselled step cuts arranged in parallel facets with cut corners, lending the emerald a regal and elegant look. Today, the emerald cut is one of the most recognisable gemstone cuts in the world. However, this cut requires an emerald with few inclusions and an even colour distribution throughout.

Other popular cuts for emeralds include the round cut, which features a circular shape with a flat top and rounded bottom, as well as 50+ symmetrical facets arranged in a circular pattern to maximise the reflection of light. This cut gives endless sparkle back through the crown of the stone, helping to reduce the appearance of imperfections. The oval cut is similar to the round cut but with a more elongated shape that can provide a flattering look on the hand, slimming the fingers. The pear cut is a combination of the classic round shape and the pointed end of the marquise shape, resembling a teardrop. Pear-shaped emeralds tend to appear larger than round-shaped emeralds of the same carat size due to their elongated end. The octagon cut is another option that shares similarities with the emerald cut, with facets running parallel to its girdle (the open face of the gemstone). The octagon cut can be square or rectangular, making it a more versatile shape suitable for various types of jewellery, such as pendants or rings.

Ultimately, the best cut for an emerald is one that you like, as emeralds can be crafted into any shape. However, some cuts may require a higher-quality gemstone with more even colour distribution, which can come with a higher price tag.

Frequently asked questions