In the world of engagement rings, Diamonds are certainly at the top of the chain. They’re wildly popular, gorgeous, resistant and easy to take care of; making them the ideal stone. However, the other options aren’t as undesirable as you might think. In fact, many of them have simply gotten a bad rapport through years of misinformation.
We’re going to take a look at one of the gemstones that deserves more respect than it gets, both for beauty and for resistance: Emeralds.
Tougher Than You Might Think
Emeralds are commonly known as a “soft” gem, meaning they would scratch easily and be difficult to maintain. The problem with this notion, however, is that Emeralds are actually extremely hard and quite scratch-resistant.
On the Mohs Hardness Scale, the universally accepted scale for the toughness of a gemstone, Emeralds rank around an 8. While Diamonds sit alone at 10 on the scale, the only other gemstones that beat Emeralds are Sapphires, Rubies and Corundum. Emeralds are actually about equal to “Hardened Steel” as well as Topaz, Aquamarine, and Beryl.
While they aren’t as indestructible as Diamonds, you definitely shouldn’t write Emeralds off as being “soft”. They’re anything but that.
Can Emeralds Crack?
As with any gemstone, diamonds included, Emeralds are susceptible to cracking if struck in a certain way with enough force. When shopping for an Emerald, you should put a focus on finding one that has as few inclusions as possible. Those inclusions also need to be surface-level and they tend to go best in Bezel or Halo settings, as well as any other protective-style setting.
Inclusions are fairly easy to note on an Emerald as they’ll turn “cloudy” with more inclusions. This is typically the thing that shys people away, though that cloudiness can be nearly entirely removed by going with a lab created version.
So What Are The Downsides of Emeralds?
This is going to probably shock a lot of people, but high quality Emeralds are actually rarer than Diamonds as the conditions for creating a quality Emerald are a bit more specific. They require hydrothermal veins with the right atmosphere to cause crystallization, unlike Diamonds which mostly require carbon, heat and pressure. Because of this, high quality Emeralds will actually be a bit more expensive than Diamonds, though lab-created variations could flip that on it’s head. Only time will tell once the process has been advanced further.
On the other hand, Emeralds are a much rarer choice for engagement rings, which will make your ring stand out further. While they require some oiling, an Emerald ring that’s well taken care of will stand out. As Emeralds can range from bluish to brownish, the most popular color tends to be Green with a hint of blue and a medium tone.
Wondering about which cut to go with? Emeralds are incredibly versatile and do well as Pears, Ovals and Faceted Round Cuts. Naturally, ‘Emerald’ cuts work well with their adjacent gemstone as well.
If you’re looking for an engagement ring, feel free to book an appointment for a custom make or see our custom jewelry design process. You can also call us at (720) 560-3548 with any questions.
We look forward to helping you find the perfect ring!