Are all those huge engagement rings you’re seeing lately making you just a little envious? You can’t open a magazine these days without seeing a celebrity engaged in a diamond so large that it looks like it should be floating in a cocktail with a lime slice. In reading about those celebrity rings, you’d think that diamonds from three to seven carats were average size. Well they’re not average, and you’re not alone in that envy! Jewelers across the country say that the previously-aspired-to 1 carat center seems to be becoming a thing of the past. Today women want bigger more important looking rings, and larger center stones – which equate to higher carat weights and therefore, much higher prices.
Get a colored engagement ring!
Michael Endlich for Pave Fine Jewelry
A popular trend, however, is one that’s helping some women get the important look they want in an engagement ring without driving their fiancé into the poor house – Color! Celebrities like Elizabeth Hurley and Jessica Simpson are showing that colored gemstone engagement rings are hot. These colorful and unique rings can also have special meaning. Jessica Simpson’s ruby center-stone is her birthstone, while Elizabeth Hurley’s sapphire is the birthstone of her fiancé, Shane Warne. But women today aren’t just sticking with birthstones. Some women are looking for gems that signify a special month such as the one in which she met their fiancé or the month of the proposal. Other women are simply indulging their love of a particular color. But choosing the perfect gemstone for your engagement ring can be hard. All gems are not created equal and some, due to their relative softness or fragility may not be appropriate if you are hoping to wear your engagement ring every day.
A tip? Consider the hardness of the gem.
Aside from their rarity, beauty and value, diamonds have characteristically been used in engagement rings because of their hardness and durability. Being the hardest gem, the benefit of using diamonds in a ring that was typically worn daily for life, made sense. Today, however, the practice of wearing an engagement ring daily is changing. Many women are wearing their engagement ring on the opposite hand once married and more women are choosing to forego daily wear in favor of wearing the engagement ring only for special occasions. With these new practices a larger ring that might have been too cumbersome for everyday wear may now be perfect. Additionally, since color is so popular in fashion, women can now enjoy their favorite color in both their wardrobe and in their engagement ring. When choosing your center gem though, an important question to ask yourself is how you wish to wear your ring. Some gems are not as hard or durable as others.
Image via AGTA
Gems are measured on a “Mohs” (pronounced ‘Moe’s’) hardness scale, a relative scale that rates gems from 1 to 10, with 10 being the hardest. Diamonds measure 10 on this scale. Corundum, the mineral of both sapphires and rubies measures 9. Beryl, the mineral that makes emerald and aquamarine, measures 7.5 – 8. Topaz measures 8 and quartz family gems measure 7. Less hard gems such as opal measure about 5.5 and pearls, about 3 – 4, making these gems less durable for daily wear. Additionally, with some gems, harsh detergents, alcohol and other elements, including skin acids can corrode them. Therefore, although beautiful, some stones are better used if the engagement ring will only be worn on special occasions.
Fusaro
Women who wish to wear their engagement rings daily should concentrate on the harder gems. Women who love the look of a large important ring and prefer to wear only their wedding band daily may decide that some of the less hard gems are perfect for them. Some added protection for your center stone can be achieved by asking your jeweler to set your center gem lower, or in a bezel setting that will help protect it from damage. And if you love the elegance of pearls and don’t mind being more careful with your ring, Mikimoto has designed a lovely engagement ring centered with a lustrous white pearl.
John Apel
Your choice of center stone should be considered carefully and based upon how you wish to wear your engagement ring. Remember to research your desired gem, and ask your jeweler about the stone’s unique characteristics, including hardness and durability. Whether your choice of colored gemstone engagement ring is for romantic reasons, the desire for something different, fashionable, or simply the quest for a large impressive look, it’s a ring that’s meant to bring you years of joy. Choosing a center gem that works for you and your lifestyle. Your choice doesn’t have to be merely a ‘hard’ decision.
By Jewelry and Style Expert, Michael O’Connor
I can’t imagine spending so much money on an engagement ring then wearing it 24/7. Whether it’s a diamond or other gemstone,wearing it around the house doing chores is going to eventually damage the stone, the prongs or the setting. I have a pink sapphire for my engagement ring and I love it. I do own a diamond ring that was passed down to me but I find diamonds sort of common. Everyone has one. My sapphire has held up fine, I wear it everyday but not doing chores. Recently my husband gave me a beautiful morganite ring and I wear it often. I get a ton of compliments on that ring! I think choosing a colored gemstone for your engagement ring is becoming more popular and is a great idea. It comes down to how your treat your jewelry. I have heard anything over a 7 on the mohs scale is good for everyday wear. My Aunt actually has a stunning opal engagement ring, which is a very soft gemstone, and it’s still beautiful after 30 years. She just takes very good care of it.Also diamonds are not indestructable as they can chip around the girdle (outer edges). That’s why our mothers and grandmothers had theirs set in those awful old fashioned “basket” settings.