How Emeralds "Stack Up" As An Engagement Ring Option

Known for their mysterious color and rich history, emeralds have been sought after for centuries by royals and collectors alike. Their rich, natural green tones intrigue us, and we can not help but want to own one of our very own. But how do they stack up for engagement rings? Let's talk about it!

Emeralds belong to a family of minerals called beryl. Beryl is a stone that has medium hardness, about a 7.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. For comparison, a diamond is 10 and a sapphire is 9. Emeralds are also brittle stones, meaning that even though they have medium hardness, they are more prone to damage. They tend to have a lot of natural inclusions, which can compromise their structural integrity. These inclusions also lead to most emeralds being treated. 

Because of these factors we do not recommend using them in pieces that you will wear every day, particularly on your hands and wrists. Our hands are more prone to coming into contact with hard surfaces so the risk of damage is greater to an emerald than say a sapphire or diamond. 

A great alternative stone for an emerald in an engagement ring would be a sapphire. Sapphires come in many lovely colors, including many shades of green! (Browse available green sapphires on our site here). So you can still have a lovely green colored stone, but one with a sturdier structure that can hold up to everyday wear and tear.

Looking for a less expensive alternative? Try tsavorite garnet. While even lower on the Mohs scale (6.5) if anything would happen to the garnet, it would be less expensive to replace (and the green saturation of color in tsavorite is to die for!) 

If you want to purchase emerald jewelry, consider earrings, a necklace or a ring you wear for special occasions. 

Want to know more about Emeralds? Check out GIA.edu or contact us! We would love to chat!