The most popular style of engagement rings has always been solitaire diamond engagement rings. Many couples, however, still like to add a little color to the diamond engagement ring. In times past, engagement rings would have many different gemstones, but soon diamonds won out as the all-time favorite. You can still opt to add some color to your diamond ring, but be aware that adding precious stones rather than semi-precious stones will help to maintain the value of your jewelry for years to come.
There are four precious stones: diamonds, emeralds, sapphires, and rubies. These gemstones are considered precious for many reasons. One reason is that they are more scarce than other gems. Other reasons have to do with their uses in religious and ceremonial functions in the past. The value of these gemstones can be different depending on where they are mined, because some deposits around the world produce higher quality gems than others.
The actual value of a precious stone has to be evaluated by an appraiser to determine its true worth. There are some rubies that are worth more than diamonds, either because of their exceptional color or carat weight. The same factors that affect how a diamond is graded are also relevant to these other precious stones. You can’t always tell by the size of the stone in the ring whether it has a relatively close value to the diamond it is paired with in an engagement ring. Let’s look at each of these precious stones individually and why they are treasured in rings.
Diamonds
Diamonds, of course, are the quintessential gems for engagement rings. They maintain their value because they are so popular. The diamond itself is noted for having an internal fire that sparkles in the beholder’s eyes. These sparkles can be within the blue or yellow range and sometimes rainbow-like in effect. This makes it an excellent stone to pair with any other precious stone in jewelry.
The tiffany setting for a solitaire diamond helps to bring light through the stone and disperse it, creating a more sparkly diamond. If you begin to pair your diamonds with other stones, you have to be careful to choose a setting that can still complement the diamond and bring light to it, so that it doesn’t look dead and lifeless.
Rubies
A ruby is a red corundum. The more blood red they are, the more they are usually prized. The color really does determine the value of the ruby. Clarity is a second consideration in pricing; however, most rubies have rutile needle inclusions and these are perfectly normal. If your ruby doesn’t have them, it’s possible it was treated in some artificial fashion like with heat treatments. There are pink rubies too and these also can be valuable. If you are a romantic and want something that connotes love than you can use ruby along with diamonds, which evokes a Valentine’s like feel to your jewelry.
Rubies of very good quality are very expensive, even more so than diamonds. They come mostly from Myanmar, and the amount of conflict in that area can affect how people view the purchase of rubies. You may end up being surprised at how much a good ruby costs. You can decide to use a smaller ruby on either side of a diamond or as accents within the ring to keep to a budget.
Sapphires
Any corundum that isn’t red is called a sapphire. Blue sapphires are the ones people are most familiar with, but technically any color besides red is a sapphire. There are purple sapphires and they actually cost less than blue, probably because the blue is most popular. Sapphires also make excellent accent stones to an unconventional engagement ring. There are also star sapphires, which have a lustrous star that appears on the surface of a polished stone. They do appear to reflect different colors in daylight versus other type of lighting, so always look at your gemstones in full daylight when possible to get a clear idea of how they look.
Emeralds
If you have a hint of the Irish in your heritage, you can use this green stone to add some color and commemorate your Irish heritage at the same time. Claddagh engagement rings are very popular and there’s no reason you can’t use this motif along with emeralds and diamonds. Emeralds usually have a lot of inclusions in them, so a good clear one can be very expensive.
Why Multicolored Engagement Rings?
These days people sometimes come into a marriage with children. They may choose to add some color to the ring to represent these children, especially if the children’s birthstones are precious stones. Sometimes, just adding stones for each partner’s birthstone is desired to celebrate the union of two individuals in matrimony. Other times, people have inherited a vintage family heirloom ring, with multiple precious gems, and they have removed the stones and used them in a new design. There are a variety of reasons couples choose multicolored rings. Sometimes they just want that particular stone because of the color.
Things To Watch Out For
Precious stones can be heat treated to improve their clarity. This can be very difficult to assess, even for an appraiser. Your jeweler should always indicate if a gemstone has been heat-treated or clarity enhanced. Emeralds are usually treated with oil and wax to enhance their translucence, but this is not a treatment that is permanent. If you want to get a ring that is assured of having genuine stones, then deal with a reputable jeweler.
Remember that the ring you choose may be on your finger every day of your life. So, if you choose a multicolored ring, hopefully it goes with most of your wardrobe choices. An engagement ring is a visible sign of your commitment and love, but it is also a piece of jewelry. If you buy only a diamond solitaire, it is sure to go with everything. Adding other colored stones, while unique and personal, may affect the outfits you choose to wear in the future. If you love green, then this isn’t a problem. You may end up wearing a lot of green with your emerald and diamond ring. If you’re not so sure you are this adventuresome, then sticking with diamonds is always a good choice. Then you know that it will go with everything in your closet.
