A Guide To Choosing An Emerald Engagement Ring
Emeralds are beautiful stones and they resemble something that you would expect from a sci-fi movie. It is a bold statement with its green hues and soft appearance that makes them a unique choice for any piece of jewellery. Emeralds are a symbol of nature and wealth and are becoming increasingly popular in recent years even though they are delicate and very rare. Many are now opting for emerald engagement rings in all shapes and sizes. In this article, we will go through some helpful tips on what to look out for when purchasing an emerald engagement ring. This will be the case for vintage emerald rings too.
See Before You Buy
This one sounds too obvious but you will be surprised with the number of people who purchase expensive pieces of jewellery online without actually going to see it and then later realising that you have wasted your money because it is either looks nothing like it did in the pictures or you have realised that the piece is not of a good quality standard. The most important thing is that you like it so you will be wanting to see the product for yourself before you buy it. Make sure that you can see the gem in all its glory so keep close attention to the colour, clarity and cut which is extremely difficult to see when you can’t hold the piece. There is no real industry standard when describing an emerald, so one seller “AAA” quality could be other retailers “AA” quality.
It is extremely difficult to judge anything by a picture, especially when it has a weird background to it. Chromium is what creates the green colour in emeralds and is extremely difficult to catch up on camera meaning that you should not purchase an emerald ring online. It is best to seek help from a professional jeweller who knows what they are talking about.
Consider Lab-Made Gems or Alternatives
Are you wanting an emerald for the fact it is an emerald, or are you after something with a pop of colour? There are many alternatives that are cheaper and just as beautiful so it is best to decide early on whether you want to go all out with an emerald engagement ring. Emeralds that are mined tend to have a lot of imperfections due to them being delicate. It is important to know that an emerald ring doesn’t make the best for every day if it is natural as it may break so finding a lab-grown emerald may work best for an engagement ring as they are more durable, better quality and much cheaper. They are still real emeralds and made with the same compounds, they are just a more sustainable option that is more durable.
Go For The Best Colour
If you are looking at purchasing an emerald, the chances are you are going to want a green stone. It is best to pick something that you like rather than the grade of the stone as it all depends on personal preference. If you solely concentrate on the colour of the gem, then you may forgive the inclusions, small size. When you say emerald, many imaging a deep dark green gem. The truth is though that when people actually go to see the gem for themselves they prefer a much lighter emerald. This is due to the fact that lighter gems actually reflect much more light so they look like they shimmer which most people tend to prefer when they have seen it up close rather than a deep dark green.
Ask About Enhancements
Due to emeralds being so delicate, almost every emerald you have seen will have some sort of oil enhancement to polish up surface cracks and scratches. This is a completely normal thing to do and expect as they make the emeralds look much more aesthetically pleasing.
There are other treatments that can permanently improve the emerald colour, but it comes with the risk of damaging the gem itself. This is called heat treating. Emeralds rarely receive this due to the risk of breaking the emerald itself as the colour doesn’t change as dramatically as you may expect.
The most important thing to ask when you are buying an emerald ring is to see whether they have used any dyed oils. Some jewellers will use dyed oil to fill in fractures and surface scratches. This is only a temporary fix meaning that the oil comes off and the emerald will result in being a different colour to what you had purchased and when you go to get it cleaned or redone, it will have another colour.
