Your Gemstone Engagement Ring Guide

 

Whilst traditional white diamonds have of recent times been by far the most popular choice of precious gemstone, coloured gemstones have been making a comeback in recent time. This particularly true for those looking for something unique, dazzling and with a splash of colour. Increasingly gemstone engagement rings that include coloured diamonds or other vivid gemstones are either set by themselves or combined with white diamonds to make a truly bespoke engagement ring.

Coloured stones make for an utterly unique piece of jewellery as no two stones are the same - each will have their own rare and distinctive qualities that their owner will forever cherish. When buying coloured gemstones, it is always best to select what you consider beautiful. The subtle differences in the tone and hue of the coloured gemstone you are considering will inevitably lead you to go in one direction over the other. We recommend looking at a few stones that sit within your preferred criteria range which allows you to go through this selection process.

Whilst coloured gems are similarly graded to diamonds, with an overall cut, colour, carat weight and clarity given to gems, Gemstones derive their real beauty from their individual colouration which includes all shades of the rainbow.. and some!  So when buying a gemstone, it is important to ensure the colour is vibrant!

 Gemstone Colour

Three factors relate to a gemstone’s colour which is in correlation to how desirable each stone is.

HUE: Refers to the actual ‘colour’ of the gem (e.g blue, green, red)

SATURATION: Refers to the richness of the hue.

TONE: Refers to the lightness or darkness of the colour

 

Gemstone Hardness & Durability

 

When buying a coloured gemstone, you do need to factor in the wearability of the gem. We do not recommend anything under a 7 on the Mohs Scale (mineral hardness), for everyday wear as the stone lacks the hardness and can become prone to scratching. Ideal everyday gemstone rings include Sapphire, Ruby, Emerald, Aquamarine & Topaz. While occasional wear rings are better suited the likes of Tanzanite, Tourmaline, Amethyst and Garnet gemstones.  

 

Gemstone Enhancements

Another thing to consider is enhancements such as heat treatments (for colour density, most sapphires and rubies will be heat treated), oiling (common in Emeralds, oil is used to ‘fracture fill’ the stone),  and radiation (helps to achieve an even colour tone – it is a safe practice and not as scary as the word suggests!)

 

Discover your Perfect Gemstone Engagement Ring

If you are looking for something more unique compared to the traditional diamond engagement ring, choosing a stunning-coloured gemstone could be a great alternative! Taking into consideration important factors such as colour and hardness will help you to make that right decision. We have shortlisted some of our recommended gemstone option that would best suit an engagement ring:

Sapphire often comes to mind as a stunning and arguably the most popular alternative to the traditional diamond. With a reputation of royalty Sapphire is a highly popular choice. Being 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, Sapphire is amongst the hardest non-diamond gemstones, making it a perfect choice for an engagement ring. The great appeal of Sapphires extends to the fact that they come in a range of different colours and tones that include yellow, pinks and teal amongst other.

Another highly esteemed gem is the Emerald, widely considered the “jewel of kings”, this gem can come in light green through to deeper darker shades. Emerald are also relatively hard with a rating of 8 on the Mohs scale.    

A Ruby can be a dazzling choice for a gemstone engagement ring. Ruby is part of the conundrum family of gemstones that includes Sapphires, which means that is also shares the same level of hardness of 9 on the Mohs scale. Its durability, association of the stone of “love” makes Ruby an ideal choice for an engagement ring.  

The vibrant colour of Aquamarine can make a beautiful choice for a gemstone engagement ring. Offering an impressive level of hardness of 7.5-8 make this gemstone ring suited as an engagement ring. Aquamarine can come in light tones through to deeper blue shades.

At KAVALRI we can work to source you the perfect gemstone that you will truly cherish and all our ring designs can be made to accommodate practically any coloured stone. Simply get in touch with one of your jewellery consultants at our Melbourne or Brisbane showrooms to discuss your ideal gemstone vision and let us help create your own bespoke KAVALRI piece today!