Before you decide whether or not an emerald gemstone is the right choice for you, consider what the color represents and how durable it is. You want to ensure that every part of your engagement ring will last a lifetime, and that starts with your stone of choice. You should also consider if a lab grown emerald gem is right for you and how they differ from their mined counterparts. Once you consider these essential aspects, you’ll be ready to continue your shopping journey for the perfect simulated lab diamond engagement ring to wear before your wedding and every day after that.
About Emerald Green Engagement Rings
Emeralds have a few defining characteristics when it comes to their appearance and durability, especially when comparing them to a diamond. For starters, genuine emerald stones hold a mesmerizing deep green hue due to their beryl composition, although the color can differ depending on whether you choose an earth-mined or lab-created stone. Earth-mined emeralds often have color variations and can range from a lighter green to a darker transparent shade. These green emerald color variations can affect the price of the stone, making it a little challenging to choose the right one. On the other hand, lab-created emeralds have no color variations but are chemically the same and are more affordable than their mined counterparts. This means that if you are looking for such a rare stone color for your emerald ring, opting for a man made version is better for quality, cost, and environmental reasons.
Another aspect to consider when looking at emeralds is the type of stone cut you prefer. Just as with any cut diamond, the facets of the stone shape you choose will also affect the way its particular hue shines through the green emerald. Both cut and clarity will work together on how transparent your color looks. Step-cut shapes like Emerald and Asscher have clean lines that make the color of vibrant emerald dazzle in the spotlight. Other cuts that contain more facets—such as Round Brilliant and Princess—will make an emerald stone appear a little less clear by nature, even if you opt for good clarity. With these excellent characteristics, you can pair an emerald gemstone with a variety of metal types such as sterling silver, platinum, yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold. As well, various setting styles complement this particular gem, such as solitaire or diamond halo.
Apart from their appearance, both earth-mined and lab-created emeralds are very durable. That is why they made such great stones for everyday adornment like an engagement ring. When looking at the Mohs Hardness Scale, diamonds are the hardest substance on earth and are rated the highest on the scale at a 10. In comparison, emeralds are rated an eight on the scale, meaning they’re not as hard as other gemstones like sapphire and ruby. However, they are still hard enough to be incorporated into a durable piece of fine jewelry.
Emerald Ring Meaning
One of the great benefits of choosing a gemstone as opposed to a diamond ring as your center stone is the additional meaning that it represents.
To begin, emerald jewelry traces back to Cleopatra and her love for the unique green color. She chose to adorn herself with these large carat weight gems as they were said to symbolize immortality, but they also stood for wealth and prosperity. She was also known for giving emerald jewelry as gifts to other royals. In regards to different cultural beliefs, emeralds were even thought to influence power. For this reason, emeralds have been a striking stone to adorn an everyday piece of jewelry in hopes of absorbing these distinct characteristics.
Other than the somewhat outdated symbolism behind the birthstone, they do hold some significant meaning in this day and age. The deep color of green symbolizes growth and peace and carries a calming hue. With these in mind, keeping emeralds close to you in a piece of jewelry or engagement ring may give you good fortune – a similar facet of ruby gemstone. Similar to emeralds, the ruby engagement ring meaning represents love and fortune. The vibrant emerald color itself may hold personal meaning to you or your relationship. It could be that it is your birthstone, or that it was the color of something special on your first date together. No matter the reason behind putting a gemstone engagement ring on your wishlist, it can be an incredibly eloquent ring style.
Top Stone Cuts for Emerald Green Engagement Rings
Now that you have an understanding of emerald green engagement rings and what they stand for, you can shop for the right style. The shape of your emerald center stone is a significant part of the shopping journey and should be decided first and foremost upon meeting with a jeweler. Thankfully, we have multiple different cuts to choose from. From an emerald-cut emerald to a round-cut, you decide which is right for your look. Once you decide on the stone shape and prong style, you can move forward with finding the perfect pre-made setting or creating something more custom from your choice of jeweler. If you find the ideal center stone but don’t see it in the setting of your dreams, reach out to Customer Care and we can assist you with your dream design for your emerald ring.
Here are the top stone shapes for emerald green engagement rings to consider for your prized adornment.
Emerald Cut Emerald Ring
The clean lines of the emerald cut pair perfectly with the look of a green center emerald. Whether worn as a center stone or multiple side stones, it will be the perfect accent for your unique engagement ring. The emerald cut emits long flashes of sparkle due to its staircase-like facets, unlike brilliant cuts that shine all over. This gives the emerald cut a sophisticated appearance that is modern with a touch of chicness.
Princess Cut Emerald Ring
As one of the most popular stone shapes, Princess cut emeralds are classic but still alluring. The simple square shape pairs well with the natural emerald color, creating a vintage look that goes with many different setting styles. Choose an accented shank with colorless stones to add dimension, or keep your style simple with a solitaire setting. Either way, a Princess shape will look stunning.
Marquise Cut Emerald Ring
If you want to go all-out vintage, then consider a Marquise cut emerald. The oblong shape not only makes the natural emerald stone appear larger, but it also radiates vintage flair. Like an heirloom adornment you might see in your family from decades past, a Marquise emerald engagement ring is sure to light up the room with traditional romance.
Cushion Cut Emerald Ring
Cushion cut stones are admired for their unique rounded edges, which gives the shape the unique mix of both the Round Brilliant and Princess shapes. These features make it the perfect shape for an emerald center stone or accents surrounding a diamond engagement ring. If you can’t decide between the two most classic shapes, choose both with a Cushion.
Pear Cut Emerald Ring
This intriguing shape resembles a delicate pear and creates an appealing centerpiece for the perfect engagement ring style. This look can include anything from a halo with colorless side stones around the emerald center stone to an alluring accented style. No matter which design you choose, the finished piece will pair perfectly with your wardrobe.
Oval Cut Emerald Ring
An Oval emerald ring is both modern and dazzling. The shape of an Oval is similar to a Round Brilliant; only it appears slightly stretched vertically. Since the stone rests in the direction of your finger, it makes fingers appear slimmer and your stone appears larger than it actually is. So if you want a modern take on a classic style that elegantly showcases carat weight, an Oval cut emerald might be the right choice for you.
Asscher Cut Emerald Ring
Similar to the Emerald shape, Asscher cut emeralds are known as step-cuts. You can see fine lines that look similar to a staircase, but the main difference between the two is that the Asscher shape is more square in design. This makes the silhouette closer to a Princess shape on the outside, putting the perfect spin on a popular look.
Round Brilliant Cut Emerald Ring
As the most iconic of all stone shapes, Round Brilliant cut emeralds are the most popular. Whether as a brilliant center stone or intricate accent or side stones, the classic shape keeps the design from being too loud. At Diamond Nexus, we can help you find the perfect mix of vintage emerald green and traditional round shape that will ensure it’s in style for years to come.
*Here at Diamond Nexus, we strive to provide valuable information while being clear and honest about our products. The Nexus Diamond™ alternative is a patented lab-created diamond simulation that, among all simulants, most closely imitates the look, weight, and wear of a diamond, with two exceptions – it is absolutely perfect in every way, and it costs significantly less. Price points and environmental facts expressed in this blog were taken from popular online retailers and may vary. Learn more about the environmental impact of mining by visiting our blog.