How to Select an Emerald Engagement Ring

Selecting an emerald engagement ring doesn't have to be too difficult.

Emeralds come from beryl, a mineral that gets its green color from traces of chromium or vanadium. Emeralds are a gem that is easily breakable so you want to keep in mind that you'll need a secure setting when choosing emeralds for an engagement ring. Two keys in looking for an emerald engagement ring are the color and the clarity. While emeralds should be a rich green, they also need to be very transparent to be of the best quality.

Things You'll Need

• Money

Instructions

1. Select the color of the emerald. Most emeralds have a primary hue of green but a secondary hue of either yellow or blue. If you see a light green stone, that is actually a green beryl and not an emerald. True emeralds should have a dark green color.

2. Check the transparency of the emerald to assure a high quality of clarity. The more transparent, the better the emerald and the more expensive the stone.

3. Look for inclusions. The most expensive emeralds have no visible inclusions. Most emeralds do have inclusions (tiny breaks) but they are oiled to give them a smooth appearance. This isn't necessarily a problem in quality, emeralds are fragile so it's easy to find an inclusion. Depending on how much money you want to spend, you will be able to determine how good of an emerald to get.

4. Select a cut for your emerald. The shape of the emerald, round, square or oval will also help determine what type of ring setting to get.

5. Pick a ring setting. You can have your emerald set with other gems, such as diamonds, or place it in a solitaire setting.

References

• "Jewelry Savvy: What Every Jewelry Wearer Should Know"; Cynthia A. Sliwa, Caroline Stanley and Haelyn Lee; 2007
• "Before You Buy an Engagement Ring: With a 4-Step Guide for Making the Right Choice (Schiffer Book)"; Nancy N. Schiffer; 1999
• "Gemstones (Smithsonian Handbooks)"; Cally Hall; 2002
• "Gemstone Buying Guide, Second Edition: How to Evaluate, Identify, Select & Care for Colored Gems"; Renee Newman and Ren'e Newman; 2003