Are Emeralds Used in Engagement Rings?

Emerald engagement rings are becoming more popular as an alternative to the classic diamond engagement ring. Many women find wearing emeralds more unique as they fit their personality better than diamonds. More celebrities such as Angelina Jolie are wearing emeralds in public which helps spur interest in these green beauties from Colombia.
 
An emerald ring will certainly make a bold statement but a woman should consider her lifestyle before choosing an emerald for use in an engagement ring. Emeralds are very hard gemstones but they are not as hard as diamonds, rubies, or sapphires. If you wear your engagement ring everyday you may want to consider diamonds as a better choice. If you are more likely to wear your engagement ring only on special occasions an emerald would be a perfect choice. If you do plan on wearing your emerald ring everyday a bezel setting would be preferred since it will help protect the edge of the emerald from damage. All other settings would be appropriate for occasional use. We recommend finding the perfect emerald cut emerald first and then designing the engagement ring around it.
 
This will allow you to choose the highest quality emerald for the center stone without being sidetracked from the design of the ring itself. After all, the focus of any engagement ring is the stone rather than the jewelry. The cost of emerald varies greatly depending on the quality and size. The majority of the cost of any engagement ring should be the emerald or diamond. Too often the quality of the gemstone is sacrificed when buying a pre-made emerald or diamond engagement ring. Unfortunately we see more of this as gold prices remain high and jewelers try to compete with lower prices.