Emerald Engagement Rings

Green and yellow have been some of the hottest colours of 2022 for engagement ring designs, so naturally emeralds have been a favourite choice for centre stones. The colour of emerald green is versatile and can often suit vintage designs. It also pairs well with yellow gold to really bring out the warmer tones in the stone (though rose gold is always a solid alternative). 

Emerald stones don’t have to be cut in an emerald shape, though they absolutely can be. This green beauty shines in many different cuts, including round and oval rings. 

Read on to learn more about emeralds, and how to choose your own green centre stone engagement ring.

Why Are More People Choosing Emerald Engagement Rings?

The colours green and yellow have been very big in engagement rings for the last two years, so it’s really no surprise that emeralds have become one of the “it” gemstones of this year. 

Many celebrities have also chosen this gemstone as the centrepiece of their engagement rings. While Megan Fox’s fantastic emerald and diamond ring caused a massive stir more recently, the precious gem has been a much-loved diamond engagement ring alternative for decades.

We’ve discussed Megan Fox’s distinct toi-et-moi ring before, and its emerald component is truly stunning. Machine Gun Kelly chose an emerald for this ring as it is Megan’s birthstone (May) and the diamond beside it is his (April). As we mentioned, this is common for toi-et-moi rings, as they are designed to represent each member of the couple uniting through a romantic relationship. 

Mined in Columbia, the more than 2ct pear-cut emerald in Megan’s ring is said to have taken over 8 months to source. This is because it is a very clean stone with few inclusions or cracks, which is a rarity among large emeralds. 

Halle Berry’s engagement ring, which she was gifted back in 2012, features a gorgeous 4ct emerald set between two round diamonds. It was gifted to her by French actor Olivier Martinez, who she was married to from 2013 to 2015. 

Halle’s emerald was mined in Muzo, Colombia, and has a beautiful, deep green colour. Her engagement ring was completely hand-made and is said to have had many small symbols significant to the couple carved into the band.

Victoria Beckham also has an emerald engagement ring. Victoria has a whopping 15 engagement rings in her collection, which have been gifted to her by her husband David Beckham throughout their marriage. Her ring collection features an impressive variety of gorgeous stones, and her emerald ring is no different. 

Her emerald engagement ring features a massive, deep-green, cushion-cut stone. The centre stone is surrounded by a sculptural platinum setting, glittering with accent diamonds.

Beyonce is also known to be a big fan of emeralds and is often seen wearing them in music videos and at significant events, such as Obama’s 2013 inauguration. While the singer chose a diamond for her actual engagement ring, she has shown off several impressive emerald rings, necklaces, and earrings during many public appearances.

What Should I Keep In Mind When Choosing An Emerald?

While this green stone can be a popular choice, there are often more considerations when using an emerald in an engagement ring design rather than diamonds. This is because of the nature and crystal structure of the emerald stone, so a few guidelines we suggest include: 

• Make sure you start with expert advice: Emeralds are a difficult gemstone to source and often require an expert eye to find one which will be best. 
• Understand it may be a different buying process: Depending on the size you want, it may take a while to source a suitable emerald, and we generally recommend buying the emerald with the jeweller you’re working with rather than sourcing yourself overseas. Emeralds can also quickly get more expensive than diamonds as you look for larger sizes; they’re difficult to source.
• Learn about emerald as a stone: Your emerald may be soft or brittle due to inclusions, and is much more easily damaged than diamond. If you end up choosing an emerald, it’s best to learn specifically how to take care of it. If you’re planning on wearing your engagement ring every day and want a green centre stone, emerald may not be appropriate.
• Tailor your design: There are cuts for an emerald that are more durable than others, including the emerald cut. Pear and marquise shapes are less than ideal for larger emeralds.

If emeralds are the right stone for you and the design you’re looking for, a jeweller should be able to help you through the process so you’re able to get that ring perfect. 

I Love the Idea of a Green Gemstone, But I’m Not Sure About Emeralds. Are There Alternatives?

If you’re keen on green for your engagement ring but aren’t quite sure about choosing an emerald, that’s ok! Emeralds are gorgeous, but some people might choose to give them a miss due to cost, availability, or concerns about durability. Luckily, there are a number of other gemstones which, while not quite the same as an emerald, can definitely give you the beautiful green hues you are searching for. Check them out below. 

Tsavorite Garnet

Garnets are often thought of as their red, or rhodolite, form. Garnets come in a range of colours from yellow to orange, to red, purple, pink and green. Tsavorite garnet is the green variety.

While slightly lower than emeralds at around 7.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, tsavorite is less prone to large inclusions which typically cause an emerald to be brittle. Tsavorite garnet is also generally more affordable, meaning you may be able to get a better coloured or quality stone for less. 

Tourmaline

Tourmaline is a gem that mimics a number of precious stones (its name translates to “mixed gem”). Most famously, the stone mimics rubies, with Caesar’s Ruby (actually a rubellite tourmaline) going in and out of different royal Crown Jewel collections, including Catherine the Great. 

Chrome tourmaline was often mistaken for emerald. With a rating of 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, green tourmalines are also a great emerald alternative. While they are slightly more prone to scratching, they are durable and can be worn every day if treated with care.

Sapphire

Sapphires are very versatile gemstones and come in a complete rainbow of colours – not just the popular royal blue commonly associated with the gem. 

Sapphires are part of the corundum mineral family, which also includes ruby. Corundum has a hardness of 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, meaning that it is second only to diamonds and is more durable than the much more fragile emerald. A green sapphire is a great choice if you want to have a locally and Australian mined gemstone. Australian varieties come in blue-green, green-blue, and yellow-green among some other varieties. Typically, they have more of an olive-green hue. Sapphires that are a true emerald green colour are very, very rare.

With the right design, emerald can be an amazing stone for an engagement ring, yet it’s not always the appropriate choice for your lifestyle or the ring design itself. Green centre stones are a stunning, unique choice and there are a number of options beyond emeralds when it comes to getting that just-right shade of green you’re looking for. Whatever design or style you’re considering, there should be a green gemstone variety to suit.