An alternative to the diamond engagement ring that has gained in popularity is the emerald engagement ring. Many women find wearing emerald more exotic and that 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.
 
Although emerald engagement rings make a bold statement one should consider whether it is the right choice for your lifestyle. 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 wear. We recommend finding the perfect emerald cut emeralds first and then designing the engagement ring around it.
 
This will allow you to choose the highest quality emerald for the main 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 emeralds varies greatly depending on the quality and size. The majority of the cost of any engagement ring should be the emerald or diamond. Often the quality of the gemstone suffers when you buy a pre-made engagement ring. This is especially true now when gold prices are at all time high and jewelers try to stay competitive with their pricing.

Changing Mindset