Which gemstones are good for wedding rings?

Whether you’re colour crazy, looking to throw some shapes or just want to add a little sparkle, there’s a stunning array of options when it comes to adding gemstones to wedding rings.

Your wedding ring will most likely be worn day in, day out, so durability is a key factor in deciding which gemstones to include, however, it’s not a dealbreaker and gemstones can always be replaced. In this piece we’re going to touch on durability, colours, setting style, stone shape and which metals you can go for.

Durability

Gemstones are rated using a scale known as the Moh’s scale and as you probably know, diamonds are the hardest naturally occurring substance on earth, measuring a 10 on the scale.

This means that diamonds can stand up to the daily wear and tear that comes with being part of an engagement or wedding ring. They rarely break or chip so you can set and forget, leaving you free to enjoy all that married life has to offer.

Rubies and Sapphires come in at 9 on the scale and although this means they are softer than diamonds, these are a great choice for wedding rings too. Rubies are red but sapphires can come in pretty much any colour and are the best option for adding a splash of colour to your wedding ring.

All other gemstones come with a bit of a health warning. Don’t get us wrong, we love coloured gemstones and there are hundreds of fascinating varieties out there but anything that measures less than a 9 on the scale will wear and potentially become damaged affecting the look of the stone and the ring overall. This being said, they can always be replaced and if you have your heart set on a super sparkly demantoid garnet or a deep purple Amethyst then who are we to say no?

If you're taking part in one of our make your own wedding rings workshops then we can discuss any gemstones you would like to include in your ring. We have some coloured stones in our collection however if it’s something we don’t have, we’ll have to order them in.

Colour

Diamonds are the most popular gemstone to include in a wedding ring and the versatility of these sparkly little bits of carbon owes a lot to their colour (or lack thereof.)

Whilst you do get coloured diamonds, the vast majority of them are ‘white’ making them a neutral option and adding sparkle and brilliance rather than colour.

However, if colour is your thing then there are plenty of options. As mentioned before, sapphires and rubies are best from a practical point of view and this doesn’t mean that you are limited to red or blue. Sapphires come in a full range of colours from pastel purples to vivid oranges, yellow and green so you should be able to find a colour you love.

There’s not much in the way of convention when it comes to gemstones in a wedding ring. Pretty much all wedding rings used to be plain gold and people adding gemstones of any variety is a relatively modern phenomenon so don’t feel constrained by tradition. Follow your dreams and go with whatever makes you happy.

Metal colour

This being said, some colours do combine better than others so you might want to think about this when choosing the metal and gemstone combinations.

Diamonds look great in white, yellow, rose gold and platinum whilst coloured gemstones have been traditionally set into yellow gold

Stones with pink hues such as pink sapphires, rubellites, morganites etc are often set into rose gold as this colour backdrop compliments these stones well.

With all this being said, there’s no such thing as the jewellery police so if you want to go for an ‘out there’ combo then go for it.

A style that has been popular since the mid-20th century is alternating diamonds and coloured gemstones. This allows you to combine a coloured gemstone of your choice, perhaps a birthstone, with diamonds.

Shape

There are a huge number of gemstone shapes that gemstones are cut into and there’s no reason you can’t incorporate a number of different shapes into your wedding band. The most popular shape stones are round brilliant cuts and this is pretty consistent across all types of stones.

Setting

How gemstones are set has a big effect on how your ring looks. There’s various types of gemstones setting

If you are taking part in one of our wedding ring workshops then we can incorporate some kinds of gemstone setting into your ring however not all and the extent to which you can be involved in the setting process may be limited.

Setting is probably the most precise and specialised of all the processes involved and is almost the last process, meaning that if it goes wrong it can ruin all of your hard work.

Setting that cannot be done on the day will be completed and your rings delivered to you within 2 weeks.

Gemstones come in all kinds of shapes (and sizes) and you can incorporate any number of these in a single ring.

To conclude . . . . . . .

From a practical point of view diamonds are the way to go for stress-free daily wear but sapphires and rubies are good too. Dont worry if you want a colour other than red or blue, sapphire come in a wide range of colours.

When it comes to colour, go with whatever makes you happy. Same with shape and setting styles.