Selecting the perfect ring for your beloved might seem like a tedious task, but think of this as a once-in-a-lifetime grand gesture to express your love through something that can be touched and seen. Finding the ring isn’t as difficult as it sounds if you take note of the most important characteristics such as the type of gemstone, gemstone qualities, mounting, and setting.
Let’s look at each of these characteristics in more detail.
Types of Gemstones
There seems to be an agreement among couples that a proposal ring should have a diamond, but this is not the only gemstone you should consider. You can also mix and match different gems if you decide to have a customized wedding ring.
• Sapphire. One of the four precious gems (besides diamond, emerald, and ruby), sapphire comes in other colors besides blue. It’s a hard gem, but not as expensive as diamond.
• Emerald. The luxurious green color can be paired with yellow gold and other gems to create a unique design.
• Ruby. The blood-red tone of ruby is just as attractive as clear diamonds, but the highest quality can be more expensive than the latter. It is getting popular for wedding bands in Singapore due to the colours and pricing
• Pearl. This organic gem can easily tarnish and scratch, but its beauty gives the jewelry a classic, elegant look when set into harder gems.
• Amethyst. This purple gem is durable and can be paired with rose gold, but it’s not a hard stone.
• Turquoise. The pretty color can be paired with other gems for a luxurious ring.
• Aquamarine. A type of beryl stone, aquamarine is tough and clear, and with the right cut, it can be as dazzling as a diamond engagement ring.
• Topaz. The clearer the topaz, the more beautiful and expensive it is.
• Garnet. Besides the signature red color, you can also find pink garnet. They look gorgeous on rings with antique motif.
• Tourmaline. This gem is a mix of different colors and won’t easily scratch, chip or tarnish.
• Opal. Each opal is unique from the other, that is why it’s a perfect gem for a customized engagement ring.
• Moissanite. The clear varieties can look like diamonds with the right cut. They’re also the second hardest gem, but are not as expensive as diamonds.
• Diamond. Not all diamonds are colorless, but colored diamonds are sometimes more expensive than the nearly-colorless varieties.
Gemstone Qualities
When you have decided on the type of gemstone for your wedding rings, you should consider the following qualities while at the jewelry shops in Singapore:
• Carat. This is the unit of measurement for the weight or size of the gem. The higher the carat, the more expensive the gem is, but remember that size doesn’t have to be the most important factor when it comes to choosing rings.
• Color. Gems with the most vivid and brightest colors have the best quality, but are also the most expensive types. Some gems also come in other colors, so the rarer colors tend to fetch higher prices. For an engagement ring, the medium-tone is recommended by jewelers.
• Clarity. All gemstones have flaws, but that doesn’t mean that it’s bad. Some flaws can make the gem rare by changing the natural color, while others can create unique patterns. If you want a gem with no inclusions (the name for the flaws), look for more expensive wedding rings.
• Cut. The cut of the gem can make the inclusions less noticeable or bring out the color of the gem more vibrantly, so it should maximize the brilliance of the gem and the reflection of the light on the surface. Remember that some diamonds can even appear dull when not cut properly.
Gemstone Mounting
The mounting refers to the metal used for the ring band. The following are the most commonly used metals you might find at jewelry shops in Singapore:
• Platinum is very strong, pure, and hypoallergenic.
• Gold doesn’t tarnish, can be cleaned easily, and can be mixed with other alloys to create other colors.
• Palladium doesn’t tarnish and is hypoallergenic and flexible.
• Titanium is hypoallergenic and corrosion-resistant.
• Sterling Silver can have a matte finish and comes in either bright white or grayish white colors.
• Tungsten is scratch-resistant and durable, ideal for wedding rings.
Gemstone Setting
The gem setting refers to the metal form, which has prongs and claws, that holds the gem in place. It is not to be confused with mounting or finding, or the name for the metal. So, why is this important? The setting of the gemstone is determined by the size and shape of the gem so that it maximizes the brilliance as well as prevent the gem from falling off.
These are the types of setting you might see at jewelry shops in Singapore while looking for a wedding ring.
• Four-Prong. It’s ideal for any gem shape because it allows the maximum amount of light to come into contact with the stone.
• Six-Prong. This provides a more a secure setting for the gem than the four-prong type.
• Multiple Prong. Some rings have more than six prongs to show off other qualities of the gem and to make the setting more secure at the same time.
• Full Bezel. The gem is encircled completely by and is set deep into the metal. This setting gives more protection than the prongs and can be used for any gem shape.
• Semi-Bezel. Some parts of the gem are not closed in by the metal, allowing more light to touch it.
• Flush Set. In this setting, the gems are found beneath the bands to protect it from scratches.
• Pave. This setting allows for several gems to be set closely together with only thin beads of metal separating them.
• Pave with Millegrain. The metal edge of the wedding ring is lined with tiny gems to give it a more luxurious look.
• Channel Set. The gems in this setting are set side by side within a groove of the metal band. A proposal ring with this setting sometimes has a center stone.