Emerald and Opals: Non Traditional Wedding Stones & Settings

Diamond is the stone of choice for wedding rings. But this summer, many couples are trying something different. Opal and emerald are the two hottest stones riding over a wave of craze for something unique and more colorful.

Opal Rings

Opal is considered as the second line of expensive class of gemstones. The most interesting point about these stones is that no two opals can ever be same. These are the only kind of stones that express all the colors in the spectrum. Don't expect it to be too durable. Besides, opal will require frequent care so that it doesn’t dry off. It starts developing cracks once it dries off. The best way to keep the stone moist is to wear it regularly and it will keep absorbing moisture from your skin. It is however recommended to keep your opal ring protected against extremely dry conditions. If you can take care of opal, there could be nothing more colorful and ‘magical’ than this stunning piece of stone to serve for your wedding or engagement ring.

Emeralds

Emeralds are easily recognizable for their unmatched green hues. They have continued to fascinate human imagination for over four millennia. They have been worn by the kings and queens, from the ancient Egyptian era to the ancient Greeks and more recently by the royal families worldwide. Emeralds are known for their green hues that range from light yellow green to dark green shades. You could even find emeralds with bluish tints. Emerald makes a fear better option for wedding rings as compared to most other stones except diamond. But before you consider choosing these precious green stones for your wedding ring, keep in mind that they needs some amount of care to maintain their looks. You will have to oil an emerald occasionally to retain its luster. Other treatments include ultrasonic effects and steam cleaning.

Setting your Wedding Rings

While emerald and opal are increasingly gaining popularity as alternatives to diamond, the choice of the stone’s setting is another factor to consider for your wedding ring.

Four Prong Setting

Four prong setting is quite popular. It is ideal for rings where you want to shine the maximum amount of light through the stone. In this case the prongs are bent and spaced evenly around the center stone. Besides, four prong setting can be used with different shapes of stones.

Six Prong Setting

Choose 6 prong setting if you want to give more support to the center stone. Then there are multiple prongs that keep the diamond more securely in the place.

Full Bezel Setting

An increasing number of couples are choosing full bezel settings for their wedding rings. As the name suggests, the center stone is encircled fully with the metal. It can be used to fit any shape of stone and provides the best possible protection.

Semi Bezel Setting

While full bezel offers maximum protection, semi bezel allows displaying more of the diamond. It allows light to enter from more angles.

Flush Set

A flush setting provides additional protection to the stone against wear. In this setting the gemstone is kept under the band.

Pave Setting

In pave setting the gemstones are closely set and separated by tiny metal beads. These wedding diamond ring designs can help in enhancing the center stone. Pave with millegrain and channel set are the other options available for setting wedding rings. So if you want to create a unique wedding ring, choose from these different stones and settings. While clear diamond and four prong is the ideal option traditionally, you could also experiment with non-classic options like emerald and opals.