Thinking of proposing? Even if you are buying a ring for an altogether different reason, knowing about gemstones can’t hurt. Here is all you need to know about buying the right gemstone for you, that is appropriate to your cause.

Not all gemstones are equal and that is a fact. The quartz that you use to line your driveway with is the same quartz that you find in jewellery, except that it is in a less pure form. The purer the gemstone, the higher the quality. The higher the quality, the higher the price. Knowing your gemstones means being able to spot a good stone from a bad stone, identify which cut or shape you like, and distinguishing one gemstone from another.

Learning Gemstones by Birth Month

Let’s start with an industry standard. When all else fails and you need to buy a ring as a gift, go for their birth month stone. The correct gemstones for each birth month are:

  • January – the garnet, a deep red stone. There are diverse types of garnets, but all carry the same depth of red. These gemstones are often small and used to frame bigger gems.
  • February – the amethyst, a purple stone. Amethyst goes up and down in value depending on the depth of the purple. It belongs in the quartz family.
  • March – the aquamarine and a turquoise blue stone. Aquamarine is a beryl, a rare stone tougher than quartz.
  • April – the diamond, the hardest stone on earth. Diamonds increase in value due to lack of imperfections. We will cover this momentarily.
  • May – the emerald, a beautiful green stone. Emeralds form in the stone which connects to magma, making them rarer than others.
  • June – the pearl, formed in the mouths of sea creatures. Many expensive pearls are hand-dived, although oyster farms are common nowadays.
  • July – the ruby, a second deep red stone. Rubies come from deep down in the mines. Rubies also form through volcanic action.
  • August – the peridot, a light green stone. Peridot is a solid form of olivine, both found in volcanic regions.
  • September – the sapphire, a brilliant blue stone. Found in the hearts of mountains, this stone relates to purity and wisdom. Priests wore sapphires throughout history.
  • October – the opal, not really a stone at all. The opal comes in all colours. The Aboriginal peoples say that the Gods made the world and trapped all the leftover colours in the opal.
  • November – the topaz. This stone comes in colours from a smoky grey through to watermelon pink and green.
  • December – the turquoise, the most vibrant stone of all.

High Quality and Engagement Ring Gemstone Types

All the above gemstones come in varieties of quality. Look for depth of colour, clarity, and lack of inclusions of dirt or staining in the stone. High-quality gemstones used in engagement rings tend to include diamonds, rubies, garnets, zirconia (an imitation diamond), amethyst, and diamonds. Other stones are less common.

Engagement Ring Gemstone Cuts

Let’s assume you choose a diamond, although these gemstone cuts work across all stones. They include:

  • The princess cut, square with glinting lines on the outside
  • Round brilliant cut, which are round with a flower-of-life shaped cut around the outside
  • A true cut, a square with stepped facets
  • The cushion cut, a large rectangle with faceting
  • The emerald cut, a longer rectangle with stepped facets
  • The oval cut, which emulates the round brilliant with an oval shape
  • The pear cut, which does the same with pear shapes
  • And the heart cut.

Diamond Quality

To determine the worth of a diamond, seek out a professional jeweller for advice. Here at Richard Burton Jewellers, we are always happy to chat to you about differences in gemstone quality. Contact us today or visit our Clacton-on-Sea showroom. Diamonds are forever and we are here to provide.