Tips for Setting Emeralds in Jewelry

One of the four main precious stones, emerald represents hope and renewal. Along with being the May birthstone, emerald is also the gem for celebrating 20^th and 35^th anniversaries. Emeralds have been prized for centuries by royalty—and the rest of us. The value of an emerald is determined by its color, clarity, and size, with larger and more brilliantly colored stones being the most prized.

They are rare, beautiful, and durable enough for everyday wear once set. However, while emerald rates 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale of hardness, it can be a tricky stone to set. We asked some experts to give us their best tips!

Worth the Risk

Instructor and jewelry artist Alex Boyd confesses, “I have a love/hate relationship with emeralds. I love the pure green they can provide and the fact that almost everyone understands that emeralds are something special, so I don’t have to educate clients on why work with emeralds requires a certain price point.”

“I’m less keen on how easy they are to chip or break. It’s odd that they are beryls just like aquamarines, but I rarely break an aquamarine. I’ve broken emeralds just by looking at them. When everything works out though, the risk is definitely worth the reward.”

Go Easy on Emeralds

Jewelry designer Kristen Baird says, “Be extra careful when setting emeralds! The stones are so soft and delicate, and I’ve sadly chipped my fair share by accident. Opt for thinner bezels and prongs that are sturdy but not massive, and perfectly tailor them to the size and cut of your stone. I recommend using 18K yellow gold for its buttery softness and setting the stones gingerly, without rushing or applying undue pressure.”

Emeralds have a hexagonal crystal structure and often come in short rectangular pieces of rough. This shape lends itself to the classic 3×2 proportion, which is such a common shape that it’s now known as the “emerald cut,” although emeralds are cut into a variety of shapes. Brazilian Emeralds image courtesy of Columbia Gem House. 

Shape the Seat

Columbia Gem House has recently introduced gorgeous fair-trade stones from their newly established, responsibly sourced, Brazilian emerald. They recommend that if you’re working with emeralds, particularly with small rounds, then you will want to check how deep the bottom of the gems are cut.

Deeper cut bottoms can be more challenging to set, so you might need to use a ball burr to cut the seat. In the case of a round brilliant cut stone with a deep bottom, they recommend using a standard heart burr.

Emerald Lore

According to the gemstone experts at GIA, legends endowed the emerald wearer with the ability to foresee the future when emerald was placed under the tongue, as well as to reveal truth and be protected against evil spells. Emerald was once also believed to cure diseases like cholera and malaria. Wearing an emerald was believed to reveal the truth or falseness of a lover’s oath as well as make one an eloquent speaker.

Using Emeralds in Your Jewelry

Emeralds are a stunning gemstone with a rich history and unique beauty, making them an excellent choice for creating one-of-a-kind birthstone jewelry. As the birthstone for the month of May, emeralds are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, and shades of green.

Jewelry artists can select high-quality stones and create designs to highlight their unique beauty. This allows for endless possibilities when designing birthstone jewelry, from delicate earrings to bold statement necklaces and beyond.

What will you make with emeralds?