9 Dazzling Sterling Silver Gemstone Rings
Thinking about giving your special someone a special gift this year? Do you need it to say “I love you” without saying “I’ve won the lottery”?
We’ve got you covered. A sterling silver gemstone ring is a beautiful option, whether it’s for a birthday, holiday gift, or you’re going to get down on one knee and propose
We’ve chosen our very favorite sterling silver gemstone rings to help inspire your search. Stick around for a short guide on choosing the right ring with the best quality and get ready to deliver a fantastic gift!
Sterling Silver Gemstone Rings
1. Opal Sterling Silver Rope Ring
by Blue Nile
The prong setting with sterling silver rope details is perfect for showcasing a brilliant round opal. Delicate yet bold, this ring will light up her eyes as well as her finger.
Metal: Sterling Silver
Gemstone: Opal
Diameter: ⅜ inch
Width: 2.0 mm
2. Palais Bleu Clair Triplet Ring
by James Avery
Inspired by the decor and architecture of the Grand Palais in Paris, this triplet ring is simple and elegant. If you really want to make her jaw drop, give her the full set, including the earrings and necklace.
Metal: Sterling Silver
Gemstone: Milky quartz, mother of pearl, green agate
Diameter: 8.4 x 3.65 x 2.5 mm
3. Opal & Diamond Sterling Silver Ring
by Overstock
This ring would make any girl swoon, but it has special significance if she was born in October. Some say the October birthstone brings good luck and is infused with spiritual energy. We say, when you see the beauty of an opal up close, it’s not hard to believe.
Metal: Sterling silver
Gemstone: Opal and blue topaz with diamond accents
Measurements: 1 ⅞ ct opal, ½ ct blue topaz
Face measurements: ½ x ⅜ inches
4. Corda Cushion-Cut Amethyst Halo Ring
by Blue Nile
This purple amethyst’s rich hue is breathtaking as is, but the white topaz accent stones and sterling rope setting make it pop even more. It’s easy to see why purple gemstones often represent royalty!
Metal: Sterling Silver
Gemstone: Amethyst, white topaz
Height: 8 mm
Width: 2.5 mm
5. Sterling Silver Larimar Ring
One of the lesser-known gemstones, larimar is truly special. The blue larimar featured in this ring is only found in the Dominican Republic, grown as crystals within basaltic lava. How’s that for unique?
Metal: Sterling Silver
Gemstone: Larimar
6. Sterling Silver Natural Emerald Ring
The faceted cut of this oval emerald showcases the brilliance and depth of color in the stone. Emeralds can range in tones from very light to very dark, and we think the deep green of this one is fantastic.
The fleur-de-lis-like setting suits the stone beautifully. It reminds us of something out of a storybook.
Metal: Sterling Silver
Gemstone: Emerald
Sterling Silver Gemstone Rings for Men
Who says a man can’t rock a gorgeous silver gemstone ring? Not us, which is why we made sure to include some here!
7. Onyx Signet Ring
by Tiffany&Co
We hope the signet ring never goes out of style. There’s just something so sharp about a tuxedo with onyx cufflinks and a matching onyx signet ring. That being said, this one is understated enough to make business-casual days look better too.
Metal: Sterling Silver
Gemstone: Onyx
Diameter: 18 x 14 mm
8. Men’s Turquoise Sterling Silver Ring
Another signet ring for the man (or woman) who likes to make a statement. The brilliance of turquoise certainly stands out in a crowd, this ring is bound to attract some attention. And lots of compliments.
Metal: Sterling Silver
Gemstone: Turquoise
Dimensions: 13 x 18 mm
9. Men’s Sterling Silver Lapis Lazuli Ring
by Etsy: SAjewellersStore
Masculine, minimalist, and bold. That’s how we’d describe this lapis lazuli ring for him.
This ring would make an excellent birthday or Father’s Day gift. Also, lapis lazuli is the official gemstone for the 9th year anniversary. So yeah, if you’ve got 9 years of marital bliss approaching, this would make an excellent 9-year anniversary gift.
Metal: Sterling Silver
Gemstone: Lapus lazuli
Guide to Choosing a Sterling Silver Ring
What’s Their Lifestyle Like?
The first thing to consider when shopping is practicality.
Does your recipient have an athletic lifestyle or a job that requires a lot of manual labor? Choose something that’ll be relatively snag-free and with a sturdy setting where the gemstone isn’t likely to come loose.
Are you giving a ring to someone with an exceptionally unique fashion sense? Or who prefers a masculine or feminine aesthetic? There are plenty of sterling silver gemstone rings to fit any personality. You’re guaranteed to find one they’ll love to show off every day.
The Issue With Sterling Silver Allergies
Not everyone has an issue with silver jewelry and most will never develop the rash, redness, or itching that comes with an allergic reaction. If your ring recipient does have those kinds of reactions, however, sterling silver doesn’t necessarily have to be a deal-breaker.
Some people think they have an allergy to sterling silver, but they actually have a nickel allergy.
Any jewelry that has been labeled “silver-plated” is made with a skinny layer of silver covering another base metal like nickel, tin, or brass. Not only does that diminish the quality of the ring, but the silver layer often wears away, exposing the base metals underneath to the skin.
“Silver-filled” rings are created similarly to silver-plated, the difference being the thickness of the silver layer on top. Silver-filled jewelry is of better quality because its bonded silver layer is thicker. However, it’s still no guarantee that the top layer will erode and expose the layers of base metals underneath.
Quality solid sterling silver jewelry should be labeled as such and made with 92.5% pure silver. The other 7.5% should be composed of copper to add to the rings’ durability and strength. You can recognize a ring’s quality by looking for the “.925” stamp.
Solid sterling silver pieces produced overseas may still use nickel rather than copper, as it’s less expensive to add, but pieces made in the US are almost always the silver/copper blend.
Bottom line: Look for the .925 stamp, make sure it’s labeled “solid sterling silver,” do a little research, and avoid imports.
Also, look for pieces labeled “hypoallergenic” or “nickel free.” Even though these labels don’t necessarily have to meet government standards or regulations, the extra layer of reassurance couldn’t hurt.
How to Pick a Quality Gemstone
Quality gemstones and diamonds are graded based on “the four C’s” guide, designated by the GIA, or Gemological Institue of America. (When grading diamonds, the absence of color is most important, while colored gemstones are graded based upon their color details.)
Color: The most critical factor when choosing a quality gemstone, color is measured by the gem’s hue, tone, and saturation.
Its hue indicates the pureness of the gem’s dominant color. The tone is measured by how light or dark the color is, and saturation is the stone’s color’s intensity or purity.
Cut: A well-cut gemstone should showcase the gem’s natural beauty while retaining as much of its weight as possible. Shaping the stone for optimal mounting is another critical factor in the quality of a stone’s cut.
For instance, a quality sapphire is usually cut with facets (much like a diamond) to show off its color, brilliance, and how the natural light filters through the stone.
Stones like opal or onyx are usually cut with a smooth surface to display their opacity. This showcases the gem’s depth and complexity of color.
Clarity: Again, unless the stone is opaque, its clarity is a factor of its beauty. Clarity is measured by how the light reflects through the stone.
Some gemstones’ optimal natural beauty is based in part on inclusions, those internal lines, spots, and other characteristics that refract the light within the stone, making it unique.
Carats: Most of us know that a gem’s weight is measured in carats, and the heavier the stone, the more carats. Perhaps a lesser-known method of measuring a colored gemstone is by its dimensions in millimeters.
A gemstone’s size and weight should be proportionate to the style of its setting for the best quality piece of jewelry.
Add Some Color to The Occasion
Sterling silver gemstone rings are such a classic combo. So classic in fact that the earliest silver and gemstone jewelry can be traced back twenty-five thousand years.
The Egyptians used them to contact their gods and goddesses. Jewelers in ancient China fashioned nephrite jade into beautiful pieces to adorn royalty. Ancient Indian traders exported diamonds, agate, carnelian, and jasper, and healers used gemstones to stimulate the chakras.
Greek and Roman history includes gemstones as amulets and smeared crushed hematite powder on soldiers for strength in battle.
We won’t even go into the history of gemstones in Europe, their uses during the Crusades, or what’s up now in the 21st century (we could write a novel on that fascinating subject).
For now, just know that giving someone special a sterling and silver gemstone ring is a wonderful way to create your own colorful history.
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