Many may consider pearls to be old-fashioned and matronly, but we disagree. This timeless gem adds a vintage feel but can easily be updated to reflect more a modern design.

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Trends come and go, but style is eternal. A pearl engagement ring is the perfect choice for a timeless bride. This classic gemstone is also known as the ‘Queen of the gems’ and can be dated back to 520 B.C. A pearl fragement was discovered in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess, making this stone the oldest known gem to be worn as jewellery.

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The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all revered this gemstone. In fact, the Greek word for pearl can also translate to ‘unique’, in honour of the fact that no two pearls are the same. Pearls quickly became a symbol of wealth and status, and at one point int time, a law was passed allowing only nobles to wear this gem in public.

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Pearls are the only gemstones that grow inside another living organism. They come in various types, which will determine the price. The most rare and expensive is the natural pearl. This type is formed when an irritant like a parasite naturally enters a a bi-valve mollusk like an oyster, mussel or clam. A fluid coats this irritant as a defense mechanism, and continues to deposit multiple layers of this coating until a pearl is formed. 

There are an estimated 8000 different species of bi-valve mollusks, of which only 20 can consistently produce pearls. As a result, natural pears are incredibly rare.

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Cultured pearls are made in a similar fashion, except the process requires human intervention. An irritant like a bead or piece of shell, known as Mother of Pearl, is surgically inserted into the mollusk.  The cultural process takes years to complete. After 3 years, mussels are at a mature stage and are able to receive an irritant either naturally or via implantation. Once there, it take another three years for the pearl to reach its full size. Only 5% of pearls produced are true gem-quality.

Cultured pearls are grown in pearl farms under strict conditions, and fall into two categories: saltwater and freshwater.

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Imitation pearls are typically made of glass beads coated in a solution made from fish scales. It’s easy to tell whether a pearl is an imitation by rubbing it against you teeth. A fake pearl will glide across, while a real pearl will feel gritty.

While this gemstone is most commonly round, it can also come in alternative shapes like pear or baroque pearls.

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Dreaming of a truly unique wedding ring? We might have the stone for you. While emeralds and sapphires are understandably popular, a garnet is a standout choice for the unconventional bride.

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This gemstone is typically red, but can actually be found in almost any colour and even a rare colourless form. It’s name comes from the latin word ‘garanatus’, meaning ‘seedlike’. This is in reference to the pomegranate, as red garnet stones closely resemble the bright red seeds one finds in this fruit.

In Greek mythology, the pomegranate was a gift given as a symbol of love and eternity. Hades gifted his love Persephone with a pomegranate before she left to ensure she returned home fast and safe.

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According to Gem Society, garnet is one of the most complex gemstones in the world as it consists of several species and varieties.

“Unlike minerals such as beryl or corundum that are a single species with colored varieties created by trace elements, garnets come in different species and are never found in their pure state. They are always mixed with other garnet species,” write Gem Society on their website.

“Garnets are called a solid-state series or a blend. Some of these blends have distinct features and are recognized as varieties of garnets in themselves. What makes them all garnets is the same crystal structure and similar properties.”

Garnets were favoured by royalty. Red garnet necklaces adorned the necks of Egyptian pharaohs, and they were even buried with these mummified corpses in their tombs because they were considered prized possessions for the afterlife. In fact, a garnet bead necklace was found in a grave in Egypt that is estimated to date back to 3000 BC.

Garnets have featured in many ancient traditions and legends. In medieval times, people believed garnets could cure depression, protect against bad dreams and even relieve liver disease. Legend says that Noah used a glowing garnet to light the ark during wet days and nights. Garnet was even one of the gemstones on the breastplate of the High Priest, the chief religious official of Judaism from the early post-Exilic times.

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Diamonds are forever, but they’re also expected. Unique, alternative stones have been trending for years as modern brides seek to be different on their big day.

While topaz is an unusual and underrated stone for an engagement ring, it is slowly growing in popularity.

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Topaz is a silicate mineral of aluminium and fluorine. The gemstone ranges in colours from green, yellow, orange to its most common hue, blue. The most popular forms are London Blue and Imperial Topaz. According to the Gemology Institute of America, the colour of the stone depends on impurities or defects within the sructure of the crystal rather than its chemical composition.

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There are conflicting reports on how topaz got its name. Many authorities believe that the stone got its name from the old Greek name of a small island in the Red Sea called Topazios, now known as  Zabargad. While topaz was never produced on the island, peridot was. Many confused peridot for topaz before the development of modern minerology.

Others argue that its name can be traced back to the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit and the word topas or tapaz, meaning “fire.”

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The ancient Greeks loved topaz for its supposed ability to give them strength.

“In Europe during the Renaissance (the period from the 1300s to the 1600s) people thought that topaz could break magic spells and dispel anger,” explains the Gemology Institute of America. “For centuries, many people in India have believed that topaz worn above the heart assures long life, beauty, and intelligence.”

In the 19th century, topaz was restricted for the Russian royal family. The majority of topaz came from the Ural Mountains at the time, and the pink gemstone varietal was mined there in honour of the Russian tzar.

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