Pearl Engagement Rings

Pearl engagement rings were very popular in earlier times. It was in the late 19th century that diamonds began to be popularly used in jewelry. Extensive marketing by De Beers led us to believe that if it’s an engagement ring then it has to be diamond engagement ring. (You may like to read about diamond history).

However, pearl rings have back in fashion. So, if you are looking to choose from diamond alternative engagement rings, then apart from gemstone engagement rings, ring made of pearl will also be a good option for you.

Peach Pearl Garnet (left) and Tahitian Pearl (right) Engagement Rings

Meaning associated with Pearl Rings

For centuries, pearls have been used for adornment purpose and used as June’s birthstone along with alexandrite.

It elegantly blends with all outfits - from jeans to an evening dress - and it has always been the symbol of class, purity and mark of taste.

With the awareness of conflict diamonds, nowadays people are increasingly opting for diamond alternative engagement rings and if you want something sober and classy then think no further than a pearl ring.

If your fiancee has her birthday in June then a pearl ring can be a very good choice. Also, if you are proposing in June or planning your wedding in June, then this fabulous engagement ring will look very symbolic and meaningful.

Varieties

Pearl comes in different shapes and sizes and in variety of colors - from pure white to pink, yellow, gray, black, blue, green, orange, brown, purple and multicolor. You can also experiment by combining your and your love's respective birthstones.

There are actually two types of pearls:

• Saltwater - It comprises of Akoya Pearl and Exotic Pearl (White South Sea Pearl and Golden South Sea Pearl). Its another popular variety that entered the market in 1990’s, is the Tahitian Pearl (also called "Black Pearl"). Tahitian variant is quite in trend and its popularity is growing by day.
• Freshwater - It is comparatively less popular in engagement ring due to its irregular shape. But if your "love" has a unique taste of jewelry, you can create a handmade unique engagement ring with irregular shaped pearl.

Pearl Ring Settings

Pearl provides flexibility in the sense that you can create a vintage looking engagement ring or even contemporary engagement ring with it. However, remember that pearl rings are most safe in a bezel setting.

You can also have small diamonds in pave setting or prong setting around pearl. This way you will have a diamond engagement ring but with a totally unique look and at much lesser price!

Things to Remember

Pearl is very delicate and on Mohs Scale of hardness, it is rated in the range 2.5 – 4.5 (diamond is rated as 10). It’s an important fact that you should know before buying a pearl ring. So, utmost care should be taken while wearing, handling and cleaning it to avoid scratches.

If your fiancee has an extremely active lifestyle then I would NOT suggest a pearl ring, as this jewel cannot bear rough handling.

I’m listing few precautionary measures that should be taken to ensure safety, durability and luster of pearl rings:

• Avoid bumping against hard objects and surfaces.
• Avoid wearing pearl ring at the time of shower, swimming, gardening, dish washing or during any sports activity. Basically avoid any activity that may be harsh on your ring.
• When you are not wearing your pearl engagement ring, wrap it in a satin cloth and store it separately to avoid scratches from other jewelry pieces.
• Only use appropriate jewelry cleaners for cleaning your pearl. Never use an ultrasonic cleaner, steam-cleaner, detergents, bleaches, powdered cleansers, baking soda, or ammonia-based cleaners.
• Never use tooth-brush or abrasive materials to clean pearl engagement ring.

Before buying pearl engagement ring you must know how to differentiate between Natural and Cultured Pearls. In order to avoid appearing as a lay person in front of your jeweler, you should know the difference between natural and cultured pearls.

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