What to Consider When Choosing Your Gemstone & Metal
Did you know that rings experience the most wear and tear compared to any other type of jewelry? At Hera we suggest choosing durable gemstones and metals that will last a lifetime - especially for a piece as important and sentimental as an engagement ring.
Mohs Scale of Hardness
Choosing a Durable Gemstone
BOOK A VIRTUAL CONSULTWe’re big fans of science at Hera, so we make our recommendations for gemstones based on the gemological Mohs Scale of Hardness. The Mohs Scale ranks minerals by their hardness and is exponential rather than linear - meaning a 10 is much harder than an 9, which is much harder than an 8.
We recommend choosing a gemstone that ranks at an 8.5 or above for daily lifetime wear (like an engagement ring).
These Gemstones are:
- Diamond (10)
- Moissanite, all colors (9.25 - 9.5)
- Corundum, which includes all colors of sapphire including ruby (9)
- Alexandrite (8.5)
Here’s some good news:
we offer all of these gemstones in lab-grown varieties!
Green Moissanite
CORNFLOWER BLUE MOISSANITE
PACIFIC BLUE MOISSANITE
CHAMPAGNE MOISSANITE
COGNAC MOISSANITE
GRAY MOISSANITE
BLACK MOISSANITE
EMERALD
ALEXANDRITE
TRUE DARK BLUE SAPPHIRE
MEDIUM VIOLET BLUE MEDIUM SAPPHIRE
VIOLET BLUE LIGHT SAPPHIRE
RUBY
PADPARADSCHA SAPPHIRE
PEACH SAPPHIRE
Green Moissanite
CORNFLOWER BLUE MOISSANITE
PACIFIC BLUE MOISSANITE
CHAMPAGNE MOISSANITE
COGNAC MOISSANITE
GRAY MOISSANITE
BLACK MOISSANITE
EMERALD
ALEXANDRITE
TRUE DARK BLUE SAPPHIRE
MEDIUM VIOLET BLUE MEDIUM SAPPHIRE
VIOLET BLUE LIGHT SAPPHIRE
RUBY
PADPARADSCHA SAPPHIRE
PEACH SAPPHIRE
SEE OUR GEMSTONES
IN REAL LIFE:
The Best Metals for a Ring That Lasts a Lifetime
When it comes to picking a metal for your ring, there’s more to the decision than meets the eye. The metal you choose for your ring doesn’t just affect the way it looks, but also durability and maintenance of your piece.
YELLOW GOLD
We’ll start with our bestseller: yellow gold! Almost all gold jewelry is an alloy, or mix of metals, made of pure gold (which is a yellow color) and cheaper, stronger base metals. That’s because pure gold is extremely soft and valuable.
At Hera, we work the most with 14K gold, which is approximately 58% pure yellow gold. This gives a nice rich yellow color from the gold, but there’s enough alloyed metals in there that it’s relatively scratch-resistant.
We also offer 18K gold as a customization option if you’re interested in a richer, buttery gold color - just be aware it’ll scratch more easily and develop an antique patina over time. That’s because 18K gold has a higher percentage of pure gold at 75%.
At Hera, we work the most with 14K gold, which is approximately 58% pure yellow gold. This gives a nice rich yellow color from the gold, but there’s enough alloyed metals in there that it’s relatively scratch-resistant.
We also offer 18K gold as a customization option if you’re interested in a richer, buttery gold color - just be aware it’ll scratch more easily and develop an antique patina over time. That’s because 18K gold has a higher percentage of pure gold at 75%.
ROSE GOLD
Just like yellow gold, rose gold is approximately 58% pure gold. Rose gold gets its signature pink color from copper added to the alloy. Because the amount of copper isn’t regulated, it can vary from jeweler to jeweler. Like with other colors of gold, we primarily work with 14K rose gold to get a nice balance of purity and durability.
Rose gold is a little more difficult to work with than white or yellow gold, and it can be harder to find jewelers who will repair rose gold pieces. We’re happy to resize any rose gold rings you purchase with us, so don’t worry about that - but it’s good to be aware that there could be limitations in repairing rose gold down the line.
Rose gold is a little more difficult to work with than white or yellow gold, and it can be harder to find jewelers who will repair rose gold pieces. We’re happy to resize any rose gold rings you purchase with us, so don’t worry about that - but it’s good to be aware that there could be limitations in repairing rose gold down the line.
WHITE GOLD
So here’s something interesting: there’s no actual thing as “white gold.” White gold is an alloy of pure yellow gold and silver metals. The resulting metal is a light champagne color, and we add rhodium plating to turn the finished ring bright white. (Kinda cool, right?) This plating is usually needed every six months to two years depending on your lifestyle, skin chemistry, and how often you wear your ring.
White gold isn’t as strong as platinum, but it does have a harder surface, which means it stays shinier and scratches less. It’s also a lot lighter than platinum, so folks with sensory issues may prefer white gold.
White gold isn’t as strong as platinum, but it does have a harder surface, which means it stays shinier and scratches less. It’s also a lot lighter than platinum, so folks with sensory issues may prefer white gold.
PLATINUM
In comparison to white gold, platinum is denser and more durable, but its surface is softer. A softer surface means that your ring band will scratch easily and develop an antique patina over time. Platinum does not require rhodium plating to stay bright white, so it’s lower maintenance. That’s because platinum rings are made of 95% pure platinum, which also makes this a great choice for folks with metal allergies.