Ruby or emerald: which gemstone to give this Christmas

Red or green is the first decision in our Christmas collection, and it is not only a question of taste. Ruby and emerald are different minerals, wear differently and suit different pieces. Here is how to choose between them for a gift.

What they are

A ruby is corundum, the same mineral as sapphire, colored red by chromium. An emerald is beryl, colored green by chromium and vanadium. Ours are lab grown: the same chemistry, hardness and color as mined stones, grown in a controlled environment, which is why a 1.00 ct ruby can sit in a 14K gold halo ring at $1,550 rather than many times that.

Hardness and where each stone belongs

Ruby is 9 on the Mohs scale, second only to diamond. It shrugs off daily wear, so it is the better choice for a ring or a bracelet that will be knocked about: the oval ruby halo ring, the ruby station necklace, the ruby and emerald vine bracelet.

Emerald is 7.5 to 8 and more brittle than ruby, so it prefers to hang rather than sit on the hand. Pendants and earrings are its natural home: the emerald interlocking circles pendant, the pear emerald diamond drops, the emerald bezel studs. We do set emerald in rings, in a protective three stone and halo design, but if the gift is for someone who gardens, lifts or works with her hands, give emerald at the ear or the collarbone and ruby on the hand.

Color and metal

Ruby reads warmest in yellow and rose gold and sharpest in white gold and platinum, where the red sits against pure white. Emerald looks richest in yellow gold, which picks up the warm side of the green, and coolest in white metals. If she wears mostly gold, either stone works; if she wears mostly silver or white gold, ruby gives the stronger contrast.

Birthstones and meaning

Ruby is the July birthstone and emerald the May birthstone. For anyone born in those months the gift carries a second meaning; for everyone else, red and green are simply the colors of the season, and both wear just as well in July.

What each costs

Every design comes in sterling silver, 10K and 14K gold in white, yellow and rose, and platinum; the stones are the same in every metal. In silver: ruby half heart studs $210, ruby butterfly diamond studs $370, heart ruby diamond halo pendant $310, emerald and pear diamond toi et moi bracelet $270, emerald interlocking circles pendant $345. In 14K gold: ruby bezel studs or emerald bezel studs $530, holly berry studs with both stones $605, pear emerald diamond drops $1,190, heart ruby diamond halo pendant $1,380, oval ruby halo ring $1,550, emerald cut emerald three stone ring $1,750, pear ruby diamond drops $1,640. Matching pendant and earring sets run from $780 in silver to $4,260 in platinum.

If you cannot decide

Three designs carry both stones: the holly berry studs, the ruby and emerald butterfly studs, and the ruby and emerald vine bracelet, with rubies as the berries or body and marquise emeralds as the leaves or wings. They are the most Christmas of the collection without reading as decoration.

Care

Warm water, a drop of dish soap and a soft brush for both. Keep emerald away from ultrasonic cleaners, steam and sudden heat; ruby tolerates all of them. Store pieces separately so the harder stones do not scratch the softer ones. Every diamond accent is a lab-grown diamond from our own reactors; accent diamonds are under 1 carat and not individually certified, while single diamonds of 1 carat and above, such as the 2 ct center of the oval starlight solitaire, come with an IGI certificate.

Order-by dates

Every piece is made to order in 3 to 4 business days and shipped free and insured worldwide. Order by Thursday, 10 December in the US, or Friday, 4 December for international delivery. Standard pieces can be returned within 30 days of delivery; resizing a ring is free within 30 days.

Shop the pieces in this guide

14KT White Gold Oval Ruby Halo Ring
From $1,550 14KT Yellow Gold Emerald Cut Emerald Three Stone Ring
From $1,750 14KT Yellow Gold Holly Berry Stud Earrings
From $605 14KT Yellow Gold Ruby Emerald Vine Bracelet
From $1,340 14KT Yellow Gold Pear Ruby Diamond Drop Earrings
From $1,640 14KT Yellow Gold Emerald Bezel Stud Earrings
From $530

Shop by stone and type: Christmas rings, earrings, necklaces and pendants, bracelets and gift sets, or read the collection explained.