Choosing a gemstone ring: a beginner’s guide

A gemstone ring is a lovely way to wear colour every day, but not every stone is suited to life on your hand. Rings take more knocks than any other jewellery. This beginner's guide to gemstone rings in South Africa explains what makes a stone suitable for daily wear, how the metals differ, and how to look after your ring so it lasts.

Hardness and toughness: the two things that matter

Gemmologists use the Mohs scale to rank hardness, from 1 (talc, the softest) to 10 (diamond, the hardest). Hardness is a stone's resistance to scratching. A harder stone keeps its polish longer.

Toughness is different: it's how well a stone resists breaking, chipping or cracking. Some stones also have cleavage, a tendency to split along a plane if struck hard. A stone can be hard but not especially tough, so you need both to judge a ring.

Gemstone rings for everyday wear

These stones combine good hardness with good toughness, so they cope well with daily wear (with sensible care):

  • Moissanite (9.25): the second-hardest gem material after diamond, and very tough. Moissanite jewellery.
  • Ruby and sapphire (9): excellent toughness and no cleavage, suited to rings worn every day.
  • Amethyst and citrine (7): varieties of quartz, suitable for daily wear; amethyst may need repolishing over time. Citrine jewellery.
  • Onyx, agate and other chalcedony (around 6.5 to 7): tough stones that the International Gem Society describes as durable enough for most jewellery uses. Agate jewellery.

Beautiful, but wear them with care

These are durable enough for rings if you protect them from hard knocks and take them off for vigorous activity:

  • Topaz (8): hard, but it can split along its cleavage with a hard knock. Topaz jewellery.
  • Emerald (7.5 to 8): only fair to good toughness, and often filled with oils or resins.
  • Garnet, peridot and tourmaline (about 6.5 to 7.5): fair to good toughness; avoid hard blows.
  • Tanzanite (6 to 7): fair to poor toughness; GIA suggests keeping tanzanite rings for special occasions. Tanzanite jewellery.
  • Moonstone and labradorite (6 to 6.5): poor toughness with a tendency to cleave; treat them gently. Moonstone jewellery.

Best for occasional wear (or earrings and pendants)

  • Opal (5 to 6.5): soft, with very poor to fair toughness. Choose a protective setting and wear it occasionally. Opal jewellery.
  • Turquoise (5 to 6): soft and porous, sensitive to heat and chemicals. Turquoise jewellery.
  • Larimar (4.5 to 5) and amazonite (6 to 6.5): lovely in pendants and earrings; rings need protective settings. Larimar and amazonite jewellery.
  • Pearl (2.5 to 4.5): very soft and easily scratched. Pearl jewellery.

A protective setting makes a real difference for softer stones: GIA notes that protective settings can play an important role in preventing chips and cracks.

Choosing the metal

Sterling silver

Sterling silver is 92.5% pure silver mixed with other metals, usually copper; that's what the "925" stamp means. It's softer than gold, so it can pick up scratches and dents more easily, and it tarnishes with exposure to air and moisture. Regular polishing keeps it bright. Some silver is rhodium plated, which protects it from tarnish. Browse sterling silver rings.

Gold

Gold purity is measured in karats. Pure gold is 24 karat and is soft; 18K is 75% gold and 14K about 58.3%. GIA notes that 14K and 18K gold, alloyed with other metals for strength, are better suited to everyday wear than 24K. See our gold jewellery.

Gold-plated

Gold plating is a thin layer of gold over another metal. The International Gem Society notes that gold plating wears off easily, so a plated ring worn daily will eventually show the metal beneath.

Every product page at Wanderlust Jewelry South Africa tells you the metal and the hallmark stamped on the piece, so you can see at a glance which you're choosing.

Caring for a gemstone ring

  • Clean most gemstone rings with warm, soapy water and a soft brush.
  • Avoid ultrasonic and steam cleaners for opal, pearl, turquoise, emerald, tanzanite, topaz and moonstone.
  • Take your ring off before showering, swimming or vigorous activity.
  • Store rings separately so harder stones can't scratch softer ones.

More detail is in our jewellery care guide.

Getting the size right

Our size guide has the full South African size chart and a free printable ring sizer. On rings over R2,000, your first resize is free within 30 days.

See the exact ring before you buy

Schedule a video call with one of our consultants to see the exact piece before you buy: WhatsApp us on 068 613 6350. Our founders hand-pick every piece from artisans in India, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia and Hong Kong, alongside pieces made in South Africa.

Ready to choose? Explore our gemstone rings.

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