Choose Your Materials

Gold & Gemstones

Gold colours, gemstones and their meaning, cuts, settings and birthstones, to help you choose.

Gold Colours

Every Siaram piece is made in solid 18k gold. Each design can be made in yellow, rose or white gold; yellow is usually in stock, and rose and white are made to order.

18k Yellow Gold

The classic warm gold of most Siaram pieces. 18k means 75% pure gold, mixed with silver and copper for strength.

Look: Warm, rich and timeless; flatters warmer and olive skin tones and layers with everything.

Care: Polish gently with a soft cloth. It keeps its colour for life.

18k Rose Gold

75% gold with a little more copper, which gives its soft pink blush.

Look: Romantic and modern; beautiful on most skin tones and with pearls and pink stones.

Care: Copper makes it slightly harder than yellow gold, and the colour deepens gently over the years.

18k White Gold

75% gold mixed with white metals, then finished with a thin layer of rhodium for a bright, silvery shine.

Look: Cool and crisp; makes diamonds and white stones look even brighter.

Care: The rhodium finish can soften with wear; it can be renewed (re-plated) by a jeweller every year or two.

Gemstones

The most popular stones for fine jewelry, with the meaning traditionally given to each and how well it wears. Hardness is on the Mohs scale, from 1 (softest) to 10 (diamond): stones of 7 or more are the most comfortable for rings worn every day, while softer stones are lovely in earrings and pendants.

DiamondApril

Diamond

Love, strength and eternity

Colourless, also yellow, pink and other rare colours

Hardness10

Everyday rings

Best settingsAny setting. Prong lets in the most light; halo and pavé add extra sparkle.

ZirconDecember

Zircon

Clarity, wisdom and confidence

White (colourless) and black in our pieces; also blue

Hardness6.5–7.5

Everyday rings

Best settingsProng or bezel. A bezel protects the edges in rings worn every day.

EmeraldMay

Emerald

Renewal, love and hope

Green

Hardness7.5–8

Everyday rings

Best settingsBezel, or prongs that cover the cut corners. A halo also protects it.

RubyJuly

Ruby

Passion, protection and vitality

Red

Hardness9

Everyday rings

Best settingsAny setting: prong, bezel, halo, channel or cluster.

SapphireSeptember

Sapphire

Wisdom, loyalty and calm

Blue, also pink, yellow and white

Hardness9

Everyday rings

Best settingsAny setting: prong, bezel, halo, channel or cluster.

PearlJune

Pearl

Purity, grace and new beginnings

White, cream, pink and blue freshwater pearls

Hardness2.5–4.5

Best in earrings & pendants

Best settingsA gold peg and cup (the pearl is glued on a post); bezel for rings.

TurquoiseDecember

Turquoise

Protection, healing and good fortune

Sky blue to green-blue

Hardness5–6

Best in earrings & pendants

Best settingsBezel, as a smooth cabochon.

AmethystFebruary

Amethyst

Calm, balance and clarity

Purple

Hardness7

Everyday rings

Best settingsProng or bezel; bezel for rings worn every day.

AquamarineMarch

Aquamarine

Serenity, courage and the sea

Pale to sea blue

Hardness7.5–8

Everyday rings

Best settingsProng or halo, to show off its pale blue colour.

TopazNovember

Topaz

Strength, friendship and warmth

Blue, golden, pink and colourless

Hardness8

Everyday rings

Best settingsProng or bezel; bezel for rings worn every day.

GarnetJanuary

Garnet

Devotion, friendship and energy

Deep red, also green and orange

Hardness6.5–7.5

Everyday rings

Best settingsProng, bezel or cluster.

PeridotAugust

Peridot

Light, positivity and protection

Olive to lime green

Hardness6.5–7

Rings with care

Best settingsBezel for rings; prong for earrings and pendants.

OpalOctober

Opal

Creativity, hope and inspiration

Milky white or dark, with flashes of colour

Hardness5.5–6.5

Best in earrings & pendants

Best settingsBezel, which protects its delicate edges.

Black Onyx

Black Onyx

Strength, focus and protection

Deep black

Hardness6.5–7

Rings with care

Best settingsBezel or flush, often as a smooth cabochon or flat inlay.

You can also bring a stone you already own; we will check it can be set safely.

Cuts

The cut is the shape a stone is given. It changes how the stone catches the light and how the piece looks on you.

Round brilliant cut

Round brilliant

The most popular cut, made for maximum sparkle.

Oval cut

Oval

A soft, elongated round that flatters the finger.

Princess cut

Princess

A square cut with brilliant sparkle and clean corners.

Cushion cut

Cushion

A square with soft rounded corners; romantic and vintage.

Emerald cut cut

Emerald cut

A long rectangle with cut corners and calm, mirror-like steps.

Pear cut

Pear

A teardrop, round at one end and pointed at the other.

Marquise cut

Marquise

A long boat shape with two points; it makes fingers look longer.

Heart cut

Heart

A romantic heart outline.

Baguette cut

Baguette

A slim rectangle, often set beside a centre stone or in rows.

Cabochon cut

Cabochon

Polished smooth and domed, without facets; used for turquoise, opal and onyx.

Settings

The setting is how the gold holds the stone. It changes how much light reaches the stone, how protected it is and the overall style of the piece.

Prong (claw)

Small metal claws hold the stone and let in the most light; classic for solitaires.

Bezel

A thin rim of gold wraps around the stone; smooth, modern and very secure for everyday wear.

Pavé

Many tiny stones set close together, so the surface looks paved with sparkle.

Channel

Stones sit in a row between two walls of gold, with no metal between them; sleek and snag-free.

Halo

A circle of small stones around a centre stone; it makes the centre look larger and brighter.

Flush

The stone sits level with the gold, almost hidden in the metal; minimal and very protected.

Bar

Stones in a row with a thin bar of gold between each one; open and airy.

Cluster

Several stones grouped together to form one larger shape, often a flower.

Birthstones

A stone for each month, lovely for a personal piece or a gift.

MonthBirthstone
JanuaryGarnet
FebruaryAmethyst
MarchAquamarine
AprilDiamond
MayEmerald
JunePearl or moonstone
JulyRuby
AugustPeridot
SeptemberSapphire
OctoberOpal or tourmaline
NovemberTopaz or citrine
DecemberTurquoise, tanzanite or zircon

Not sure?

Tell us what you have in mind and we will guide you, from sizing to choosing a stone.