Zircon vs. Tourmaline as a ring stone. Which one do you consider less fragile?

[Cockatiel]

Ok....to answer my own question, I don't wear either as ring stones. I have a sapphire and several spinels which were either damaged during setting, or during wear. And I don't mean loupe-level damage. So you could say I am quite the pessimist when it comes to gemstone durability! I expect damage once a loose gem is set. In fact I kind of expect some level of jeweller-inflicted damage during the setting after a string of recent experiences. Aside from sapphire, chrysoberyl, and spinel I only have some garnet rings that are very very occasional wear pieces. Frankly I am even leery of spinel having chipped three of them, doing I don't even know what...typing at my desk? I am mystified and awed by those ladies that can regularly wear beryls, tanzanite, feldspar, etc and claim to have undamaged gems! Come to think of it, I even broke a jadeite ring by grabbing a doorknob when I was in highschool.

So I have been collecting for years and managed to avoid zircons and tourmalines completely because I know they are too fragile for me to wear. Unfortunately I need to buy either a zircon or tourmaline and mount it in a ring as a gift for someone. She wants the color of blue or blue green zircon or tourmaline. I don't like blue topaz so I did not even show her that lol. I know montana sapphires come in blue or blue green but we are not looking for that grey, steely look. I obviously have no first hand experience with how zircons and tourmalines wear in rings, so I thought I'd start my project by asking about your experience first here. I'd rather get her something that she does not end up destroying in near future, you know. She is also a young girl, not a lot of experience with wearing rings with centre stones and so on, so I am just going to have to make the setting super protective. So what do you think? Zircon vs. tourmaline durability wise.....is there even a meaningful difference?

 

[Nosean]

Synthetic stones?

poor gems...

 

[FinleysMom]

I have a gorgeoius green tourmaline ring that I purchased from Patty Bolz. I saw the ring at a an juried Art show. She had her booth there. I fell in love and bought it. Yes, the tourmaline is easy to damage throught every day wear and incorrect cleaning on my part. Lesson learned. I had the stone replaced by Patty Bolz. It arrived as gorgeouse as the day that i bought it. So, now, I only wear my ring on special occasions.

The ring is still offered on her website. #527

FM

 

[Cockatiel]

I have a gorgeoius green tourmaline ring that I purchased from Patty Bolz. I saw the ring at a an juried Art show. She had her booth there. I fell in love and bought it. Yes, the tourmaline is easy to damage throught every day wear and incorrect cleaning on my part. Lesson learned. I had the stone replaced by Patty Bolz. It arrived as gorgeouse as the day that i bought it. So, now, I only wear my ring on special occasions.

The ring is still offered on her website. #527

FM

Nice ring. Too bad tourmaline is too soft to handle everyday wear, even bezeled in a setting like that.

 

[FinleysMom]

Nice ring. Too bad tourmaline is too soft to handle everyday wear, even bezeled in a setting like that.

Yep..still love the ring....but I rethink my colored gemstone choice these days.
FM

 

[chrono]

If the jeweller is damaging your stones during the setting process, find another bench who has a softer and more skilled hands. Most are used to setting diamonds only.

Very high and open settings are also recipes for gemstone disasters.

 

[chatoyancy]

It does sound like you need another jeweler. My husband had a diamond, black opal and paraiba necklace set for me a couple of months ago. There is no damage. This jeweler can also set sphene. Find someone who specializes in colored gems.