Tips for Choosing a Non-Traditional Stone for An Engagement Ring

“Diamonds are girl’s best friend” it may be true to many women out there, but not all of them are mesmerized by diamond rings.

Generally, engagement rings feature a shiny diamond as the center stone or diamonds all around the ring. Diamond has long been a symbol of timeless love, commitment, longevity, and it signifies a deep love between two people, making them a prominent and coveted engagement ring stone.

However, despite it being a majority’s superior choice, it doesn’t require a ring to have a center diamond to make it beautiful. Modern bride-to-be prefers a pop of color that another gemstone provides. It’s becoming acceptable and practical to save money by choosing a less-expensive-than-diamond stone and embracing a break in tradition.

Choosing other stones besides the diamond doesn’t mean any less importance or love for your partner. You can still pick from numerous precious stones with very close qualities to a diamond. If you are looking for a list of “what kind of ring do I like” for my fiancé, here are some of the popular and best alternatives stone rings.

1. Emerald

Emerald is a birthstone for May, along with rubies, sapphires, and diamonds. This green stone looks just as gorgeous in a contemporary ring setting as a more vintage style ring. This is a classic choice for an engagement ring. The best quality emeralds reach an 8 on the Mohs scale. While an emerald cut is the go-to for its namesake stone, a brilliant-cut emerald is equally dazzling.

Emeralds are softer than diamonds, rubies, and other stones, so be careful which setting you choose.

2. Sapphire

Are you looking for what kind of ring do you like for your partner? Sapphire is another classic option for you. The stone is mostly associated with rich blue, but it can come in a host of colors like green, white, pink, peach, purple, and even yellow. Sapphires are believed to promote quietude and symbolize faithfulness.

Sapphire, scoring 9 on the Mohs scale, is as hard as emeralds or rubies. It is very durable, making it a suitable option for a ring that’s all about everlasting love but is a more affordable but equally precious diamond substitute.

Don’t you know that Princess Diana chose her 12-carat sapphire ring from a jewelry collection available to the common folk? Yes, but it’s still arguably the most well-known engagement ring ever—especially now that Kate Middleton is sporting it.

3. Moissanite

Are you or your girlfriend is into horoscope or phases of the moon? This could be the stone for you.

Upon its discovery in the 1800s, Moissanite was mistaken as a diamond. Natural moissanite is super rare because the pure gemstone literally came from space à la meteorite. The moissanite used in rings today are mostly lab-created.

It is at 9.5 on the Mohs scale, so it is nearly as hard as a diamond and can be cut well enough. This shiny white stone is often used as a substitute for a diamond in engagement rings. It has almost similar sparks with diamonds. It was this stone that innovated many of the man-made gemstones we use today.

4. Lab-Grown Diamonds

Although this doesn’t sound like a diamond alternative, these lab-grown diamonds are usually 15-20 percent cheaper than your traditional diamonds. Chemically, they are exactly the same with natural diamonds, but the most significant difference is that they aren’t billions of years old and weren’t found in a mine. Graded precisely the same way, means they are as gorgeous and as hard as the natural ones. Your girlfriend won’t ask you anyway if it’s a natural or lab-grown diamond.

5. Rubies

Rubies are synonymous with luxury jewelry and can actually be just as expensive as diamonds. It is as durable as diamonds as it is at 9 on the Mohs scale, so it’s worth taking your time in selecting a quality stone. This vibrant red precious stone is a fitting engagement ring gemstone. Choose a vibrant red hue and as clear stone as possible. Don’t forget to ask if the stone has been heat-treated to improve its color, and the jeweler is obliged to tell you if it has.

Sarah Ferguson had a ruby engagement ring from Prince Andrew. Mark Zuckerberg proposed to his girlfriend with a three-stone ring with a ruby at the center flanked by a diamond on each side. Rubies with rich red color symbolize passion and love.