Let’s face it- when you announce your engagement to family and friends, they expect to see a beautiful diamond on that very special ring finger. And diamonds are very beautiful but also expensive and for some of us, not everything we hoped it would be.
When my now fianc? and I started looking at rings together (I HAD to be part of the decision making process- and I am so happy I did!) I initially thought I wanted a diamond, thanks to the marketing geniuses of the jewelry industry. But after looking in over a dozen stores (and of course online) I became so frustrated- this wasn’t how it’s supposed to be! I tried on ring after diamond ring and NOTHING appealed to me. Plus the outrageous prices made me start to rethink if I even wanted a diamond in the first place. So I started researching alternative gemstones and eventually choose my stunning blue sapphire engagement ring!
Now there’s not much out there on alternative stone types, so I’ve compiled a list of stone alternatives for your unusual engagement ring. I’m hoping this list will help you find the perfect ring, uniquely you!
1. Sapphire– The sapphire is actually the engagement ring stone of choice by British Royalty (Princess Diana’s ring) as well as a handful of celebrities (Penelope Cruz). Sapphire’s come in an array of colors from white (yes white, so you literally can not tell the different between a diamond and a white sapphire), royal blue to pink and yellow. They are also durable stones with a rating of 9 out of 10 on Mohs hardness scale (diamonds are the hardest with a 10 out of 10)!
What we love about sapphires– Sapphires are super durable and they come in all shapes and sizes. Sapphires look gorgeous paired with rose gold, white gold or yellow gold, and we love when they are placed in a halo setting or surrounded by side stones that make them pop.
2. Ruby– Rubies can actually fetch equal if not more than a diamond equivalent in size! Rubies symbolize passion and love, which we think is completely appropriate for an engagement ring and rubies have a durability rating of 9 out of 10. Plus there are many celebrities like Jessica Simpson that sport an exquisite ruby engagement ring!
Why we love them– Fabulous rubies are absolutely timeless and their royal red color has a brilliance like no other.
3. Moissanite– Moissanite gems are the perfect diamond alternative (and no one would ever really know the difference, unless they are a professional jeweler). They have a hardness of 9.25 out of 10 and they have even more sparkle than their diamond counterparts- so much sparkle that some say it’s too much (is there really such a thing?!).
Why we love them– Moissanite are the second strongest gem stone (with diamonds being number one). They have more brilliance than diamonds and they are amazingly affordable. So you can get a ring that looks like $10,000 but is actually only around $2,000!!! If that doesn’t get you excited than we don’t know what will!
4. Alexandrite- You’ve probably never heard of this striking stone. Alexandrite, like rubies, are actually rarer and can be more expensive than diamonds. These stones are like chameleons- depending on the light, the color of the stone can change from a green hue to a red hue and as far as we know, it’s the only gem with this quality. And their durability rating is 8 out of 10. We definitely think they are worth looking into!
Why we love them– We adore their color changing qualities and know that anyone wearing a ring with Alexandrite will be turning heads- in a good way!
5. Topaz– With a variety of colors (from light blue to pink) and a durability rating of 8 out of 10, you cannot go wrong with topaz! Topaz can also be cut into any shape- including more complicate shapes such as a fish (in case you wanted a fish unusual engagement ring!). And did we mention there are a bunch of subcategories of topaz? From mystic to imperial, topaz features unique color combos you won’t find anywhere else.
Why we love them– We love their light blue color that is similar to aquamarine (but aquamarine is not very durable) and their ability to reflect light. And mystic topaz varieties are literally like wearing a lovely rainbow on your hand.
6. Spinel– Wait, what?! We bet you’ve never heard of this charming stone, which is probably because it can pass as a ruby or a sapphire. This stone boasts an array of hues from cobalt blue to sunburst orange. Spinel comes from the Greek work “spark,” in reference to its ultra bright color! Oh, and it’s rated 8 out of 10 on the durability scale.
Why we love them– The color variety is bright, vibrant and extensive. Plus this stone also comes in a stunning purple!! Pair this durable stone with complimentary side stones or in a halo setting for extra bling.