Diamonds are the traditional choice for engagement rings and adored by many, but if diamonds aren’t your thing (or the price isn’t) you might be considering some alternatives.
What Other Stones Can Be Used for Engagement Rings
Essentially any gemstone can be used for engagement rings! If you or your partner love a certain gemstone, that reason should trump tradition, so explore non-traditional engagement rings and more colourful gemstone engagement rings if you want don’t fancy diamonds.
The British royal family is known for their love of blue sapphire engagement rings whilst celebrities such as Halle Berry have opted for green emeralds. If your Victoria Beckham, you can have it all, as the Spice Girl is able to choose sapphire, emerald and ruby rings from her collection of an astonishing 15 different engagement rings, gifted over her 24 years of marriage to David Beckham.
These gemstones might seem like more well-known or traditional choices to you and you would be correct in thinking so. As a general rule, stones are distinguished by their quality, rarity and beauty into ‘precious’ and ‘semi-precious’ categories. Diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies the only ‘precious’ gemstones, making everything else ‘semi-precious’. Whilst ‘semi-precious’ gemstones are in no way less beautiful or valuable, precious gemstones are generally rarer and may carry a weightier price tag.
If you or your fiancé is anything but traditional, why not try a stunning semi-precious ring like this stunning baguette cut tourmaline. Traditional engagement ring in cut but not colour, such tourmalines of this colour are becoming increasingly difficult to locate. At almost 5 carats, this 1950’s tourmaline ring certainly makes an impact.
Taking Care of Alternative Stones
Precious gemstones are also ranked so highly due to the stone’s hardness. The Mohs Hardness Scale is used to measure gemstones against a scale. Diamonds have a hardness of 10, considered the hardest material gemstone, with ruby and sapphire ranking 9 and emerald following around the 8 mark. Semi-precious stones such as opals and pearls are considerably softer and less durable in comparison.
We recommend keeping your lifestyle in mind when choosing an alternative stone, as some will need to be worn with a bit more care. However, with reasonable care they can make beautiful and lasting bridal treasures. Ariana Grande has a simple yet elegant luminous diamond and pearl engagement ring that suits her perfectly.
What Stone Is the Best Substitute for Diamonds
Now we’ve explored diamond alternatives let’s talk diamond substitutes. A great diamond substitutes such as cubic zirconia is a popular substitute, they are considerably less expensive than a true diamond. Whilst cubic zirconia is denser than diamond and heavier in weight, their main let down as a diamond substitute is their durability. Cubic zirconia is less durable and more likely to chip, so if you’re planning on wearing your ring every day, as most do, be wary of looking after it.
Lab-made moissanite offers similar durability to diamonds as its ranks closely on the mohs hardness scale. It is also thought that lab-made alternatives are considered to be eco-friendly, as no earth was disturbed for mining or manufacture.
What Is the Cheapest Diamond Alternative?
If you’re in love with diamonds but not the price tag, the biggest pro of diamond alternatives is that they generally cost less. Cubic zirconia is generally considered the cheapest alternative if you want a similar look to the diamond, or if you’re swaying towards a gemstone, softer gemstones (remember the hardness scale) such as opals or amethysts might cost you less. Of course, it’s good to consider what’s important to you or your fiancé! If size matters, consider that you could spend less and get something considerably bigger depending on what gemstone you choose. Even if your heart is set on a true diamond, a good rule to remember is the compromise of the 4Cs when shopping for engagement rings: cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. At AC Silver, all of our pieces are priced accordingly to the 4cs to give you the best option. If your heart is set on a high colour graded diamond but don’t love the price, compromise on carat weight or cut.
Hopefully this guide helps you learn more about the best alternative stones for engagement rings.
