15 Aug 5 Alternatives to the Diamond Engagement Ring
You’ve finally found your soulmate and are thrilled about proposing to them. That’s great, you might be thinking, but wait till you get to choosing the ring. Now, there’s not much choice there, you might think. It has to be a large, shiny diamond, right? Well, contrary to popular belief, a diamond ring isn’t your only alternative when it comes to buying an engagement ring.
Not all girls are infatuated with diamonds, and they may want you to get a little creative. Besides, buying another stone may cost much less compared to a diamond of the same size.
There are many beautiful gemstone options for you to choose from and you can pick one that is meaningful and signifies your relationship. Read on to find out five alternatives to a diamond engagement ring:
- Sapphire:
While most people associate sapphires as blue in colour, they are found in nearly every colour from yellow, pink, colourless, purple, orange and green. They are a good substitute for diamonds as they have a hardness of 9, second only to diamond. A well cut sapphire adds almost as much show as a diamond if not more from the pop of colour.
- Ruby:
Rubies are another popular choice for engagement rings. They are the “sister” to sapphire as they come from the same mineral Corundum. They can have a brilliant blood-red colour, and high durability, having a hardness of 9. Look for rubies with a rich colour and pay attention to the cut as well.
- Emerald:
Emeralds are precious stones with a rich green tone. They are popular traditional alternatives for diamonds in engagement rings. However, even today, if added to a modern setting, they look timeless and elegant. The Finest Emeralds are mined from Columbia and are prized for their blue green colour.
- Spinels:
Until recently, Spinel was an underappreciated gem with little recognition. Increasing demand for ruby alternatives rekindled appreciation for Spinel’s rich red colour and history. Spinel offers a range of hues, from orange to intense “traffic light” red, vibrant pink and all shades of purple, blue and violet through to bluish green. It has a hardness of 8 making it a great alternative for an engagement ring.
5. Zircon:
Not to be confused with Cubic zirconia, which is a synthesized material, Zircon is a naturally occurring mineral and source of the metal zirconium.
Zircon occurs in many colours, including reddish brown, yellow, green, blue, grey and colourless. At 7.5 on the hardness scale, Zircon is another great alternative for an engagement ring.
Head over to our Facebook and Instagram to see us make some handmade jewellery
