Whether you’re looking for budget-friendly alternatives, or just want your ring to stand out from the rest, there are a lot of reasons to consider non-diamond engagement rings. Choosing a stone other than a diamond isn’t to every couple’s tastes, but it does create new opportunities to find a style that suits your needs and tastes perfectly. And once you’re open to the idea of engagement rings without diamonds, the options are seemingly endless.
Whatever your reason is for considering something other than a diamond for your engagement ring, the timing has never been better!
If you and your partner are thinking about breaking with tradition and opting for a gemstone as an alternative, there are plenty of non-diamond engagement ring ideas to consider. Here are some of our favorites!
Lab-Grown Diamonds
First things first, lab-grown diamonds, are REAL diamonds. They aren’t similar or made to look similar, or a replica, or an imitation. Real diamonds are created using the same processes (heat, pressure, etc) that nature uses. As a matter of fact, lab-grown diamonds are rated using the same scale as naturally occurring diamonds, and only can be distinguished from one another using very specialized equipment!
So if a diamond is what your heart desires for your engagement ring, a lab-grown diamond may provide you with a host of wider color and weight options than a mined diamond might! You may be able to find that gorgeous, flashy, and extravagant-looking stone in your price range when you select a lab-grown diamond, whereas you may find yourself settling for a smaller, less perfect stone if you dedicate your budget to the mined variety.
While the diamond engagement ring is a traditional choice, it’s an exciting time to be getting engaged, and an exciting time to be a jeweler! There are so many beautiful lab-grown diamonds to choose from, so we invite you to explore the full range of colors, cuts, shapes, settings, and sizes that are available when more of your budget can be allocated to what you want, as opposed to where the diamond was born!
Sapphire
Though you may not be able to outshine Kate Middleton’s famous 12-carat sapphire engagement ring, you can still emulate the duchess with your wedding set. Since ancient times, sapphires have symbolized honesty, loyalty, and harmony, three timeless traits that are valuable in any marriage.
Sapphires belong to the corundum family of minerals, which have the characteristic traits of being exceptionally hard and long-lasting. Though you probably are picturing these gemstones in a deep, royal blue hue, they also occur in lesser-known colors as well, including purple, pink, yellow, green, orange, brown, black, and even white! However, if you do choose the typical shade for your sapphire, your engagement ring can also take a starring role as your “something blue” on your wedding day.
Sapphires can pair extremely well with many band colors and materials, but platinum and white gold really tend to make them stand out the most intensely.
Ruby
Rubies, because of their brilliant red hues, symbolize the passion of love and the vibrancy of life, making them an excellent choice of an alternative center stone. Rubies are durable, registering 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness. That makes them as resilient as sapphires and only slightly softer than diamonds!
Rubies have long been associated with royalty, wealth, and power. Ancient cultures also revered this blood-red stone as a symbol of protection and believed that wearing the stone on the left would bring a peaceful life. If your loved one chooses to wear their ruby engagement ring on their left ring finger, we hope that you discover this to be true!
Yellow and rose gold settings do a particularly excellent job of bringing out a ruby’s deep, rich hues, though if you and your partner choose a different metal instead, you can’t go wrong with this gorgeous, eye-catching center stone in your engagement ring.
Emerald
May’s birthstone is historically linked with wit, as well as wealth. One of history’s greatest queens, Cleopatra, reportedly decorated herself and her palace with these green gemstones, and also gave them as gifts to visiting dignitaries. Emeralds were also favorites of Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie Kennedy Onassis, and more recently, actress Olivia Wilde has chosen to incorporate emeralds into her engagement ring.
Emeralds look stunning as both a center stone and an accent, and in both white gold and yellow gold settings. One thing’s for sure if you and your special someone choose to go dramatic with an emerald engagement ring, everyone who sees it will be green with envy!
Moissanite
Haven’t heard of Moissanite yet? Don’t worry, you will! Moissanite has been increasing in popularity due to its sparkle, durability, affordability, and the ethical way that it’s created (in a lab). With Moissanite, you can enjoy many of the benefits of a diamond or lab-created diamond, without the price tag or other concerns associated with one.
Aquamarine, Morganite, and Amethyst
Though less durable than the other stones that we have mentioned, depending on how you choose to enjoy your engagement ring, it could be the perfect, eye-catching, classy, and unique engagement ring stone you have been searching for!
Looking for a classic, warm vintage look? Pair it with a gold band. Looking for something icy and bright? Aquamarine looks great with white gold, or platinum too!
Morganite is another unique option that shares similar characteristics to aquamarine. This dusty-rose-colored stone is gorgeous when set with yellow or rose gold, and striking when combined with white gold, silver, or platinum.
Amethysts are the “softest” of the stone that we have mentioned, but again depending on how you choose to wear your engagement ring and the care with which you store and treat it, an amethyst can make a beautiful and affordable alternative to other precious and semi-precious engagement ring stones.
Design Your Custom Engagement Ring Today
If this post has inspired you to go with one of these three stones or any other non-traditional engagement ring ideas, Grogan Jewelers by Lon is ready to help you get creative. Check out our custom jewelry design center to get started on your project, or come visit us in person at our Nashville, Florence, or Huntsville locations.