Executive Summary

Although diamonds are the most common stone used in engagement rings, they are not the only ones that are used or can be used. There are many other gemstones that can serve the same purpose. Some of these stones are as beautiful, brilliant, fiery, durable and as expensive as diamonds. While some others are not as durable, brilliant or expensive, but are able to serve the same purpose in an engagement ring. These alternatives to diamond engagement rings are as follows:

Emerald: A valuable and durable stone with vivid color saturation ranging from bluish green to pure green. It has a traditional step cut shape like emerald diamonds but can also be found in modern shapes too.

Sapphire: Known to promote tranquility and symbolize faithfulness. This beautiful stone with differing colors such as blue, white, pink, orange and yellow, was popularly used in engagement rings in the last century.

Moissanite: Discovered by French scientist Henri Moissan, its crystals are made of silicon carbide. It is an extremely rare occurrence, so much of what you will see are made in the lab. But it has a similar appearance to diamonds and are cheaper.

Lab-grown diamonds: They are also diamonds, but are made in the lab. They have the same physical and chemical properties are natural diamonds but are 15-20% cheaper.

Rubies: Very expensive but very beautiful stone. They are usually flawless and are very durable, with a hardness rating of 9.0 on the Moh’s scale.

Morgaite: They are way cheaper than diamonds and are also very beautiful with a high clarity. They are also durable with a Moh’s rating as high as 8.0.

Opal: Beautiful and soft gemstone said to be a symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. It is however a soft stone rated 5.5-6.5 on Moh’s scale.

Pearl: Rare and natural stone said to symbolize loyalty, purity, perfection and innocence. To maintain it, clean regularly.

 

Introduction:

“Diamonds are forever.” This popular slogan is the reason why many people have settled for diamond engagement rings for many decades now. The diamond industry has also ensured that this narrative is pushed and diamonds are the popular choice for engagement rings. However, there are many other alternatives to diamonds that can also portray an everlasting love between the couples.

The reason diamonds are so popular for engagement rings is because, they are very rare, beautiful and extremely durable, and the fact that they are diamonds! Unarguably, the most precious gemstone in the world. There are however, many other beautiful gemstones with similar beauty and brilliance to diamonds, and at cheaper prices. Some of these gemstones even typify love, passion, faithfulness, loyalty, etc. which are very much the foundations on which a successful union is built.

These alternative gemstones are not far-fetched. They are in fact, the very popular gemstones and characteristics similar to diamonds. They are described below:

Emeralds

Emeralds have always been valued throughout history and are considered one of the most precious stones on earth alongside others such as diamond, sapphire and ruby. They make very beautiful alternatives for diamond but you have to be careful the kind of setting you are placing them in because they are softer than rubies, diamonds, and other precious stones. It has the same shape as the emerald diamond (as the diamonds are cut after this shape). But you can also find them in modern shapes. Emeralds of the highest quality have a very vivid color saturation that may range from bluish green to pure green.They are not as hard as diamonds but they are quite durable as well, with a rating of 7.5 on the Moh’s scale. Unlike diamonds, you do not need a 10x magnification to evaluate emerald clarity grade, it can be graded with just the naked eye, as there are often inclusions in the stone. It works well with a white gold or yellow gold setting. This stone dates back to ancient times, during the Egyptian civilization in 3500BC. According to legends, emerald gives its wearer the ability to see the truth and foresee the future, and also to protect against evil and cure diseases.

Sapphires

These stones are said to be a symbol of faithfulness and also promote tranquility. So, one way to you show your partner that you are ready to commit to them and be faithful to them forever is to buy them a sapphire ring as an alternative to diamond rings. Little wonder they used to be the go-to mineral for engagement rings before the twentieth century when diamond became prominent for engagement. Apart from what this stone symbolize, it is also beautiful. This stone contain trace elements such as iron and titanium, which gives the stone its magnificently beautiful color. It typically has a royal blue color but can also come in other colors such as white, pink, orange, green or yellow. These fancy sapphires are a brilliant choice for people looking to get their wives something extraordinary. Very much like diamonds, they are also very durable, with a rating of 9.0 on the Moh’s scale. This makes them ideal for people who work tediously with their hands or those that slam their hands against their drawer regularly.

Moissanite

This gemstone is literally from space. It was first discovered by French scientist Henri Moissan, in 1893, who was later awarded the Nobel Prize in chemistry. They were first thought to be diamonds until the crystals were determined to be made of silicon carbide. It is extremely rare to find a naturally occurring moissanite, so, you are more likely to come across the lab created moissanites. They are almost as hard as diamonds, with a rating of 9.5 on the Moh’s scale, they are the second hardest mineral after diamonds. They also shine better and are cheaper than diamonds. They can also be cut so perfectly to fool everyone that it appears like a diamond ring. This makes moissanites super ideal alternatives to diamond engagement ring.

Lab-Grown Diamonds

You can easily judge these diamonds from their names. They are synthetic, man-made, and artificial, but they very much have the same qualities as the naturally occurring diamonds and are very ideal replacements. The fact that they are 50% cheaper than natural diamonds but they have the same physical and chemical characteristics makes them an eye-catching alternative. The cut grade, color, grade, clarity grade, and carat weight of these diamonds can be determined just like the naturally occurring diamonds. The only major difference between the two is that, the natural diamonds are billions of years old, formed by and in the earth and mined by men. These lab diamonds however, are created by men in a lab under just a few weeks.

Rubies

These precious stones can very well be as expensive as natural diamonds. For thousands of years, they have been valued for their astounding beauty. It is in fact, the most valuable of the corundum minerals. So, it is not exactly a pocket-friendly mineral. They are usually very rich red color and are said to be a symbol of love and passion. They are very beautiful stones that areas well durable enough to withstand certain pressures with a Moh’s scale rating of 9.0. You can place the ruby in a white gold setting, and surround it with little diamonds or other gemstones to give it a little extra sparkle. If you want it to have a uniquely vintage look, you should settle for a rose gold setting, which is perfect with ruby’s color. Rubies are generally flawless and do not have inclusions in them, unlike other such as sapphires. If you are settling for a ruby, you don’t need a large stone, just a small-sized ruby goes a long way.

Morganite

Morganite is a great diamond alternative, especially if you are working on a budget. There are many things that are appealing about this stone. Apart from the fact that wearing them is very pleasurable, they are very beautiful, brilliant, and have a strong clarity. The warm stones and natural shades of pink also add to the visual appeal, making this tone very desirable. Although, it has a polished look, it is also very durable, with a rating between 7.5 and 8.0 on the Moh’s scale. This makes it ideal for people who use their hands regularly during their daily works. The fact that they are relatively cheap is also one of the appeal. You can get a quality custom designed morganite for as little as $300 per carat. You will find them cheaper if you are ordering a predesigned morganite.

Opal

This is a beautiful, soft gemstone that is often said to be a symbol of faithfulness and loyalty. It has a fire that shines through it and enhances its beauty. This just makes this stone an ideal alternative for engagement ring. The downside to opal gemstone is its softness. It has a hardness rating of 5.5 – 6.5. This means that you have to take special care of it and you have to put the ring off regularly if you have to take part in activities involving the hand. Irrespective of its softness, you can wear this stone for a lifetime if you take proper care of it. You can clean the stone once in a month or once in two months to prevent it from cracking. The best way to verify the quality of this unusually beautiful and rare stone is to check for a white hue, layering in the stone and its brilliant shine under the sun.

Pearl

This is another classic and elegant diamond alternative. They are known to be a symbol of loyalty, purity, perfection and innocence. This makes them a beautiful choice of engagement ring for your bride-to-be. One appealing feature of a pearl ring is how it fits in perfectly with any color or outfit because of how its exterior is shiny white. This gem are no longer in common use for engagement rings, so it will be a different kind of ring you are buying for your spouse. They are rare and natural and would require some cleaning and care to maintain them. Except they are exposed to extremely harsh conditions or substances that are acidic to them such as lemon juice, they are not going to deteriorate, neither will their brilliance fade. To clean, it is recommended that you use soft cloth and warm water.

Conclusion

Diamonds, without doubt, are the commonest stone for an engagement ring, especially because of what they stand for and how precious they are. But they are not the only stone that can be used for engagement rings.These other stones make perfect replacements. Although, many ladies and partners love the traditional ring for engagement, you don’t have to buy them a diamond ring just to prove your love. They will still love you with an opal ring or an emerald ring and they will still cherish it.