Diamonds have been the most popular engagement ring stone for ages due to its durability and strength.
With the development of time, those colorful gemstones once reserved for royalty and nobility are increasingly making their way into the lives of ordinary people.
More and more fashionistas are defying convention by using gemstones other than diamonds as the focal point of their engagement rings.
Unlike diamonds, which all seem the same, these vividly colored gemstones have a different appearance that distinguishes them from standard diamond engagement rings and makes them stand out for their own personal style.
In addition to their appearance, each colored gemstone has a unique history and meaning.
So, what other gemstones, except diamonds, are appropriate as the main stone in an engagement ring?
Aside from being attractive in their own right, they must also have a lovely meaning, as well as be extremely durable and not easily destroyed or worn out.
Ruby（Mohs hardness: 9）
Ruby was known as ratnaraj, which means “king of gems” in ancient Sanskrit. It is one of the most important colored gemstones in history, and its uncommon beauty has been valued for thousands of years. Ruby has always been connected with monarchy, aristocracy, fire, power, and bravery.
The ruby’s bright red is thought to represent passion, energy, creativity, courage, and wisdom. It can provide the wearer happiness, joy, and contentment. It is the gemstone of choice for many couples as a non-diamond engagement ring.
Prince Andrew, the former Queen of England’s second son, proposed to Sarah Ferguson in 1986. At the time, he picked an oval Burmese ruby ring by jeweler Gerard that complemented Sarah’s red hair.
A ruby that is the birthstone for the month of July, it also serves as an anniversary stone for the 15th and 40th wedding anniversaries.
Sapphire（Mohs hardness: 9）
When it comes to sapphire engagement rings, Princess Diana’s is the most well-known. However, Napoleon Bonaparte proposed to Josephine with a sapphire and diamond “toi et moi” ring more than 200 years earlier, in 1796.
The sapphire has always been associated with dignity, honesty, sincerity, and loyalty. In ancient Greece and Rome, kings and queens believed that sapphires shielded their owners from jealously and danger. Clergymen used blue sapphires to signify divine harmony during the Middle Ages.
It was thought that wearing sapphire gemstones absorbed the essence of heaven and earth and obtained the favor of the heavens.
In addition to blue sapphires, vividly colored sapphires such as peach, pink, blue-green, and yellow have been increasingly popular as the primary stone on engagement rings.
The primary stone on Princess Eugenie of England’s engagement ring, for example, is a Paparacha sapphire surrounded by 12 diamonds. Brooksbane and Princess Eugenie allegedly design the ring.
Sapphire is not only the September birthstone, but also the 5th and 45th wedding anniversary stone.
Emerald (Mohs hardness: 7.5 to 8)
Beautiful, luxurious and precious, the emerald is one of the most sought after gemstones in the world. Its lush green color symbolizes health, vitality, renewal and growth.
It is believed that wearing an emerald brings good luck and happiness and symbolizes rebirth. It has been used throughout history to ward off evil spirits.
Emeralds, the May birthstone, are said to recognize the validity of a lover’s vows. As a result, many people choose it as the main stone on engagement rings and as an anniversary stone to commemorate the 20th and 35th wedding anniversaries.
The Duke of Windsor gave his wife the most renowned emerald engagement ring. The ring was custom-made for Cartier by the Duke of Windsor and has a 19.77 carat emerald. The message “We belong to each other now 27×36” is on the inside of the ring. This number reflects their wedding date: October 27, 1936.
Megan Fox, who played one of the Spice Girls in the film Transformers, was proposed to by her boyfriend MGK under the banyan tree where they met, and she received a ring set with a pear-shaped Colombian emerald.
Megan’s birthstone is sapphire. MGK’s birthstone is an ancient D-color pear-shaped diamond. It is romantic and unforgettable because the two stones signify two souls with similar interests.
Spinel (Mohs hardness: 8)
For thousands of years, spinel and ruby were frequently mistaken. Spinel is indistinguishable from ruby in its fire color because to its near closeness in vivid red and pink tones.
Many so-called “rubies” discovered in crowns across the world have now been revealed to be spinel, a tribute to its magnificent beauty.
Spinel comes in a variety of colors, including orange, blue, purple, and black, as well as red, which is one of the most popular of all colored gemstones. It is a favorite among fashionistas who enjoy glittering colored gemstones, and it is one of the most popular engagement ring stones today.
Aquamarine (Mohs hardness:7.5~8)
The color of aquamarine is as elegant and refreshing as seawater, and high-quality aquamarine has a very translucent clarity that exudes serenity and lightness.
Aquamarine, the March birthstone, appears calm but has limitless strength.
Early people believed that wearing aquamarine can make the sea calm and wave-free, ensuring the safety of sailors at sea; can be in the process of fighting or litigation, sensitive wisdom, not to be defeated; but also can make the marriage happy, and can be dissolved in the life of the shocking waves, is known as the “lucky stone” marriage.
The tranquillity of this gemstone is unique and irreplaceable for trendy individuals who like an exquisite temperament, and it is the first option for the primary stone of an engagement ring.
Morganite (Mohs hardness: 7.5~8)
Pink has long been connected with qualities of love, passion, and tenderness, which is why pink gemstones are so appealing.
Morganite, which is in the same gemstone family as emerald and aquamarine, is a popular gemstone due to its unusual romantic hue.
Morganite is not only lovely in color, but it is also incredibly huge, with a brilliant clarity that is both bright and intriguing. Using the delicate and lovely morganite as the primary stone of the wedding ring not only demonstrates elegance, but also emanates a charming disposition, which is ideal for translating love.
Emerald (Mohs hardness:6.5~7.5)
Jadeite, with its rich crystalline structure and enigmatic oriental culture of the spirit of the gas, has long been considered as a good-luck item, capable of driving away bad spirits. Poets frequently utilize jadeite, popularly known as the “Stone of Heaven,” to describe romantic love.
Nowadays, with the development of contemporary Chinese aesthetics, the old classical jadeite with modern popular design components emanates a distinct elegant elegance. Many fashionistas who like eastern aesthetics have selected it as an engagement ring.
Tanzanite (Mohs hardness: 6.5~7)
Tanzanite was discovered in the 1960s in Mount Mererani, Tanzania, off Mount Kilimanjaro, and Tiffany named it Tanzanite after its country of origin.
Tanzanite’s strong polychromatic nature allows it to have a diverse spectrum of intriguing hues at the same time. When viewed from one perspective, it seems intriguing purple like a violet; when viewed from another angle, it appears unpredictable like a regal, vivid blue.
Tanzanite is not only the December birthstone, but it is also the gemstone for a 24th wedding anniversary. Although it has only been on the market for a few decades, this gemstone is now restricted from being mined.
For fashionistas who love niche gemstones, the beauty and rarity of tanzanite is one of the key reasons for choosing it as an engagement ring gemstone.
Aside from these diamonds, some fashionistas choose pearls, opals, and coral as engagement ring gemstones. While each diamond has its own beauty, an engagement ring has a special meaning when compared to other pieces of jewelry.
It will be with us for decades and possibly passed on to future generations. As a result, the gemstone on it should be firm and resistant to wear.
When choosing the primary stone for your engagement ring, try to pick a gemstone with a hardness of 6.5 or above, so that it is not readily damaged by other substances during daily wear.
The gemstone’s hue should also be stable to avoid fading (amethyst and topaz, for example, may fade after exposure to high temperatures).
