Top 5 Beautiful Alternative Gemstones For An Engagement Ring

Diamonds might be the classic stone of choice for engagement rings, but why limit yourself?

When dreaming about your engagement ring, it’s hard not to imagine a flawless white diamond as the focal point. From glittering round shapes to elegant ovals and striking cushion cuts in yellow, white, rose gold, or platinum, every style of engagement ring is synonymous with white diamonds.

But alternative ring styles in colored gemstones are becoming more and more popular for modern brides—especially for those on a budget.

Diamonds might be the classic stone of choice for engagement rings, but why limit yourself? There's a whole world of beautiful gems out there, that are just as beautiful, sparkly, and durable as a diamond.

An alternative engagement ring means different things to different brides and it can be hard to pin down if you’re searching without her input. Basically, she knows what she wants, and she knows that it’s not the mass-produced look that you see at traditional jewelry stores.

From cool colored birthstones and timeless precious stone choices to innovative lab-grown stones and affordable diamond substitutes – to help you know one from another, we've rounded up some of the alternative gemstones for engagement rings in one handy place. Keep reading to get it right.

#1 Alexandrite

If you want a jewel on your finger that can give you mature vibes while being chic at the same time, this astounding purplish gemstone is for you. Alexandrite belongs to the chrysoberyl family and it is also available in other colors as well, apart from magical purple, such as red and green.

On Moh‘s scale, it scores 8.5/10, which definitely makes it a robust option for your engagement ring. Gaining worldwide popularity, alexandrite is indigenous to the countries like Tanzania, Russia, Brazil, and India. However, you must also explore some quality and affordable lab-grown ones.

#2 Amethyst

Amethyst is often overlooked for engagement rings, as its strong purple hue does make quite the bold statement, but at 7 on the Moh‘s scale, it's quite a durable stone, and you get a lot of bang for your buck.

While raw, uncut amethysts are more associated with homeopathic healing, when well-cut, these gorgeous jewels (varying from deep purple to soft lilac) look right at home in an engagement ring setting – particularly pretty when

paired with a diamond or emerald halo. When precisely cut, this stone can be transformed into a perfect ornament to put on your finger.

#3 Garnet

Garnets are gorgeous red precious stones, slightly browner in tone than rubies. They're mostly found in antique jewelry, but they are set to make a comeback as they really are a beautiful engagement ring stone.

Pretty, feminine and absolutely romantic, garnets are the eye-turners that come in diverse colors. However, the red hue is the one that can capture any gal’s heart without much trouble.

When it comes to durability, garnet scores 7.5. Definitely it is not as sturdy as diamonds, but this difference is also clearly compensated in their price.

#4 Lapis lazuli

A really beautiful blue stone, that often features gold flex, lapis lazuli is a cabochon gemstone, meaning it's shaped and polished rather than faceted, like a diamond or crystal-style gemstone.

It commonly comes in a deep blue breathtaking color, which can complement a gold ring setting. Lapis has not been utilized in a lot of engagement or wedding rings. However, it is highly likely to become a part of the latest fashion trends as an alternative for diamond wedding rings soon.

At 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, lapis may need replacing every decade or so, but as they are a relatively inexpensive stone, this doesn't tend to be a major issue. When paired with diamonds or white sapphires, lapis lazuli makes the most stunning alternative engagement rings.

Top stones get the rating of 5.5, which means they will be prone to scratches.

#5 Opal

While not the most durable of stones, opals are still such a tempting choice for engagement rings – because they're just so beautiful. With a kaleidoscope-worth of colors in each opal, no two are alike, ranging from the milky in hue to the icy-clear.

Charming opals, which were previously recognized as outdated, are finally making a strong comeback in the arena of fashion. They are numerous colors in which opals naturally come, including crystal, white and black. It is advised to steer clear of dull-looking stones and try to get stones with appealing patterns.

At 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale, choosing an opal engagement ring means looking after it really carefully – but that's a small price to pay for something so pretty, right?

If you plan to wear your engagement ring all the time, day to day (in the shower, doing housework or manual labor, at the gym etc), it's always a good idea to look for stones that are at least a 7 on the Moh’s scale for hardness and durability.

If you go for something softer, like pearls or opals, look for bezel settings where the stone is set into the ring, and make sure you take it off when you're doing the dishes or any activities where it might get tarnished.