The Sapphire has you covered with whatever shade of the rainbow you’re drawn to, from blues and greens to yellows and oranges, pinks and purples. In addition, their hardness is higher than that of many other coloured gems, making them the second-best choice for an engagement ring.
However, there are other possibilities; for many people, the best (and most expensive) option is a coloured diamond. Pink, blue, and green are the most expensive colours, while cognac, black, and champagne are the most reasonably priced.
How To Choose A Colour For Your Engagement Ring?
Coloured Diamonds
Invert convention by opting for a coloured diamond. Diamonds have desirable qualities that have made them the most popular choice for engagement rings. With a hardness of 10, diamonds are the hardest gemstones you can buy and are virtually impossible to scratch.
A ring stone absolutely must have that quality. They can also spread white light out in all directions, creating colourful bursts of “fire,” which is what scientists call “extraordinary brilliance” or “brightness.” (However, in that regard, other gemstones can outperform diamonds).
Diamonds with inherent colour occur in the wild at a rate of about 1 in 10,000. Those with the brightest hues command a higher asking price. Canary yellow, sparkling pink, pastel green, striking black, and bubbly champagne are just some of the colours available in fancy-cut diamonds with added colour. The most expensive diamonds are the rare and beautiful blue ones.
How About The Most Well-Known Coloured Diamonds?
If you’re looking for a coloured diamond engagement ring but are running out of ideas, you can always turn to Hollywood for help. Celebrity engagement rings are constantly competing for the title “biggest and most extravagant.”
Exquisite “Fancy” coloured diamond engagement rings are popular among Hollywood’s A-list. You may be having read this and thinking about how it could possibly be useful as a tool for motivation. While it’s true that some fancy-coloured diamonds can cost a pretty penny, these pieces show just how stunning a coloured centre stone can be.
So, what are fancy coloured diamonds, exactly?
In contrast to the standard white diamond, the value of a coloured stone depends on how vividly it displays its colour. In contrast, white diamonds are valued for their lack of colouration.
Aquamarine
Many engaged couples who have purchased engagement rings from Andrew Mazzone Design Jewellers have chosen aquamarines as their centre stone. Aquamarines come in various shades, from very light, almost transparent blues to deeper, more muted blues.
Aquamarines are popular due to their beautiful colour range, which is often mistaken for that of the ocean, and their low price. After Prince Harry gave Meghan Markle the large emerald-cut aquamarine his mother had worn set in a glittering diamond band for their wedding, the popularity of aquamarine skyrocketed.
Tourmalines
Tourmaline is a gemstone genus with numerous species available in a rainbow of hues. Certain varieties, like the eponymously named watermelon tourmaline, have more than one colour zone. They share a hardness of 7 with quartz and lack cleavage, making them both exceptionally durable engagement ring options.
Each type of tourmaline displays a vitreous sheen. This causes their surfaces to reflect light similarly to glass. Furthermore, some varieties exhibit a chatoyancy, or cat’s eye, optical effect in certain lighting conditions.
Sapphire
Due to its durability (second only to diamond), incredible depth of colour, and seemingly infinite colour variety, Sapphire was once the stone of choice for engagement rings. Sapphires typically come in a stunning deep royal blue, but they can also be found in pink, yellow, orange, green, and purple.
The most desirable sapphires are an even, deep cornflower blue. After Kate Middleton received Princess Diana’s stunning deep blue sapphire engagement ring, demand for the gem skyrocketed.
Zircons
Zircon has been prized for its lustre for centuries because of its accessibility and low cost. However, although it is a synthetic diamond alternative, zircon is still largely unknown. Nevertheless, this December birthstone is a great addition to any jewellery collection, as it comes in a rainbow of colours and outshines even mid-grade diamonds in its colourless form.
The Persian word ‘argue,’ which means “golden,” is the source of the name “Zircon.” The names “Hyacinth” and “Jacinth” were once commonly used to describe zircons (and possibly other gems) in the pinkish-purple-reddish colour range.
Zircon has a Mohs hardness between 6.5 and 7.5. However, its durability is average at best. Zircon isn’t as hard as Sapphire, but it can still be worn in any jewellery so long as it’s protected from excessive wear and tear and hard knocks.
Emerald
High-quality natural emeralds are now extremely rare, and their price can rival a diamond. Green on the Mohs scale can range from light to dark, but these gems are not as hard as sapphires or rubies. Inclusions, or “oiling,” are a common feature of emeralds. Oil is injected into the emeralds during the oiling process to fill in flaws.
This treatment has widespread adoption and usage in the realm of jewellery. Most emeralds sold today have been treated, so cleaning your ring by a professional is essential if you want it to last. For example, the large cushion-cut emerald in Victoria Beckham’s ring is surrounded by smaller diamonds set in pavé.
Citrines
It’s not hard to see why citrine is one of the most requested stones for engagement rings. It can appear in shades from a pale lemon yellow to a golden or even champagne brown. Madeira citrines, so-called because of their deep orange colour with red flashes, are the most expensive variety. Like amethyst, citrines are made of the hardy quartz mineral. So, they are perfect for use as gems in rings.
Amethysts
Amethysts are a sweet and well-liked substitute for diamonds and make beautiful gemstone engagement rings. This lovely quartz variety displays a spectrum of lavender to purple tones. In addition to having a hardness of 7, they also lack cleavage planes, making them very tough to damage. (A gem needs to be at least seven on the Mohs scale to resist scratches from household dust, a very common danger).
There are fans of the pale “Rose de France” and the deep purple, red-flashing “Siberian” amethysts. Jewellery made from either colour or something in between would be stunning. Selecting a gem with associations to tempering passions for an engagement ring may seem counterintuitive. However, this may be a sign of a love that is prepared for a lasting, deeper commitment.
Conclusion
If this describes you, you could combine the two by giving your diamond a tint of another hue. Using coloured gemstones in your design is a simple way to achieve this effect. Make your engagement ring stand out by placing a halo around the main stone or along the band’s shoulders.
The addition of coloured gemstones paves the way for endless design possibilities. You can go with your birthstone or your favourite colour. Black diamonds set in yellow gold contrast with pink sapphires in rose gold.
FAQs
Are Colored Stones Cheaper Than Diamonds?
Gemstones are more affordable. Because diamonds are considered the most precious and rare, all other gemstones are more affordable per carat. Besides their beauty and unique look, gemstones make a great alternative to a diamond engagement ring for those on a budget.
What Is The Most Ethical Stone For An Engagement Ring?
If you are referring to lab-grown diamonds, then yes! Undoubtedly, the most ethical stone to present to your loved one is a lab-grown diamond. But not just any lab-grown diamond; not all lab diamonds are created equal and it is important to choose one that is sustainably grown.
What Stones Should Be In An Engagement Ring?
The following gemstones make truly beautiful choices for jewellery and are commonly considered to be the most popular stones for engagement rings.
- Sapphires. Sapphires are a favourite gemstone for engagement rings because of their lustrous colour and durability.
- Rubies.
- Emeralds.
- Aquamarine.
- Moissanite.
- Morganite.
Which Stone Is Perfect For An Impressive Engagement Ring?
Diamonds have some enviable properties that help make them the top-selling gemstone for engagement rings. With a hardness of 10, diamonds resist scratches better than any other gemstone. That quality is paramount for a ring stone.
What Makes A Classy Engagement Ring?
Classic is classy, end of the story. A classic solitaire, an emerald cut with surrounding diamonds, a cushion cut—they’re all timeless. That’s probably the biggest takeaway for classy rings—they won’t age. They won’t seem trendy in three years (I see you, halo rings), and that’s kind of the point.
Have a peek here if you are looking for an engagement ring.