Best 7 Unique & Alternative Gemstones for Engagement Rings

An engagement ring is a special type of ring due to its symbolism, it symbolizes your relationship with your partner, and it expresses your character and your style. So choosing the right type of engagement ring needs a thorough research process so you can choose one that truly reflects your personality.

While diamonds are the classical choice for engagement rings gemstones are currently a trendy option. Many couples prefer gemstones over diamonds as their main stone for their rings, that’s because of the advantages that gemstones have over regular diamonds.

What we are looking for in a stone for an engagement ring is beauty and durability. We need it to be beautiful to reflect our personality and character, and we need to be durable to withstand the wear and tear of everyday life without losing its brightness.

So now you have an idea of how to compare gemstones, based on beauty (color, shape, brightness, size, etc), durability (hardness, toughness, and stability) as we will get to this later in this post by discussing Mohs scale, and -of course- cost.

Any list for gemstones must start with the renowned diamonds, let’s take a quick look before getting to best alternative & unique gemstones.

Diamond Gemstones: The Timeless Classic Stone

Diamonds come in various colors, but the most prized and traditional choice for engagement rings is the colorless or near-colorless range. The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) grades diamonds on a scale from D (colorless) to Z (light yellow or brown). Colorless diamonds allow for maximum light reflection, creating a sparkling, brilliant appearance.

Diamonds are the hardest natural substance, scoring a perfect 10 on the Mohs scale. This exceptional hardness contributes to their durability, making diamonds resistant to scratching and suitable for everyday wear.

Diamonds can vary widely in price depending on the 4Cs: carat weight, color, clarity, and cut. Larger, colorless, and internally flawless diamonds are rarer and, therefore, more expensive.

Where to Buy Diamonds?

There are many options when it comes to buying diamond rings whether you prefer buying offline or online, though buying online is highly recommended due to the various benefits it offers compared to limiting yourself to buying online.

James Allen is one of the best places online to buy a diamond engagement ring.

Other Than Diamonds: Top Alternative Gemstones for Rings

For uniqueness lovers, those who want to stand out from the crowd, diamonds aren’t the only choice available there, there are a lot (really a lot, more than 20) of gemstones that you can pick from.

Let’s take a deeper look on some of the best unique & alternative gemstones to be used on engagement rings.

Emerald

Emerald’s rich green color is why many are preferring to wear it. On the Mohs scale of hardness, emeralds typically have a rating of 7.5 to 8. So they are relatively hard but are not as hard as diamonds, sapphires, or rubies. 

So on beauty terms, they’re colorful and many people love it, but when it comes to hardness other gemstones outperform emeralds.

The cost of an emerald engagement ring can vary widely based on factors such as size, color, clarity, and origin. But they’re generally more affordable than diamonds.

When choosing an emerald, make sure to prioritize quality over carat weight. A smaller, high-quality emerald may be more valuable than a larger one with visible inclusions or a less desirable color.

Where to Buy Emeralds?

Many places sell emerald engagement rings, including James Allen, one of those places is Blue Nile a great place to buy emerald engagement rings online.

Aquamarine

Aquamarines are known for their stunning blue color, which can range from a pale, almost translucent blue to a deeper, more saturated blue. The most prized aquamarines often exhibit a clear, sky-blue hue reminiscent of the ocean.

In terms of hardness, aquamarines are similar in hardness to emeralds with 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, they’re relatively durable but not as durable as diamonds sapphires, or rubies.

Aquamarines are often more affordable than diamonds and some other colored gemstones. The cost of an aquamarine engagement ring can vary based on factors such as size, color, clarity, and cut.

Where to Buy Aquamarine?

Many places sell Aquamarine engagement rings, including James Allen, one of those places is Brilliant Earth a great place to buy emerald engagement rings online.

Spinel

Spinel is known for its wide range of colors, including vibrant reds, pinks, blues, purples, and more. Some spinels exhibit a color-changing phenomenon, where the stone appears to change color under different lighting conditions. The most sought-after spinels are often those with intense, saturated hues.

Spinels have a hardness of 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, making them durable enough for everyday wear. They are less prone to scratching than some other gemstones but should still be handled with care to avoid damage.

Spinels are often more affordable than some traditional gemstones like diamonds, rubies, or sapphires. However, prices can vary based on factors such as color, size, clarity, and origin.

Where to Buy Spinel?

Many places sell spinel engagement rings, including James Allen, Brilliant Earth also offers a great collection for spinel engagement rings.

Sapphire

Sapphires come in various colors, but the most popular and traditional color is a rich blue. However, sapphires can also be found in shades of pink, yellow, green, purple, and even colorless (white sapphires). The most valuable blue sapphires are typically vivid, with a deep and saturated hue.

Sapphires are one of the hardest gemstones, with a rating of 9 on the Mohs scale. This makes them highly durable and suitable for everyday wear. Sapphires are less prone to scratching than most other gemstones, with diamonds being the exception.

Sapphires are often more affordable than diamonds and some other colored gemstones, making them a popular choice for engagement rings. The cost of a sapphire engagement ring also depends on factors such as color, size, clarity, and origin.

Where to Buy Sapphire?

There are many options when it comes to buying sapphire rings whether you prefer buying offline or online, though buying online is highly recommended due to the various benefits it offers compared to limiting yourself to buying online. James Allen is one of the best places online to buy a diamond engagement ring.

Ruby

Rubies are known for their rich red color, ranging from pinkish-red to deep, blood-red hues. The most desirable rubies exhibit a vivid, intense color with good saturation. The presence of red fluorescence can enhance their beauty.

Rubies rank as some of the most resilient gemstones, boasting a notable 9 on the Mohs scale. This exceptional hardness renders them well-suited for regular, everyday wear, showcasing a heightened resistance to scratches compared to the majority of gemstones, though diamonds remain an exception.

Rubies can be more expensive than many other colored gemstones but are often more affordable than diamonds of similar size.

Where to Buy Ruby?

There are many options when it comes to buying ruby rings whether you prefer buying offline or online, though buying online is highly recommended due to the various benefits it offers compared to limiting yourself to buying online. James Allen is one of the best places online to buy a diamond engagement ring.

Topaz

Topaz comes in a variety of colors, including blue, pink, yellow, peach, and more. Blue topaz, in particular, is a popular choice for engagement rings. The color range and transparency of topaz contribute to its beauty, and it can be found in both light pastel shades and deeper, more vibrant hues.

Topaz has a hardness of 8 on the Mohs scale, making it a relatively hard and durable gemstone. It is less prone to scratching than some other popular gemstones but should still be handled with care to avoid damage.

Topaz is generally more affordable than many other gemstones, including diamonds and some colored gemstones. 

Where to Buy Topaz?

Many places sell topaz engagement rings, including James Allen, Brilliant Earth also offers a great collection of topaz engagement rings.

Gemstones Durability: The Mohs Hardness Scale

The Mohs hardness scale is a convenient way to identify the minerals, The hardness of a mineral is a measure of its relative resistance to scratching, measured by scratching the mineral against another substance of known hardness on the Mohs Hardness Scale. 

The hardest mineral on this scale is diamond (10/10) and the lowest mineral on this scale is talc (1/10). This means diamond is the most resistant mineral to scratching and talc is the easiest one.

But is Hardness a Synonym for Durability?

Gemologists define durability as a gemstone’s ability to withstand wear, heat, light, household chemicals, and low or high humidity.

Simply put, a gem’s durability is measured by three factors:

• Hardness
• Toughness
• Stability

Stones vary based on these factors and the perfect stone hasn’t been found, so you will have to compare and compromise.

We’ve explained hardness in the Mohs Hardness scale section, so what is the definition of toughness and stability?

Toughness is the resistance to breaking and chipping, the strength of bonds between a gemstone’s atoms determine its resistance to breaking and thus its strength. Values range from 225,000 for nephrite and 120,000 for jadeite, considered very tough gems, to 600 for corundum, which is not as tough.

For diamonds, it ranges from 5,000 along the stone’s cleavage planes to over 8,000. Diamonds with extremely thin girdles and ones with exposed points like those cut as pears and marquises are susceptible to breakage or chipping.

Gemstone’s stability on the other hand is its resistance to chemicals, heat, humidity, and light. Stability refers to how well a gemstone can withstand exposure to chemicals, light, and changes in temperature or humidity.

Summary

It’s not always diamonds, you can pick from other nice & affordable gemstones, they give more uniqueness to your ring, and a lot of ladies appreciate having a touch of specialty in their engagement rings.

We hope this article gave you a better overview on these options, and also where you can find the best prices for each of these gemstones, happy shopping.