Looking to go away from the traditional route with diamond engagement rings? Then there are several beautiful colored gemstone alternatives you can settle for instead From BBBGEM. But it is not just the beauty of the gemstone that you will make a decision by, you must also consider other important factors, like the gems durability, clarity and wearability. Lets take a look at ten of the most popular colored gems for beautiful Engagement Rings.
Colored Diamonds
First on our list, colored diamonds. Diamonds have always been the top selling gemstone for engagement rings for years. Being harder than any other stone with a hardness of 10 on the Mohs scale, diamonds are extremely durable. They disperse light brilliantly turning white light into a rainbow of colors, however they are not the best gemstones at this.
Natural colored diamonds are about 1 in 10,000. Those with more intense colors are priced highly and thus cost more. Colored diamond options include bold canary yellow, pink, pastel green, black and even chocolate colored one. The most valuable colored diamonds are the pink and yellow diamonds.
Sapphires
Reputed as the gemstone of royalty, Sapphire is the popular colored gemstone found in several different hues but mostly in blue color. Sapphires are among the hardest gemstones and ranks 9 on the Mohs scale, just behind diamonds. As extremely durable stones, they are great as engagement rings for career professionals who use their hands a lot.
Emeralds
The “jewel of kings” emerald is reputed as one of the stones that been used by royalty. This gem comes in gorgeous green, from deep dark shades to light ones. Ranked 8 in scale of hardness, emerald can resist scratches and heavy hits but still need to be handle with care. Emerald’s inclusions and fractures makes the stone unique, however this can affect the stones clarity and durability. Emerald receives oil and filler treatments due to this, which may need reapplication over time.
Rubies
A ruby set in an engagement ring is sure to make a statement. Rubies are the red variety of the corundum family. It’s hardness and durability is similar to saphire, another member of the corundum family. Although ruby often receives treatments and enhancements, the “Pigeon blood red” variety is the most sought after ruby color. Because of its rarity, durability and association with love, it is a fitting engagement stone choice, especially when set with small diamonds.
Amethyst
Amethyst is a pretty and popular non-diamond alternative. The lovely quartz variety gem features a color range from light lavender to deep purple. With a hardness of 7, and no cleavage planes, the gem does not scratch or break easily. It might be an odd choice at first to go with a soothing and calming gem for engagement ring, but this gem could represent a love that is enduring and provides deeper commitment.
Tourmaline
The tourmaline gem family has many species in varying colors. Some are the aptly named watermelon tourmaline, that displays two or three distinct color zones. Tourmaline like quartz, have no cleavage which makes them highly durable for engagement rings. The surface of tourmaline look like glass when hit by light, but other varieties change color according to light sources.
Citrine
Citrine’s beautiful color range makes it a perfect choice for engagement rings. The colors range from light to lemon yellow to gold and even champagne brown color. The “Madeira” citrines which have a rich, orange color command the highest prices in the market. As a quartz variety, citrine is physically durable and makes for an excellent color stone for engagement ring.
Garnet
Garnet is commonly associated with the red color, but comes in more colors than many gem species. You can find white, yellow, orange, green, red, brown and purple varieties of this stone. Garnet is 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness and when cut in cushion, heart or round shape, gives a lustre that can be quite captivating.
Aquamarines
Aquamarine’s light-blue to blue-green shade can give off a dream-like quality to engagement rings. This gem can look great alone or when surrounded by diamonds. Aquamarine along with emerald belong to the beryl gems and with a hardness of 7.5 to 8, is highly durable and can last for years if well handled.
Opals
Opals offer a completely different angle to jewelry let alone engagement ring. If you like to try out new things, then you can consider an opal gem. Opal displays a unique color phenomenon that sees rainbow-like color flashes on the stone’s surface. Opals can show different, vibrant body colors as well as unusual patterns. They are the stones that require the most care of all the stones mentioned here because of their low ranking of 5.5 to 6.5 on the Mohs scale of hardness. This also means they easily scratch and crack easily. You can protect opals with settings such as bezels and if properly set, opal engagement rings look extremely lovely and different from anyone else.
