

+1 404-812-3435

Gemstone Engagement Ring

Gemstone Engagement Ring
Kseniya Burns

Diamonds are no longer the only choice for an engagement ring. Precious and semi-precious gemstones became increasingly popular as a stone of choice for nontraditional wedding and engagement rings.  Today, more and more celebrities choose precious gemstones such as sapphires, ruby, or emerald as the centerpiece to their engagement rings. Prince William proposed to Duchess Middleton with a sapphire ring, Jessica Simpson wears a stunning ruby, and Jackie Kennedy had a beautiful emerald.

Much like diamonds, gemstone prices vary based on the quality of the stone. Some gemstones are cheaper than diamonds which will allow the buyer to spend more on a larger, better quality gemstone. Gemstone rings are also perfect for couples on the budget who refuse to sacrifice on the quality of their engagement.

Gemstone rings are perfect for nontraditional couples. Gemstone engagement rings allow for more personalization and special meaning to be imparted in the ring. The most common and popular way of choosing a gemstone for an engagement ring is the birthstone. The second is cultural / social meaning of the stone.

There are four precious gemstones: diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald. The rest of the gemstone are considered semi-precious. However, don’t be fooled by the term “semi-precious”. A good quality semi-precious gem can cost more than a diamond. Some semi-precious gemstones are highly prized for their rare color changing properties or their rarity. For example, alexandrite changes its color depending on the lighting and one of many intriguing gemstones. Aquamarine, garnet, tanzanite, zircon (not to be confused with cubic zirconia), and tourmaline are all popular engagement ring gemstones.

Sapphire Rings

Blue sapphire is one of the most popular diamond alternatives when it comes to the engagement rings. Traditionally, blue sapphire engagement rings were popular among British Royalty. The trend spread worldwide after Princess Diana was given her infamous blue sapphire engagement ring. The same ring now graces the hand of Duchess Kate Middleton.  The most common cut for sapphire engagement rings are: round, oval, or cushion cut. Sapphires are usually set in the light color precious metals such as white gold, platinum, or titanium to accentuate their color.

Ruby Rings

Some may say that rubies became a trend as the centerpiece of an engagement ring in the 1980’s when Keith Richards proposed to his wife with a stunning pigeon blood ruby. The most common cut for a ruby is round, cushion, or princess cut. Rubies can be set in almost any precious metal, however some of the most popular choices involve rose or yellow gold.

Emerald Rings

Emerald engagement rings are among the least common. Emerald is the softest of the four precious gems and often features some inclusions and blemishes. A pristine emerald is a rare find and therefore highly prized. Emeralds are usually cut to maximize the color and to hide the inclusions. The most popular cuts include square, marquis, cushion, and emerald.

Ermitage Jewelers offers a number of precious and semi-precious engagement ring styles and settings. Our gemologists hand pick only the best stones with minimal amount of inclusions and blemishes.

When you buy your gemstone engagement ring from us, you will be getting the absolute best stones and settings at the lowest prices. Browse our collection of gemstone engagement rings today.