Worried about committing to a coloured gemstone engagement ring?

If you’re worried about committing to a coloured gemstone engagement ring, fear not. We’ll guide you through some of the concerns that often come up and give you some points to consider so you can be confident making your choice. Coloured gemstone engagement rings have long been considered an alternative to the traditional diamond ring. The question remains, is one right for you?

 

Addressing the Concerns about Gemstone Engagement Rings

It’s natural for people to feel hesitant about straying from the norm, especially when it comes to engagement rings. Some common concerns that come up include worries about durability, symbolism, and changes in personal preference. Addressing these concerns head-on can help ease the decision-making process.

Durability and Longevity

A main consideration when selecting the stone that will be in your engagement ring is durability. Ideally this stone will be hard enough to last a lifetime with minimal wear and tear visible on its surface. Many people opted for a diamond in their engagement ring because they are very durable and very hard. While diamonds are known for their hardness, coloured gemstones such as sapphires and rubies are also durable enough to withstand daily wear. These gems are classified using the Mohs scale, which measures their hardness. Diamonds rank at the top with a score of 10, but sapphires and rubies are not far behind with a rank of 9. The lower a gemstone is on the Mohs scale, the softer it is, so you’ll want to select a stone with at least a rank of 8 or above.

Some gemstones that would be a good choice for an engagement ring include: diamond, sapphire, ruby, alexandrite and topaz as well as their lab grown counterparts. Emeralds, although hard, can be brittle due inclusions. We recommend lab emeralds over natural emeralds because there are not as brittle.

Symbolism and Tradition

As noted above, it was common for people to select a diamond for their engagement ring due to their durability. Over time, a perceived symbolism of a diamond ring evolved and they began to be associated with timeless love and commitment. This association can be so strong that someone might not consider a ring an “engagement ring” unless it is a diamond. And so, the diamond engagement ring became traditional. But, the truth is, it could be argued that coloured gemstone engagement rings are equally as traditional. Since the custom of giving engagement rings came about coloured gemstones have been in the mix, particularly blue sapphire and ruby. Still, some people consider coloured gemstone engagement rings non-traditional. The question for yourself is, how do closely do you identify with this perceived tradition? Is it important to you, or not?

Personal Preference and Aesthetics

Finally, we’ve found that some also worry about potential regret. We’ve had clients who worry that their decision is being influenced by trends and are unsure if they will still like their ring in 10 years. Others worry that the colour of the stone in their engagement ring won’t match their wardrobe. For the first worry, no one will be able to anticipate how they will feel about their ring in the future. But, if you are having that thought, it might be a sign that you are not confident in how you feel which means you might not be ready to make your decision. For the second worry about matching clothing, we advise not giving that thought too much energy. There are no rules about being “matchy-matchy” anymore.