Which Gemstone is Best for an Engagement Ring Center Stone?
When looking for a gemstone engagement ring there is a world of options. But while there are a lot of options for gemstones, not all stones are created equal. What separates a rock you’d find at the beach and a precious gemstone has a lot to do with what makes it useful as a jewelry piece.
A stone’s toughness and hardness are the most important aspects to consider when looking for a ring. Things like luster, color, and brilliance, are actually secondary to durability in the world of jewelry. While the scarcity of precious stones adds to their desirability and value, the reason they are desired at all is because of their ability to stand the test of time.
Investing in durable precious stones means your jewelry will last longer, and keep its value better. Choosing the right stone means the difference between having jewelry that almost never loses brilliance or breaks, or a center stone that needs to be repolished every few months. A soft stone could even chip and shatter. Durability is doubly important when selecting a center stone for a ring you will wear every day, like an engagement ring.
To help you in your search we’ve prepared a helpful buyers guide, organized by gemstone color, to help make things simple. We’ve selected the 5 most popular gemstone colors on the market today. Each example would make great choices for your own gemstone engagement ring.
Today we will be covering colorless, blue, green, red, and purple gemstones for rings.
Colorless Diamond Alternative Gemstones
Moissanite Engagement Rings
Moissanite was first discovered inside the crater of a meteorite that had crashed into the earth. Inside they found beautiful diamond-like crystals, which they found could be easily synthesized in a lab. This makes moissanite rare naturally, but abundant in its synthetic form.
Physically, moissanite is only slightly softer and even shinier than a diamond. Aesthetically they might have a slight yellow tinge, comparable to yellow diamonds. They are affordable, but this is both their selling point and their major drawback. They won’t hold their value well, and not all jewelers will work on synthetic stones.
Morganite Engagement Rings
Morganite is another common diamond alternative that’s known for its charming pink hue. A natural stone that is technically rarer than diamonds, Morganite is a tempting option if you’re looking for an alternative to pink diamonds.
The Mohs hardness makes the stone suitable for everyday wear, too. However, while this stone is a bit cheaper than diamonds on their face value, for various reasons, morganite doesn’t retain its value as well as diamond. Because of this factor, it could be difficult to justify the investment.
Opal Engagement Ring
Opals are best known for their signature ‘play-of-color’ effect’, a distinct iridescence that seems to dance across the stone depending on how the light hits it. This fiery display makes precious opals desirable stones for jewelry.
However, opals are the softest gemstone on this list with a Mohs value of 5.5-6. This makes them a poor selection for an engagement ring, as it’d be in constant danger of breakage. In fact, even dust particles can damage opal stones if improperly cleaned.
Consider Diamond Engagement Rings!
There really is no substitute for diamonds when it comes to colorless gemstones. There are a few good reasons for this: Their stable value, their incomparable durability, and their exceptional beauty.
Add Some Color To Your Unique Engagement Ring!
Sparkling Blue Gemstones
Blue gemstones are the most popular diamond alternative, and you can’t go wrong with a Sapphire Engagement ring.
Sapphires come in a variety of shades and are actually second only to diamonds in terms of their overall strength. This makes them exceptionally desirable and valuable. In fact, the royal family has passed a sapphire engagement ring through two generations now. It’s the perfect way to feel like a princess.
Glittering Green Gemstones
Diamonds are typically chosen for engagement rings because of their eternal nature, emerald engagement rings, however, are the best way to say your love is ‘evergreen’. Emeralds have a certain vitality that brings joy and life to the wearer. While perhaps a bit more challenging to incorporate into your everyday wardrobe, the striking green of emerald feels almost otherworldly.
However, if an emerald is a bit too much for your tastes, but you still want something green, aquamarine engagement rings are a good alternative. Aquamarine is a cousin to emerald, being in the same mineral family, but it’s much cheaper and more subdued with lighter blue-green coloration.
Radiant Red Gemstones
If your love burns with fiery passion you need a red ruby engagement ring to capture the intensity of your partnership. Rubies are closely related to sapphires, being in the same mineral family, and are equally durable. This makes rubies just as sensible an investment as they are beautiful.
Other popular red gemstones include garnets, which come in a variety of colors. Garnet engagement rings can be affordable but lack the durability of rubies. While garnets might offer a slightly larger pool of options, they don’t hold their value quite as well.
Royal Purple Gemstones
Before the discovery of the new world, amethyst was among the five most coveted gemstones. Now, you don’t need to be royalty to get an amethyst engagement ring. Amethyst is actually a purple coloration of quartz, making it suitable for durability for everyday wear.
However, given the middling softness, your amethyst jewelry will need regular maintenance. Of the big five colored gemstones, amethyst is perhaps the most affordable but it is certainly not the least beautiful.
The Big Five Gemstones - Shine with Cline!
Now you know the big five of colored gemstones: Diamonds, Sapphires, Emeralds, Rubies, and Amethysts. This should hopefully give you a bit more insight into which gemstones are which colors, what makes them unique, and which are best for engagement ring center stones. However, this is by no means a complete list of all your options for gemstones.
A Colorful Partnership - Roger Dery Gem Designs
Another point worth mentioning when regarding precious gemstones and all of the wonderful options to choose from here at Cline Jewelers when on the lookout for a dazzling center stone for your fashion ring or unique engagement ring is our trusted and rewarding partnership with Roger Dery Gem Designs!
Roger Dery and his incredible team of gem experts partner with some of the most incredible jewelry stores around the country, and we’re so happy to partner with his team to bring you and our awesome community here in Edmonds access to the most beautiful precious stones the world has to offer!
Known in the jewelry and gemstone industry as the leading resource for the world’s most cherished and prized gemstones. Roger is a world-renowned and award-winning precision flat faceter with decades of experience in the gemstone industry. Roger is committed to holistic gem sourcing, and he purchases gems in a way that supports the local communities that he visits around the world, all the while encouraging the success of the miners and their families.
Roger travels directly to the mines where the rough gemstones are found, with a focus on East Africa, working with Gem Legacy to impact artisanal colored gemstone mining communities for success and growth. We’re honored to partner with Roger Dery and his amazing team, and you can view which of Roger’s gems are available to view and purchase from Cline Jewelers here. Remember to visit our website often, because fascinating gems from Roger Dery Gem Designs make their way into our store often!
For A Stunning and Unique Gemstone Engagement Ring, Shop Cline Jewelers!
If you are looking for a unique gemstone engagement ring, look no further than Cline Jewelers. Our team of certified gemologists has the skills and experience to find the perfect jewelry for you. Don’t forget to book an appointment with one of our jewelry experts on staff so that we can provide you with the personal time and attention that you deserve! We’ll see you soon at Cline Jewelers in downtown Edmonds, Washington!