Diamonds or gemstone for your engagement ring – which is the best?

You're picking out an engagement ring and you’re trying to decide what’s best. Should you go for diamonds or other gemstones? The choice is often personal and may come down to style as well. Here are a few options for you to consider:

Garnet

An interesting choice, garnets come in a variety of colours, which offers flexibility in the design. It’s also earthier in nature. Some people like this, while others think it comes off somewhat dull-looking. If you’ve got a design that complements garnet’s earthiness, it’s a good choice of stone. If you lack this, it’s a bit risky, since the stone on its own lacks a diamond’s flourish and flash.

Moissanite

Moissanite is very rare and is sometimes synthetically made because of this. It carries much of the same look of a diamond, but it doesn’t interact with light in quite the same way. If it’s important that your gemstone comes from the earth itself and not a lab, moissanite can be more difficult to get hold of. 

Morganite

Often used as an engagement ring alternative, this stone is a mix of orange and pink in colour, akin to rose gold. It can look a little dull on its own, however. Morganite looks particularly good set alongside diamonds, where the clear white gems complement the morganite’s rosy colour and the two bring out each other’s brilliance.

Tanzanite

Tanzanite is a brilliant alternative that announces itself the second you step into a room wearing it. It’s 1,000 times rarer than diamonds are and can only be sourced from one place in the world – near Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. It’s a rich purplish-blue that makes the stone seem especially deep. This is another stone that, when ringed with diamonds to bring out its colour, genuinely excels.

Tsavorite

Another more recent diamond alternative, tsavorite is a garnet variety that’s tremendously green. If your loved-one’s favourite colour is green, it’s a perfect choice. Just be warned it can trend a little more toward lime green than forest green. If this isn’t a problem, it could be just the unusual stone you’re looking for.

And diamonds?

Well, they’re a traditional and longstanding choice for a reason. They communicate very clearly what your desire is. They refract and reflect light in a way that no other gemstone really can, and they communicate to the world very readily their intended purpose.

One of the pitfalls of getting something that looks similar to diamond is facing a situation where you have to explain what the alternative gemstone is. Some people are very comfortable with this and take pride in sharing with others the gemstone that’s special to them. Others may find this kind of explanation uncomfortable. There’s no right or wrong answer to the question – you should go with what’s right for you and your fiancée.

And, if you’re not sure, you can always combine an alternate stone with diamonds for the best of both worlds. The nature of diamonds means that they’re perfect for bringing out the colour and characteristics of other gemstones.

A choice like this allows you to highlight another gem your fiancéemay be fond of, while also featuring diamonds alongside it. Both stone choices are highlighted for some truly impressive rings this way.