What’s a good place to get engagement rings that **arent* diamond?
I’m thinking about proposing to my girl, however we both think diamonds as a standard is stupid and overrated, we both prefer much more colorful and comparatively cheaper gemstones like rubies and sapphires, but I’m having trouble finding a good place for that, I’ve never done this before, any ideas?
I will say one practical consideration is that diamonds are really hard and don’t get scratched. You may want to consider hardness for any replacement gemstone (rubies and sapphires are the next hardest).
Go to a small local jeweler. They can often make you something custom for much less than the price of a chain store. They’ll also be able to walk you through all the options and advantages of each. If you’re having trouble finding that little mom and pop spot, Google jewelry repair. 9 out of 10 of those businesses will be more than happy to take on your project.
Does it have to be an engagement ring? I got my girlfriend a gold bell from Mene to wear with her choker. We talked about it beforehand and we both agreed diamonds and that whole industry are stupid and she loved the bell idea. I’m gonna propose in a week in Japan when we go on vacation.
I also went with moissanite but my extra advice would be to get a ring where the stone is set deeper inside the ring so it doesn’t get caught in her hair, fabrics, etc.
When I proposed, I went to a local jeweler and we talked through what kind of stones to use. We went with a beautiful sapphire that has a number of different colors in it.
Another vote for moissanite. It’s gorgeous and strong and not expensive.
Don’t look for “engagement ring” if you are looking for ruby or sapphire or emerald, just look for “emerald ring”. Also, if you find a stone you like, any jeweler can make it into a nice ring, in a style your fiancee (hopefully) prefers. So don’t worry much about the setting. If you love the stone in, say, a pendant, buy that and y’all can have it made into a ring she actually likes later.
My wife found an Emerald ring she really liked from more of a boutique style jewelry store owned by a young woman. It had the vibe of a brick-and-mortar Etsy store. We went to a few old school jewelers and hated the experience. It felt like we were being scammed by some slimy diamond dealer.
Check out moissanite. It’s like a diamond, but cheaper, can only be found in 2 places: on meteorites, or grown in a lab. I got my wife’s ring on etsy from a jeweler there.
Add comment