Coloured stone engagement ring

[TeaChocKitKat]

We've been looking at engagement rings. I want something small but I really don't think I want a diamond solitaire as that's what all of my friends seem to have. What are everyone's views and experiences with coloured stones? I've been looking at sapphire, aquamarine and morganite stones. How durable are they? Im possibly warming to wards aquamarine or morganite because they arent quite as bold but then sapphire can look so pretty... ! Would I end up regretting a coloured stone? Grateful for everyone's thoughts to help me make my mind up because I keep changing my mind and worrying I'll go off a coloured stone or that it won't age well.

I have amethyst with diamonds in a small flower. Utterly love it. Small and discreet wear it loads.

I have an amethyst. Still love it 21 years on.

I have a ruby with diamonds. It's beautiful & hardwearing & I love it. I got engaged 30 years ago, no regrets about the ring - or the man!

Coloured stones are very popular at the moment

On another thread a jeweller said aquamarine, emerald and morganite are too soft for everyday hard wear.

A friend has a pink sapphire and it’s lovely

I have a peridot with diamonds around it - I love it.

I have a simple diamond solitaire but love coloured stones, definitely good to go for something different. Sapphire’s are also very durable and would be a good option, some of the coloured stones are quite soft so better avoided. There’s some gorgeous vintage rings on Etsy if you look.

I have aquamarine. Aquamarine was the stone originally used in engagement rings and it's a very hard stone so it's perfect for daily wear. It's also my birth stone. I get compliments on it all the time and I just love it.

I have a blue sapphire engagement ring. Have had it nearly 5 years now and still love it (also love the now DH too )

I have a blue teardrop sapphire engagement ring and it's gorgeous! We got engaged almost 3 years ago and it still looks great! I love it!

I upgraded mine on a big birthday from a small diamond solitaire to an aquamarine - it's my birthstone and I love it. I struggled to find one in yellow gold though

Square blue topaz with 3 small diamonds either side in mine. I still love it 25 years on

Aqua - that's lovely. Have you had it for long and do you wear it every day?

I've got an emerald and have worn it every day for 7 years. It's gorgeous and looks as good as the day DH gave it to me

I’ve got a sapphire with diamonds on the shoulders. Sapphire is very hard wearing.

I have an emerald. I've worn it for 30 years 😊

Oh, and it's not that I don't like solitaire rings it's just that over the past few years everyone I know who's got married/ engaged seems to have had one. I always thought I'd have one myself but now it comes to it I wonder if I should be brave and have something different.

Sapphire and aquamarine are fine. Emerald is fine so long as you take good care of it. Morganite isn't hard-wearing enough.

I have a padparadscha sapphire which is a peachy pink - similar colour to morganite. I love it.

I have a blue topaz 💙

You can also get coloured diamonds. I have a ring set with a random mixture of white and light blue diamonds (sorry no pic, am on holiday) and obviously they are durable. As far as I know they also come in shades of yellow (and brown??)
The engagement ring with amethyst I inherited from my great- grandmother on the other hand is now showing signs of wear (after being loved and worn by 4 generations in my family)

Over 2 decades and wear it all the time, unless I'm doing something excessively messy or rough.

I have a Tanzanite ring - 26 years worn all the time and still love it.

I have a pale sapphire. I've had it for 15 years now and still love it, but it is chipped! It chipped about 10 years ago and has never got worse.

What about a coloured diamond instead? A friend of mine married a (super talented) jeweller and her engagement ring made by him is a stunning cognac diamond. Lots of colours are available including blue, pink and even red.

The same clever jeweller man made me some earrings with salt and pepper (a.k.a. black) diamonds. Pic attached (they look so much better 'in the flesh' though)