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 a ruby and diamond one as, last time I got engaged I had a solitaire diamond so I wanted something different. 12 years on it still looks good, but I don't wear it very often as the menopause is giving me bloaty fingers, I usually just wear my wedding ring.

I have an aquamarine engagement ring, my now husband had it made especially for me. I wear it everyday and have had no issues with the stone. It is “deep” set which protects it too (good news for me as I’m very clumsy!)
I know diamonds supposedly mean “forever” but aquamarine means “a long and happy marriage” which I think is lovely. I’ve had loads of compliments about my engagement ring over the last seven years people are always asking where it’s from.

Mid blur square topaz with diamonds. I love it madly, just a couple of years old but it still looks as gorgeous as day one. My mum has been wearing blue topaz to replace her original sapphire (which she lost) fit well over 20 years and it's still beautiful too.

The Mohs hardness scale gives you relative hardness of stones. Diamond is 10, Ruby and Saphire are 9, Emerald is 7.5-8 as is aquamarine and morganite. They need looking after and are often seen in less frequently worn pieces. Amythyst can get scratched and show wear. I have my grandmothers aquamarine ring but she barely wore it. People didn’t wear jewellery every day back then so it lasted!

Sapphires should be cornflower blue in colour. Not very dark or very light. Emeralds should be a strong green and not cloudy. Ruby should be blood red. All these stones are very expensive if they are the perfect colour and, in the case of emerald, free from visible inclusions. Lots of modern emeralds, sapphires and rubies are heat treated to get a stronger colour. That’s ok if you are happy with that but I would look for antique or vintage for a better quality of stone. It’s a lot of fun looking and there are dealers and shops who specialise in vintage and antique rings.

I have my mother's which is a small sapphire.

I also have an antique one which is a little round cluster of different coloured stones which I chose because it is so pretty.

Later in life I was given a diamond solitaire.

I don't wear any of them now but still have them all.

I have a 1.5 carat Tanzanite with tiny diamonds built in to the shoulders, I love it and was never really a fan of diamonds on their own, much prefer a bit of colour in a ring.
Tanzanite is softer than diamonds so I try to remember to take it off if cleaning etc.
Never regretted not having a diamond solitaire OP.
Some beautiful rings on this thread

Sapphire and ruby are best because they are very strong and won’t scratch as badly.

If I was going to have a coloured stone I would probably go for a sapphire. Probably not a dark blue but maybe a purply blue, just to be a little bit different.

I had a squarecut Topaz stone, with a couple of diamonds each side, total cost around £250. We didn't have much money and I am against debt, so no way was XH going to spend more than he could afford.

I loved it. I hate big flashy stones, so it was perfect for me.

I love all the rings! Beautiful!

I love this idea. I wish I'd had an aquamarine - you can get a much bigger stone for the same price as a teeny-tiny diamond. And they look gorgeous too!

DM has a blue sapphire engagement ring, with tiny diamonds round the edge (similar to Princess Diana, but smaller, and a long time before). It is over 50 years old, all that has ever happened is that one diamond fell out.

DB is a geologist, he mined the emerald that is in his ex-wife’s engagement ring.

It really depends on what you’re doing on a day to day basis. For example a lot of South Asian women destroy poor quality rings just through making South Asian food everyday. Similarly if you’re a cleaner you may also struggle.

Nothing is as strong as a diamond — but people can rarely afford top quality diamonds. In the case of other stones you would need top quality to be as durable as a fair / poor quality diamond, but for most stones it should be possible.

I would probably say for rubies and some emeralds even some second hand jewellers can’t tell if they’re selling fakes; so try not to buy second hand unless you’re buying from a really trusted shop in hatton garden / jewellry quarter.

My blue topaz engagement ring cost less than £90 10 years ago. Since then I've acquired a wedding ring (cheap 9ct gold}, diamond channel set eternity ring (£900) and diamond solitaire (£800) but I still love my modest engagement ring 💍

Absolutely gorgeous ring. Saw one like it as a teenager, always wanted one similar to that. Lovely hands too.

Mine's five dark (almost black) garnets set into yellow gold. I absolutely love it - it's far more 'me' than diamonds.

I love my sapphire and diamond ring! Ignore my swollen fingers, currently pregnant!

Aquamarine can look cheap (no offence to anyone!) but coloured stones like sapphires and emeralds and rubies are all really popular nowadays. I saw Kunzite and loved that.

I'd have had a sapphire if I hadn't chosen a diamond solitaire. Maybe with a rub-over setting.

I just wanted to say that many of the less expensive stones that are naturally pale are colour enhanced, and that colour can fade.
I had a lovely three stone blue topaz and diamond ring about 25 years ago but the blue has faded badly, and unevenly.
IDK but perhaps the technology has improved.
I think I'd go for a well-coloured, but not too dark, sapphire, especially as I wear a lot of blue. So choose whatever colour you like but it's worth spending a little more to get a good quality stone, IMO.

I've got a tanzanite and diamond ring and adore it

Loving the pictures. Mine is a solitare diamond but I've always wanted a ruby ring. Watching for some inspiration.

Gender - yours is beautiful- so unusual.

Thank you. I had it made using the stones from my mums engagement ring so it’s very special to me.

I have an emerald cut tanzanite with baguette cut diamonds either side. It's really unusual and I absolutely love it

This is mine! 💞

Wow! There are some lovely rings here! Thanks so much for sharing.