When I started looking into alternative engagement rings, the most common advice I heard was to substitute my birthstone for diamonds. As my birthstone is the diamond (as an April baby), I thought this was poor advice. So I had to take matters into my own hands. It’s not that I dislike diamonds – in fact, the Jessica Fields sapphire ring I’m wearing now on my left hand has diamonds encircling the ring. It’s just that I think other gemstones are so much more interesting. So, using my gorgeous bauble as my inspiration, I have compiled some of the most gorgeous non-diamond-solitaire rings out there.
Clockwise from top left: Diamond dot com, Jewels For Me, Ice dot com, The Clay Pot, Topazery, Macy’s, Jewelry Central
So what’s your position? Are diamonds a girl’s best friend or do you wear an alternative e-ring?
I have a diamond center stone surrounded by sapphires, and I love it. But I wouldn’t have complained if it were the other way around. Diamonds as an engagement ring is a relatively recent tradition… so unless you are one of those people that is all about the bling and material aspects of life – its really not your only choice. Plus there is the additional tag on that unless you put in a good chunk more effort to ENSURE that your diamond is either man-made (“artisan”) or from Canada – there is no guarantee that its conflict free or eco or enviro conscious in its harvesting. (I love my man – my ring say’s “eh!” … canadian because he knew it was important to me).
Only thing to keep in mind with alternatives – it still needs to be a hard stone. Rings take a lot of abuse and some beautiful stones (opal etc) are uber fragile.
Good luck!
My engagement ring is a fire opal- yes, yes, I know they carry an omen of bad luck…unless you’re born in October! And I am! Another added bonus? The opal’s color is usually a beautiful shimmery blue, just like the my Fiance’s eyes. I have never liked diamonds. I love color, and I knew my ring had to be colorful. He choose right.
i have a diamond, but it’s an antique ring– eco and socially friendly and different than the mass-produced mall rings out there! not everyone understands why i would want a ‘used’ ring, but it’s so perfect- i can’t imagine anything else, and the design is so lovely compared to new cram-as-many-diamonds-as-possible-onto-every-surface rings!
my ring:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/intermittent/1213781481/
My engagement ring is a black diamond with pave set white diamonds surrounding it and down the actual band. It is classic and simply gorgeous! It is an antique bought from a local jeweler my now husband and I frequent. For now my wedding band is my late grandfathers plain platinum band. But I’m hoping for our 5 and 10 year anniversary to find antique pave bands to go on either side (with a great big vow renewal and reception to boot!!) lol I wanted something unique, and would have sworn I was getting an aquamarine with pave diamonds I had my eye on (at the same jeweler). So I was beyond shocked when I received my ring. I did received the aquamarine ring for Christmas to wear as my something blue!
I have a vintage reproduction ring that has a princess cut sapphire solitaire surrouned by tiny pave diamonds. It’s dreamy and so unique… :)
Mine is a berry pink tourmaline in a micro pave setting. I couldn’t have been more pleased with the choice.
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We are getting an antique ring that has a diamond in it, but if I hadn’t fallen in love with that I know I would be sporting something a little more colorful. I think an opal sounds beautiful!
My ring is an antique and looks very similar to the top left, an oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds, only it’s yellow gold. I absolutely love it!
I can’t really say that I like the vintage looking ring and wouldn’t personally have one as my engagement ring but the ones above are really pretty.
My ring is an emerald antique ring from the 1920;s and we purchased it from Artdecodiamonds.com. We absolutely love it. Of course when we get our wedding bands we will be calling artdecodiamonds.com