When shopping for an engagement ring, you must know the best gemstones for engagement jewelry—check out our comprehensive list before you buy.
Colored Diamonds
These are perhaps the most popular gemstone due to their cultural importance. Everyone knows about diamonds, but don’t forget that they come in more than just one clear shade. From a brilliant pink to a lovely green, there are numerous options for these long-lasting stones.
Sapphires
Sapphires are often a brilliant blue but can actually come in a huge array of colors. These gems are a great option when you do not want a diamond and will typically be less expensive for the same quality and size. They also score pretty high on the hardness scale and can go through a bit of abuse before scratching.
Emeralds
These green beauties are quite resistant to damage but still need special care to stay pristine. Coming in dark and light shades of green, emeralds are hard to pass up and look stunning when properly cut and refined. The special feature of emeralds is their jardin, which is the gemstone’s natural fractures and inclusions; this gives each emerald a unique design.
Rubies
Rubies are actually odd gemstones due to the fact that they are made from the same materials as sapphires. The only difference between the two gemstones is that rubies are red and sapphires are every color but red; in fact, this color change is due to a difference in the trace minerals inside each gemstone. Rubies typically have a beautiful red gleam that can vary from a dark red to a lighter orange.
These selections are the best gemstones for engagement jewelry and come in such a large variety; you’re sure to find whatever you need. Just keep in mind that you—and whoever you are getting it for—will be the ones to live with the ring. Make sure you get one that will stand the test of time.