Whats something different than a diamond for my engagement ring, and why?

I don't need it to be expensive although my fiance' is not afraid to spend money(he bought me a cadillac cts as engagement present).

He says he does not like the moral implications of a diamond, even with a non blood diamond proof of origin etc.



List pros and cons of a diamond.

help me find an alternative.Whats something different than a diamond for my engagement ring, and why?The biggest pro for a diamod is it's durability. A diamond is the most likely gem to resist scratching, chipping and general wear and tear as it is the hardest naturally occuring gemstone. They are rated by the Mohs Hardness scale and you can find more information here..



http://www.prospectorsparadise.com/html/鈥?/a>



This was the simplest and most straight forward explanation of the Mohs Scale i could find quickly



If you will be wearing your ring every day for the rest of your life, exposing it to abrasives in soap/cleaning products/bumps and knocks and just everyday use you do not want to have a stone that will chip, mark and get scratched whilst you do your everyday things.



One the Scale 1 is the softest and 10 is the hardest. Gems will scratch gems in either the same scale region or any scale below but not gems in a higher scale.



Eg if you wear a diamond ring against a sapphire ring the diamond may scratch the sapphire and damage the stone but the diamond will remain unscathed.



If you are wanting an alternative to a diamond go down one in the scale and choose a sapphire or a ruby. (sapphire being more resistant than a ruby) Please note that if money is no object you can find sapphires in colours other than blue like pink or yellow or green but they are more expensive as they are rarer. This will give you similar durability without the moral implicationsWhats something different than a diamond for my engagement ring, and why?
Yes rubies and sapphires are both 9 on the scale but when you get more scientificly into it the sapphire is a 9.8 and a ruby is a 9.6 even though they are both corundum. That's just me being picky. They are both corundum but have different concentrations

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Whats something different than a diamond for my engagement ring, and why?Your birthstoneWhats something different than a diamond for my engagement ring, and why?
My sisters husband gave her an engagment ring with her birthstone a Pearl. Very pretty. You could have something like and if you want something sparkly try Oh I forget what they are called but they look like diamonds. Little chips would be pretty.Whats something different than a diamond for my engagement ring, and why?There are really no pros and cons its just what you like to wear personally. It can be any stone that you like. Just look around. Up until a few decades ago sapphires were quite popular for engagement rings.



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Also you might want to get an old mine diamond that you can find in antique stores. They are diamonds that were mined far away from africa a hundred years ago.



EDIT:

Watch out with pearls. They will loose their luster with daily hand washing and because of how they are set they are much more likely to fall out of its setting.
For my wedding ring I chose a garnet, but only because I never thought diamonds were that pretty. If its morals you're concerned with you could get a certified diamond. Try to think outside the box, go to a whole bunch of jewelry stores, not just ones that cater to people getting married. You might find a style of ring that suits you better.Whats something different than a diamond for my engagement ring, and why?
Buy a Haribo ring (edible sweets)
The diamond is only recently the stone of choice for engagement, most of this brought about by DeBeers. I have beautiful sapphires in mine, and I've seen really pretty ruby engagement rings. What is your favorite color? I'll bet you can find a stone you like in that color. Also, antique shops and estate sales sometimes have really interesting colored stone jewelry. Congratulations!Whats something different than a diamond for my engagement ring, and why?
well, diamonds are forever, or whatever. i didn't want one. he got me a marquis cut emerald, which i love.



the only thing i would have liked better is a sapphire, my birthstone.
well, i say pearl, white pearl, on white gold...

no real argument for that, there's just great, not as expensive as diamond (some are), and fashionable...

and i guess no blood origin... just the sea :)

and Congratulations!!



check http://www.shecypearljewelry.com/south-s鈥?/a>

for ideas...
A civil war musket works well

However it really depends on what your boyfriend is like



p.s

make sure he doesn't see you put this up, it may ruin the surprise
How about a ring with your fiance's birthstone? As an alternative to my ring, I would have loved a sapphire ring since that is my fiance's birthstone. I just think it would be very meaningful and unique.
What about having both of your birthstones put into a ring. A common trend in India is called the "circle of love" ring, which is basically a ring with both of your birthstones/lucky gems beside one another. If and when you have children, you can add their birthstones to your ring aswell.



My experiance in diamonds is that they are very generic. It's VERY HARD to find a married couple (in the east or west) without a diamond ring. With an alternative ring, you'll be able to stand out in a crowd and will have a new story to tell your friends/family.



Whatever you choose, may God grant you and your hubby-to-be a long and happy life together :)
I have a ring w. 2.25 ct moissanite as my center stone; the band has .75 tcw in diamonds, plus my wedding band has an add'l .5 ct in diamonds. Total cost for both $2600



Here's why I love my moissanite: It's got twice the fire of a diamond, same durability and hardness of a diamond. It'll test positive for a diamond using a carbon tester, often found in jewelry stores. I used to work for Kay Jewelers many years ago. It seems to stay cleaner and sparkle more than a cz does too.



The cons: the larger the stone (over 1 carat)- it does tend to have a bit of a greyish/greenish cast in sunlight but that's literally the only thing I can think of that might be a con.



I get so many compliments on my ring, it's ridiculous. It looks like the rings you see in many bridal magazines.



You might also consider going with a pink, yellow, or blue sapphire. They also have a high hardness factor, and women in Italy often wear sapphire engagements rings. Sapphires are symbolic for fidelity/faithfulness.
Personally, I don't like diamonds and I didn't even before the whole blood controversy. I have a brilliant cut purple sapphire/ruby that's a little over 3/4 carat set in a classic Tiffany setting. I think it's beautiful and original. I don't recommend a tanzanite they can lose their color from exposure to the sun. I also don't recommend emeralds as they can be very fragile and shatter from everyday wear. You could go with your birthstone or just pick a stone that you feel is beautiful.
how about a nice broch or cameo?

get matching tattoos or a ring tattoo that would be sexy
Any other stone would be different.



You could choose your birthstone or ruby, opal, emerald, saphire. You don't need your engagement ring to be a diamond you can choose whatever you want. Go to a jewelry store and choose what you both like.
He could get you a ring that has both of your birthstones on it.

Or a pearl ring. I dont see anything wrong with having something besides a diamond.

My best friend has the birthstones and a diamond in her ring and its beautiful.

The question is...what do YOU want?
Conflict free diamonds boost the economy in many impovrished nations. People just need to take the time to educate themselves on this fact, instead of blindly following what they hear. Over 98% of diamonds sold in the US and virtually 100% in bricks and mortar stores are conflict free. The taxes that are paid by DeBeers (yes it is basicially a monopoly) allow schools to be built, roads to be paved and public health care plans to be put into place. If you want to do something morally sound, DO invest in a diamond.
You can have any gem, or none at all. Go with your favourite color. I have a dress ring which is a pink topaz, and it would make an awesome engagement ring. Or go with a cz, if you want a clear stone.

There are lots of options -

http://www.ice.com/customer/product_deta鈥?/a>

http://secure.jamesavery.com/jewelry/sea鈥?/a>

http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Emerald-Co鈥?/a>

http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Citrine-So鈥?/a>

http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Quartz-Sol鈥?/a>

http://www.mysolitaire.com/Jewelry/Jewel鈥?/a>

http://www.mysolitaire.com/Jewelry/Jewel鈥?/a>

http://www.mysolitaire.com/Jewelry/Jewel鈥?/a>

The majority of gemstone rings come with diamond accents, so you have to search for those which don't.

Here's a traditional ring set, but in cz -

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.鈥?/a>

This is a cool garnet ring

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.鈥?/a>

OMG, I love this ring -

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.鈥?/a>

http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.鈥?/a>

http://www2.jcpenney.com/jcp/Products.as鈥?/a>