I’m thinking about proposing to my girl, however we both think diamonds as a standard is stupid and overrated, we both prefer much more colorful and comparatively cheaper gemstones like rubies and sapphires, but I’m having trouble finding a good place for that, I’ve never done this before, any ideas?
Consider “moissanite”. Beautiful manufactured gemstones that look very much like diamonds but are a fraction of the price.
Go to a small local jeweler. They can often make you something custom for much less than the price of a chain store. They’ll also be able to walk you through all the options and advantages of each. If you’re having trouble finding that little mom and pop spot, Google jewelry repair. 9 out of 10 of those businesses will be more than happy to take on your project.
I also went with moissanite but my extra advice would be to get a ring where the stone is set deeper inside the ring so it doesn’t get caught in her hair, fabrics, etc.
This Etsy shop! I’ve never seen such unique jewelry, and stunning creative engagement rings.
Any independent jeweler can help you out.
I will say one practical consideration is that diamonds are really hard and don’t get scratched. You may want to consider hardness for any replacement gemstone (rubies and sapphires are the next hardest).
I have a moissonite ring, but it looks very much like a diamond. If you’re looking for something different, I would check antique stores or estate sales to look for a second hand gem. You can always have it put in a new setting if the ring is too dated for your tastes.
My wife’s engagement ring is also Moissanite and she loves it. It looks like a $20k ring to anyone but a jeweler (honestly I regret going with as big of a stone as I did, but my wife loves it), but I “only” spent $2.5k on it
Plus Moissanite is harder and has a higher brilliance than diamond. A great alternative for people who don’t want to waste money on diamonds, but still want a “traditional” ring
It still seems fucking insane to me to spend 2,5k on a ring but you do you.
It’s a piece of jewelry she wears literally every day of her life and she loves it - I’d say we got our money’s worth even by now, let alone over the coming decades
Yes, my stone is a full carat because my husband wanted a round number I guess haha. Anyway, it does look rather opulent given our economic status, but I Iike it and it fit his budget.
I honestly can’t remember the exact size, but in retrospect it definetely looks a bit gawdy by my usual standards 😅
When I proposed, I went to a local jeweler and we talked through what kind of stones to use. We went with a beautiful sapphire that has a number of different colors in it.
Dollar Tree has a lot of budget options in the toy section.
Any jeweler.
You can try looking at styles like:
Find a custom jeweller. I wanted to get my wife’s ring remade after 10 years, and it was far less expensive than I expected. And they can give you great ideas.
I’m gonna chime in to also recommend Etsy. There are a lot of great quality producers and not only craft-table-in-the-corner-hobbyists who sell things on Etsy. That would be the first place I’d look. Etsy product reviews are pretty reliable as well.
Does it have to be an engagement ring? I got my girlfriend a gold bell from Mene to wear with her choker. We talked about it beforehand and we both agreed diamonds and that whole industry are stupid and she loved the bell idea. I’m gonna propose in a week in Japan when we go on vacation.
buy lab grown stones then go to a local jeweler to pick out the setting for it
Another vote for moissanite, I got my wife’s engagement ring and wedding band from kobelli.com
