Romancing the Stone: A Gemstone Women's Engagement Ring vs a Diamond Ring

Should you choose a unique women's gemstone ring or a more traditional women's engagement ring with a diamond?

In recent years, many new styles of women’s engagement rings have appeared thanks to innovative manufacturing and sourcing methods. Traditionally, diamond rings in silver or gold were always the go-to, but that’s no longer the case.

Just as men’s wedding bands now have a bevy of materials and designs to choose from — including tungsten, titanium, and wood bands — women’s jewelry is just as diverse.

One of the biggest questions when choosing a new engagement ring is whether or not you want a diamond or a rare gemstone. Diamond rings are often associated with romantic endeavors and milestones, like getting engaged or married. But just because they’re iconic doesn’t mean that’s what you should choose.

There are many women’s gemstone rings and unique engagement rings that might catch your eye, and may even be a better fit for your tastes!

Women’s Gemstone Rings vs Women’s Diamond Rings

To sort out the argument, or rather help you make up your mind, it makes sense to consider the differences between diamonds and gemstones, at least when it comes to women’s engagement bands.

Diamonds

Pros

• -Diamonds tend to be brighter, sparkly, and beautiful especially when paired with the right band material
• -They are incredibly strong and durable, being one of the hardest stones available
• -Because they are clear and colorless they match more material designs

Cons

• -Diamonds are rare and highly-desirable so they are much more expensive
• -As a stone, they are far from unique and have long been a staple of engagement rings

Gemstones

Pros

• -Gemstones are available in many different colors, styles, and cuts
• -Select gems have become even more popular than diamonds
• -They’re budget-friendly even at much larger sizes

Cons

• -They’re hit or miss as some gemstones are too brittle or soft, while others are incredibly durable like rubies
• -Some gems are not suitable for everyday rings and jewelry because they’re too weak
• -Like diamonds, they may differ in quality, color, and size

Many vintage gemstone rings include stones like rubies, sapphires, and topaz because they are some of the strongest and most durable stones, in the gem world. Emeralds, quartz, tourmaline, amethyst, aquamarine, and tanzanite are also suitable alternatives, although they will require significantly more love and care to keep them in good shape.

The Biggest Advantage of a Diamond Women's Engagement Ring

Outside of cost and value, diamonds are much more durable, which makes them better suited for jewelry that’s going to be worn day-in and day-out, like engagement rings or wedding bands. They can take a beating and they can be exposed to various conditions, moisture included, without becoming tarnished or damaged.

That is, perhaps, one of the biggest and most pertinent advantages that diamonds have over gemstones. Of course, there are some gems out there that are quite strong, albeit not as tough as diamonds.

Which Type of Women's Engagement Ring Is Right for Me?

The age-old debate has been going on for decades, if not centuries. Jewelry and engagement rings have always included a wide variety of stones, not just diamonds, and natural gemstone rings are highly coveted by many.

An excellent point about real gemstone rings is that they can be incredibly unique. While diamonds do always differ in terms of quality, color, cut, and size, they generally look the same with a shiny, colorless style. Gemstones, on the other hand, come in a range of colors, sizes, shapes, and qualities. Where some might select a clear diamond that has a higher value, the opposite might be true of gemstones. You may find that you prefer cloudy or less clear gems because they offer a solid color with more vibrancy overall.

It honestly just depends on your personal preference.

There are many more unique gemstone rings than there are unique diamond rings, so if you want to stand out and buck the norm, gemstones are for you. Besides, there are so many opportunities for acquiring gemstone rings cheap, which is superb if you’re on a tight budget.

Gemstone Women’s Engagement Ring vs Diamond Engagement Ring

We have two promotions running this week to coincide with our debate, or rather to help you find which type of engagement rings suits your needs best.

Blue Sapphire Engagement Rings

From October 5 until October 19, when you use promo code BLUE10 you will receive 10% off our stunning selection of blue sapphire engagement rings!

Solitaire Engagement Rings

From October 8 until October 31 — yes, Halloween— when you use promo code LUX10 you will receive 10% off our timeless luxury engagement rings!

Either Way, You Win!

Choose the promo that matches your needs best, and get a women's engagement ring worthy of your time and devotion!