Purchasing Jewelry as Gifts

Diamonds might be marketed as a girl's best friend, but some people want nothing to do with them for their custom engagement ring. Whether that's due to ethical objections, money, or simply preference, you don't have to worry if you're looking for a few ideas for a non-diamond stone to use in your ring — because here are three great options right at your fingertips.

Birthstone

Every month has a birthstone, and the chances are good that you probably know yours — January is garnet, July is Ruby, and on and on. Setting your engagement ring with your birthstone personalizes the ring more to you and your life, while also giving off a unique color that's quite different from the normal colorless diamond.

This applies to everyone except for April babies, of course, as April's birthstone is actually the diamond. If the ring-wearer is an April baby, consider looking at alternate birthstones based off of different mythologies; April babies also lay claim to sapphire and bloodstone, for example, depending on the tradition of the country and religion.

Actual Stones

Not every focal stone in engagement rings has to sparkle, you know. Gorgeous natural stones like moonstone, turquoise, jade, and agate are all incredibly non-traditional yet still gorgeous choices to be the focal point of your engagement ring. Plus, you'll be able to explain exactly what your stone is and why you picked it when people notice that they can't quite place what it might be.

If you want an even more natural feeling to your focus stone, you could always use a more raw version or — to great effect — a geode. Geodes will sparkle in the light, can be any color, and no two look exactly alike, which creates a truly unique ring for a truly unique partnership.

Moissanite

Yes, this stone is a diamond look-alike, but that's different from being an actual diamond. Moissanite is a natural stone that occurs in asteroids but is lab-grown and thus incredibly affordable if you want a larger carat ring. Nearly as hard as diamond, moissanite has greater fire and more sparkle than the famous stone, making it a great choice for both aesthetic reasons and for your wallet.

Upping the ante on a moissanite ring might be a little difficult, but if you really want to bump up the sparkle, consider adding a halo of moissanite around your focal stone; your ring will catch whatever light is in the room and sparkle for decades and decades to come.

For more information, contact a company like everett.