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At some point in time, you may have heard this classic quote: “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend.” I hate to be the one to argue with Marilyn Monroe (the Queen, herself), but we aren’t all the same! Diamonds are beautiful, yes, but there are so many other stones out there to choose from. Why limit your options?
For the modern customer, diamond engagement rings and wedding bands are just one of a variety of choices before them. We know, because we provide quite an array of unique styles and gemstones at Aurora Designer -- and we always get asked for more! From aquamarine to zircon, we have created rings out of fascinating gemstones for all occasions, including The Big Day. Here are a few of our favorites for you to consider for that alternative engagement ring:
Sapphire is one of the most popular alternatives to the classic diamond. Sapphire naturally comes in every color of the rainbow, which means there is a sapphire for every personality. With a Mohs scale of 9, just below diamond for hardness, sapphires are definitely durable for everyday wear and resistant to scratching. Not only are these stones versatile and quite beautiful in all shapes and sizes, sapphire has a deeper meaning prescribed to it. In ancient times, these stones were thought to symbolize faith and loyalty, which makes them the perfect statement for eternal love and the bond of marriage.
Did you know sapphire is one of our founder, Jo’s, favorite gemstones? Some of her earliest designs for Aurora Designer were sapphire wedding bands in every color imaginable! We now specialize in the blue-green variety of sapphires, notably Montana sapphires! You can find our large collection of blue green sapphires and finished jewelry here: https://www.auroradesigner.com/collections/teal-sapphire
Speaking of color! Spinel engagement rings have become an increasingly popular choice over the last few years. At an amazing value, spinel has the color and beauty of sapphire, ruby, or any of its other counterparts - without the hefty price tag. This means a larger stone at a better price. Spinel is right up there with the durability of topaz, and suitable for everyday wear. Often mistaken for sapphire or ruby, this is a gemstone that we see taking off all on its own. As brides continue to become less obsessed with diamonds, they’re becoming more obsessed with finding the perfect ring to match their personal style. This gemstone goes the extra mile to do just that!
We, at Aurora Designer, started using spinels very early on in our engagement ring collections. We specialize in spinels that originate from the legendary gem town of Mogok, Myanmar (with some occasional Mahenge beauties). Jo maintains a very close relationship with several suppliers who are locals born and bred in Mogok! Check out our spinel collection jewelry here: https://www.auroradesigner.com/collections/spinel
Oh, moissanite, what would we do without you? Moissanite is the perfect diamond alternative. This is one of the few lab-created gemstones that we use at Aurora Designer, but we make moissanite rings for good reasons: they sparkle like none other and they come at an unbeatable price point. Moissanites are an amazing option if you are into the diamond look, but not so much the diamond price. They closely resemble diamonds, are harder on the Mohs scale, and shine just as bright! An eco-friendly option to boot, moissanites are truly a girl’s new best friend (sorry, Marilyn).
Since moissanite is a lab-created stone and there is an abundant availability, we also provide the option to custom facet a stone of any size, shape, and cutting style. Contact us if that piques your interest! In the meantime, check out some of our moissanite creations here: https://www.auroradesigner.com/collections/moissanite-center
If you are looking for something completely unique, an agate engagement ring is surely the way to go. We find ourselves using moss agate for our engagement ring designs quite often, as there is truly nothing else like it. It is durable, affordable, and an uncommon choice for an engagement ring, having all the ‘wow factor’ you could hope for. For the woman who needs no introduction, an agate ring is the ideal conversation-starter. The mesmerizing inclusions and intricate detail of these stones are sure to be the talk of the town!
At Aurora Designer, all of our moss agates are custom faceted to our specification (you will not find geometric-shape moss agates like these on the mass market!). Check out our wide selection of moss agates for a unique custom ring: https://www.auroradesigner.com/collections/moss-agate
The true ‘pretty in pink’ stone, morganite is absolutely lovely as an engagement choice. Often set in rose gold to bring out its pinkish hue, this gemstone is both unique and offers exceptional clarity to boot! Though not quite as durable as diamond, morganite is fairly hard with a Mohs scale rating of 7.5-8. Representative of growth and protection of the heart, morganite is a very symbolic stone that is sure to set the best of intentions for you and your significant other as you take this next step together in life.
We also offer a unique “Galaxy Morganite”, which is natural morganite with inclusions that resemble the stars and sparkles from the galaxy! See our limited collection of Galaxy Morganite rings here: https://www.auroradesigner.com/collections/galaxy-morganite
If you are looking for a stone that speaks to your individuality, look no further than moonstone! Moonstone is a unique gemstone with its opalescent hue and that sought-after blue or rainbow flash. It has been popular on and off throughout history, and moonstone jewelry dates back to ancient times. In fact, the ancient Romans believed that moonstone was created by harnessing hardened rays of moonlight! Those of us inspired by the night sky, or even the mystical, may feel drawn to this stone.
While undeniably beautiful, moonstone is a softer stone with a Mohs hardness scale of 6-6.5. Your moonstone engagement ring will need to be well-protected during everyday wear. Be aware that your moonstone may get scratches and become “cloudy” over time, so you may need to replace your center stone in a few years if your heart is set on this beautiful gem!
We have a large collection of moonstones in stock available for custom orders. Contact us here to inquire about our moonstone selection: https://www.auroradesigner.com/pages/contact-us-2
No matter which gemstone you choose for your engagement ring, we believe that it should represent who you are and what you desire out of your life. While diamonds have been a very popular engagement choice dating back to the 1940s, we are in the 2020s now! As modern individuals, we deserve to be adorned in jewelry which represents both our relationships and our personalities. While marriage can mean diamonds... it doesn’t have to! We’ll leave that choice up to you. 😉
