Fall/ Winter 2008

In Living Color

Alternative Gemstones Can Add Some Hot Hues to Your Engagement Ring Finger.

by Loukia Borrell

Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but they aren’t her only source of companionship. A bride who chooses an engagement ring with something other than a diamond “doesn’t want her ring to look like everyone else’s in her office. She may focus her attention on finding a really exquisite ruby or sapphire because, to her, diamonds are too mainstream,” says Amy Elliott, senior editor for Brides Local Magazines. “Some brides simply don’t like diamonds,” Elliott says, adding that other gemstones are sometimes viewed as warm, lively and passionate compared to the icy austerity of a diamond.

After diamonds, “sapphires are the second most popular choice for engagement rings,” says Sharon Puryear, co-owner of McCormack & Puryear in Norfolk. “We sell sapphires and occasionally other gems for engagement rings,” she says. Aubrey McCormack, who owns the Ghent jewelry store with Puryear, says that during his four decades as a jeweler, he has seen rubies, emeralds, opals, pearls, aquamarines and peridot in engagement and wedding rings.

If you have your heart set on a diamond, they come in a variety of colors—either naturally or through enhancement—like dazzling yellow or pretty pink. “Yellow diamonds are hot, either as an accent to a white diamond or the star attraction. I see a lot of pink when I do market appointments, but large, good quality ones are extremely rare and insanely pricey,” Elliott says. You also can combine diamonds with colorful gemstones in a setting.

“We sell more of the colored gems as accents for diamonds,” Puryear says. If you select a ring with gemstones, be aware that some gems are not good choices for jewelry that will be worn daily. Sapphires and rubies are durable, but opals and turquoise are weaker, making them more likely to scratch or chip. In those cases, the style of ring is important. “Some designs put the gems at less risk than others,” she says.

“Blue sapphire engagement rings are an offer at almost any fine jewelry store, and brides should also be able to see a fair share of pink and yellow sapphire engagement rings, too,” Elliott says, adding that the big news in bridal jewelry now is palladium, a sister metal to platinum. “The great thing about palladium is it’s much more lightweight and affordable. A lot of jewelers are going to be using it in the next year, and the industry is really excited about it,” she says.

With so many gemstones and metals to choose from, Elliott says brides are best served by trying on anything and everything eye-catching.