Would you choose an alternative wedding ring gemstone?

Contributor: alliegator alliegator
I would go with a colored gemstone rather than a white/clear non-diamond stone. A nice deep ruby, sapphire, or amethyst.
05/31/2013
Contributor: snowminx snowminx
If it's clear I want it to be a diamond but I might want another color, who knows. Honestly I don't think I'm ever going to get married so it doesn't really matter.
05/31/2013
Contributor: nickeyt nickeyt
I dont even like dimons
05/31/2013
Contributor: marshmallow marshmallow
yes, i'd love that!
06/29/2013
Contributor: Hallmar82 Hallmar82
I think others are just as good for wedding gems too. I like both rubies and emeralds.
06/29/2013
Contributor: Trysexual Trysexual
I think it's interesting how people have been conditioned over time about these things. I don't think it matters, as long as two people love each other. Diamonds are held at artificially high prices by a monopoly and lives are exploited in their mining. They aren't as rare as the industry would have you believe either. They limit the days you can wholesale purchase diamonds to 2 days/year to keep the supply tight(er).

A friend of mine paid to name a star after his girlfriend once. (BTW, who gives anyone the authority to do so? The stars aren't owned by anyone). My first reaction to him was "So, what you are telling her is that she is one of billions and billions, right?"
06/29/2013
Contributor: Wicked Wahine Wicked Wahine
I would go for whatever was the most gorgeous ring to me and I can say that is unlikely to be a diamond! I am all about color, so some of the fabulous, richly colored opals appeal to me, even though I know they are not sturdy. I am always more likely to go with mixed colored stones because they are all so pretty, I can't choose just one! I also love ammolite !

@ Trysexual, you beat me to my reply about diamonds! They also began to push diamonds for weddings as part of their marketing ploy! Before that, colored stones and pearls were all the rage.
06/29/2013
Contributor: emiliaa emiliaa
Not for the sake of saving money, no, but I like a lot of gemstones...

To be honest, I won't be getting married, but, I just know a lot of other pretty gems are out there.
06/29/2013
Contributor: stacylyn12 stacylyn12
Quote:
Originally posted by Lady of the Lab
I've been doing some research in the process of picking a ring and I came across two popular lab-grown alternatives to diamonds, cubic zirconia and moissanite.

From Wikipedia:
Cubic zirconia -- "cubic crystalline form of zirconium ... more
I use a different gemstone but I would never try to pass out a different stone for a diamond
07/07/2013
Contributor: Love Bites Love Bites
Quote:
Originally posted by Lady of the Lab
I've been doing some research in the process of picking a ring and I came across two popular lab-grown alternatives to diamonds, cubic zirconia and moissanite.

From Wikipedia:
Cubic zirconia -- "cubic crystalline form of zirconium ... more
My partner proposed with a moonstone. I think it's pretty and I enjoy it a lot. It's very unique to us. I also like the idea of not having a ring or having just a plain silver band.
07/09/2013
Contributor: Pastafariette Pastafariette
I wouldn't mind an alternative to a diamond, as long as it is durable and fits my style tastes.
07/12/2013
Contributor: SweetSaffron SweetSaffron
We didn't have conventional wedding rings. We had matching surgical stainless steel claddaghs, made for us by his stepmother, who is a jeweler.

My initial engagement ring was a simple band that he already owned, though she later made me one with a 3/4 carat diamond. It was nice, but the fact that it was created for me by someone who cared for me meant a good deal more than the appearance of the ring itself. The diamond was held in by the tension of the band itself, rather than the usual setting, and it fell out at one point due to working with my hands all day. Her response? "It's just a rock, send it back and I'll put in a new one." Diamonds and other stones are pretty cheap to jewelers.

I feel like white diamonds are overrated, and too common to really be special. I have a yellow diamond ring, which I love because the color is so nice, and because it was a gift made for me. I also have a somewhat large amethyst - my birthstone - which I felt was "too big" at first, but it's so pretty that I now see it as "normal" sized. I like both of these rings far more than any rapper's "ice", because they're unique and personal.
07/12/2013
Contributor: Etonia Etonia
I probably wouldn't choose a lab created gemstone but I wouldn't mind replacing the diamond with another gemstone if it turned out that I liked it better than the diamond - maybe a sapphire or something else.
07/13/2013
Contributor: gsfanatic gsfanatic
Yep, I actually chose a sapphire for the engagement ring I got my fiance. It looks pretty awesome and it's very unique
07/13/2013
Contributor: karenm karenm
Yes, I'm planning to get a different type of gemstone. I haven't decided what type yet, but I'm thinking something green.
07/14/2013
Contributor: Antipova Antipova
I would not choose a diamond, and I will likely not even want any gemstone at all. If I had a diamond-looking ring, I would be happy to explain that it was not a product of a weird cartel---hooray for cubic zirconia et al!
07/16/2013
Contributor: stacylyn12 stacylyn12
Quote:
Originally posted by Lady of the Lab
I've been doing some research in the process of picking a ring and I came across two popular lab-grown alternatives to diamonds, cubic zirconia and moissanite.

From Wikipedia:
Cubic zirconia -- "cubic crystalline form of zirconium ... more
I have a Tiger eye as my main stone
07/16/2013
Contributor: stacylyn12 stacylyn12
Quote:
Originally posted by Lady of the Lab
I've been doing some research in the process of picking a ring and I came across two popular lab-grown alternatives to diamonds, cubic zirconia and moissanite.

From Wikipedia:
Cubic zirconia -- "cubic crystalline form of zirconium ... more
I never pass off one stone for another
07/20/2013
Contributor: lana'sart lana'sart
Quote:
Originally posted by Lady of the Lab
I've been doing some research in the process of picking a ring and I came across two popular lab-grown alternatives to diamonds, cubic zirconia and moissanite.

From Wikipedia:
Cubic zirconia -- "cubic crystalline form of zirconium ... more
rubys are the best
07/20/2013
Contributor: lalalalove lalalalove
I would choose whatever I found the most beautiful, as long as it were within my budget of course. Same for any piece of jewelry.
07/20/2013
Contributor: Pete's Princess Pete's Princess
Quote:
Originally posted by alliegator
I would go with a colored gemstone rather than a white/clear non-diamond stone. A nice deep ruby, sapphire, or amethyst.
I agree. I would rather have a gemstone than a man-made stone.
10/10/2013
Contributor: HannahPanda HannahPanda
I'm all about style - I would perhaps should an alternate gemstone if I loved the style enough.
10/14/2013
Contributor: LaSchwartz LaSchwartz
I would and did My ideal stone was a ruby but in the end I had a pearl that was actually my grandmothers ring and I don't think I could see myself with anything else.

Also my sister had a really pretty opal ring that I love.
11/01/2013
Contributor: battleaxe battleaxe
Although I would prefer a diamond, I wouldn't be opposed to having another gemstone. Well, so long as it has a similar "hardness" to diamond, like carbonado or corundum.
11/08/2013
Contributor: friendswithfangs friendswithfangs
Quote:
Originally posted by Trysexual
I think it's interesting how people have been conditioned over time about these things. I don't think it matters, as long as two people love each other. Diamonds are held at artificially high prices by a monopoly and lives are exploited in ... more
so glad someone mentioned this! the diamond industry is appalling in so many ways aside from the inane capitalist connotations of selling a rock for ridiculously high prices.

the disregard for human life and the exploitation present in diamond mining is absolutely disgusting. all that aside, i find diamonds boring anyway, what with all the magnificent gems available, and if i were to get a traditional wedding band, i think i'd go for something local perhaps.
11/11/2013
Contributor: cagypsy cagypsy
I am not personally a fan of other stones in engagement rings but ?I think it needs to be a stone YOU like. However if I ever do get a ring and its not a diamond I'm not going to try and pass it off as a diamond. I might not go out of my way to tell people "hey guess what its not a diamond" but if someone asks me is that a diamond and its not I personally would have to tell the truth. Lots of people don't use diamonds anymore for engagement rings so I don't see why it would cross someones mind to lie about the stone in their ring.
11/12/2013
Contributor: CinnamonNights CinnamonNights
I actually don't like diamonds too much, so I don't require one or particularly want one. I like other more colorful gemstones (pink diamond not included). Ruby, sapphire, emerald, other such things. It doesn't even have to be expensive, in fact I don't want expensive wedding stuff. If it's a ring that won't break easily, and If the gem is a pretty color that I can shine & enjoy it's shimmer I don't mind.
11/12/2013
Contributor: peachmarie peachmarie
I don't know how I feel about this, I would love either a traditional or non traditional engagement ring, something that is unique to you and the relationship. But diamonds are sooooo expensive for one that is not a little chip of diamond, and I'm not comfortable wearing something that expensive when that money could be used for so much more.
11/13/2013
Contributor: battleaxe battleaxe
Quote:
Originally posted by friendswithfangs
so glad someone mentioned this! the diamond industry is appalling in so many ways aside from the inane capitalist connotations of selling a rock for ridiculously high prices.

the disregard for human life and the exploitation present in diamond ... more
Diamonds aren't rocks, they're minerals. But other than that, I agree with your post. The industry is outrageous and though diamonds are superior to any other mineral in terms of fragility, there are still plenty of other beautiful minerals out there that can be used as gemstones and last a long time.
11/14/2013