While there is rarely a woman who does not like diamonds, a bride-to-be may prefer something else in place of a diamond that looks like a diamond for her wedding and engagement rings. Many times price is a factor, with certain stones resembling diamonds being more affordable. In other cases, the brilliance of the stone is a deciding factor. Hard as it is to believe, there are some gemstones that are more brilliant than diamonds and have a considerable hardness, making it difficult for them to be easily scratched. Below are five alternatives to diamonds when seeking a clear gemstone for your wedding or engagement ring this year:
Moissanite is more brilliant than a diamond and is made of silicon carbide. Its hexagonal crystal system is what gives the gemstone its unique brilliance and makes it desirable in wedding and engagement jewelry. Named after its discoverer, Henri Moissan, moissanite is generally found in meteorites and in the upper mantle layer of the earth’s crust. On the mineral hardness scale, moissanite ranks at 9.25. A half carat of moissonite is quite affordable at about $250.00, while the larger carats can cost up to a thousand dollars. As with regular diamond rings, moissanite can be set in yellow gold, white gold, or platinum. Moissanite Jewelry(1) and Moissanite Company(2) carry wedding rings of this stone for brides.
Titania, while dated as a gemstone as it has been used to imitate diamonds back in the 1950’s, is another diamond alternative. Chemically, the composition is titanium dioxide, or TiO2 which is found in a rutilated form in nature. Titania has the highest light refraction of any gemstone. While this gemstone almost never comes in a pure clear color like moissonite, some ladies might appreciate the hint of red or yellow that is present in titania, which has a hardness of 6 on the Mohs scale. Titania rings set in gold are more likely to be found in antique jewelry stores; it is recommended that you ask your regular jeweler where you would be able to find a wedding ring with this stone set in it.
White sapphires are generally crystal clear but may have a hint of pink or blue in the stone. While most people think of sapphires as being blue, this type of corundum also appears in pink and yellow in nature. White sapphires rank at 9 on the hardness scale, making them quite durable as wedding jewelry, but the stone does not have a high refractive index like the diamond does. This gemstone still shines, however, and is an alternative that not many will automatically think of when it comes to wedding rings. You can ask your local fine jeweler for white sapphires, or try the Antique Jewelry Mall(3) where several pairs of white sapphire wedding rings are available. The price range for these rings is between $360.00 and $1500.00, depending on the size of the gemstones used.
White topaz, like the sapphire, also comes in several different colors in nature. This gemstone is surprisingly affordable in wedding rings, ranging between $200.00 to $300.00 for an average of 3/4 to one carat in size. This stone is beautiful in white gold but also comes in regular gold and can even be custom set in a metal like platinum or titanium. White topaz ranks at 8 on the hardness scale and its clear color is a sign there are no other impurities in the silicate composition. Like the white sapphire, it is not as brilliant in refraction as the diamond is: its refractive index is about half that of a diamond. Jewels For Me(4) carries a lovely selection of white topaz solitaire wedding rings but again you can ask your local jeweler if any wedding rings with this stone are readily available in your town.
Goshenite, or white beryl, is quite beautiful and has the same refractive index as the white topaz at 1.6. Beryl occurs in other colors in nature, with emerald probably being the most common. On the hardness scale, beryl ranks at 8. White beryl cut stones can easily be purchased loose and custom set in a ring in your choice of metal, so if you want something that is truly one of a kind, purchase a white beryl stone for this purpose. Teardrops, ovals, and rectangles are the most commonly cut shapes in white beryl, and usually cost under a hundred dollars. Buena Vista Gem Works(5) and AJS Gems(6) carry cut white beryl in a number of sizes. Have your favorite jeweler set the stone in your custom made wedding ring.
1. http://www.moissanite-collection.com/
2. http://www.moissaniteco.com/
3. http://www.antiquejewelrymall.com/white-sapphire-rings.html
4. http://www.jewelsforme.com/White-Topaz-Jewelry.asp
5. http://www.buenavistagemworks.com/gemstones/gempages/goshenite.htm
6. http://www.ajsgems.com/gemstones-Beryl-Goshenite-2046340422.html
