Answers

  • kittenkatt79 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Good question!

    I love diamonds and a variety of other precious stones. Blue sapphires are probably my favorite gem though. My favorite ring has a beautiful cornflower blue sapphire center stone, 2 trapezoid diamond side stones, and 68 pave diamonds as accents on the shank of the ring. It’s my most expensive ring.

    As far as pricing goes, most people think that white diamonds are the most expensive stones. This simply isn’t true. Natural, untreated blue sapphires and rubies can be much more expensive, and they are much more rare… the problem with rubies and sapphires is that 95% of whats out there is either synthetic or treated. A natural cornflower or royal blue sapphire is a treasure. Padparadscha sapphires are especially expensive and difficult to find (I hope someday to be able to find and afford one). Treatment, color, clarity, cut, rarity, and origin (country where the stone was mined) all impact the price of most colored stones. Any sapphire or ruby from Kashmir (India), Burma/Myanmar, or Ceylon/Sri Lanka will sell for a higher price than gems mined in Africa, Australia, or the Americas. This is because these mines have a long history of producing the finest colors and they also have the lowest supply. Kashmir mines are nearly exhausted, so a Kashmir sapphire can sell for $10,000-$30,000 per carat depending on color intensity and weight.

    Other gemstones I love are Emerald, which are also very expensive and hard to find, Tsavorite Garnet, Malaya Garnet, Aquamarine and Spinel. Spinel in particular is a wonderful stone that is hard, durable, affordable and comes in a variety of colors.

    For an engagement ring, I would recommend people choose hard stones that score higher than 8 on the Moh’s hardness scale. This would include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, topaz, crysoberyl, and spinel. These stones should not shatter if they are high quality and not heavily included. They absolutely will not have to be replaced as long as you care for them (all stones can crack, even diamonds, if they are abused enough or improperly handled by a jeweler while setting). Stones that I consider way too soft for daily wear are emerald, quartz, aquamarine, and opal.

    My favorite colored gemstone vendors are:

    Wildfish Gems: http://www.wildfishgems.com
    This natural sapphire from them has excellent color and is a good price for a rare Burmese sapphire: http://wildfishgems.com/inc/sdetail/11297

    Whites Gems: http://www.whitesgems.com

    Fine Water Gems: http://www.finewatergems.com

    The Natural Sapphire Company: http://www.thenaturalsapphirecompany.com

    My favorite diamond vendors are:

    Good Old Gold: http://www.goodoldgold.com
    Whiteflash: http://www.whiteflash.com
    Infinity Diamonds: http://www.craftedbyinfinity.com

  • Meredith 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    well the price depends on the cut, style, jewelery place and size, but personally I would go for diamonds. It’s more traditional and a classic.
    Who doesn’t like diamonds? They’re a girl’s best friend ;)

  • Courtney T 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    I believe it is the meaning behind the ring. If the person wants it to mean something specific then they can choose a diffrent stone that is your favorite or has a specific meaning or saying or something Or if you want to go traditional the a normal diamond would be great.

  • Tracy M 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    An engagement ring can be any type of stone that the person who is going to wear it likes. For me, I love the look of diamonds so that would be my choice.

  • Tarkarri 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Personally, I hate that white flash of a diamond, so chose a coloured stone.

    My partner had brought me a friendship ring with sapphire chips set into it a few years earlier, so I chose a sapphire ring, although it did have 2 tiny diamond chips setting it off.

    The sapphire was also a much less expensive option as it was only classed as a dress ring rather than an engagement ring by the jewellers.

    Be careful you choose a strong stone, engagement rings get worn more than dress rings. Opals are easily damaged if worn every day - which may be why they are considered unlucky.
    I never regretted my choice, and it is far easier to wear as a dress ring now after divorce (after 20 years of marriage).

  • Aracely 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Honestly..for an engagement ring i love diamonds…other stones just seem like a ring you bought…Diamonds are clear and gorgeous…my engagement ring in a diamond and i love it like that!

  • iheartcrunchypb 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    There are a variety of engagement rings on the market, including tattooed rings and rings that leave an indentation on the finger. There is also a nesting engagement ring that fits under the wedding band. Each is unique and beautiful, but the style depends on the bride.

    As far as cost is concerned, it varies. A tattooed ring could cost between $60 and $160, depending on the intricacy, while a simple diamond solitaire could cost as much $25,000; however, there are some crafty ways to get a cheaper ring, especially if you’re interested in getting a solitaire. All you need to do is find a "good" diamond (F-G, SI-1, colorless is an excellent choice) and get it set at a jewelry store.

  • the blue button 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    people these days always say that diamond are classic and they’re actually not. it’s only in the last couple of decades that it’s been fashionable to have diamonds, before then most people had other stones.

    personally i think diamonds are overrated, everyone has them these days so they’re not special or unique, you just have a different version of what everyone else has. i think a pearl with diamonds on either side would look nice and very elegant. diamonds are great to compliment another stone because they will reflect the colour.

    but personally i would prefer something unique and interesting rather than a diamond.

  • 999mimi 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    I PREFER BOTH!!!! :)…BUT PRICING IS FAIRLY THE SAME…THEY BOTH ARE WORTH ALOT…

  • TrueLoveNeverDies 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Personally, I prefer precious stones over diamonds. Everyone has a diamond engagement ring (thanks to the diamond industry starting the whole "diamonds are traditional" thing-which really they aren’t! Precious stones are actually the traditional stone choice.)

    Precious stones also get you a lot more bang for your buck! A tiny good quality diamond can cost thousands of dollars, and for that same amount you could get a much larger precious stone and more intricate setting.

    Even Princess Diana had a (giant) blue sapphire engagement ring with only small diamond accents. If it’s acceptable for royalty, it’s got to be good right? ha ha. My mother has a blue sapphire and diamond accent wedding set as well. I find precious stones to be so much more meaningful personally. It doesn’t take much thought for a man to go to a jeweler and pick out a diamond ring, but to chose a good precious stone ring really takes effort!

  • theologygirl 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Precious stones, for sure.

    I have a .9 carat blue sapphire with a small diamond (about 1/10 carat each) on each side. It’s gorgeous.

    I didn’t want my fiance to spend a bundle on a diamond. Diamonds aren’t any more rare than precious stones - the diamond industry made a practice of holding some back from the market and at the same time managed to convince the public that a diamond was a must for an engagement ring. Poof! Higher prices.

    My fiance got my ring from http://www.northwestjewelry.com for less than $200.00, and I think he got a really good deal for it. I’ve seen very similar rings selling for a lot more at other places.

  • nova_queen_28 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    I prefer gemstones. I got an aquamarine with little diamonds on the sides of the band.
    As for price - that depends upon where the ring comes from - my fiance had my aquamarine completely custom-made for me. He chose a traditional engagement ring setting, the jeweler tracked down the stone and then custom-cut the aquamarine and set it into the ring. With all the custom work done on my gemstone, he could have paid less and gotten a modest sized diamond.
    But then you can go online or to a regular jewelry store and purchase a ready-made aquamarine ring with a few diamonds on the sides for around $400 - - some places less, some places more - - but the point is that a gemstone ring can be relatively inexpensive if you buy from what a jeweler offers without customizing.

  • Katie 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Diamonds are best but if you can’t afford a big diamond get a Moisanate (sp?) and replace it with a diamond down the road.

  • Kristy 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    My personal preference is diamonds but I also like other gemstones if arranged appropriately. Go with what you like the best. I have a friend with an amythest engagement ring, it is her favorite stone. It has diamond sidestones. I wear diamonds all the time because they are my favorite gemstone.

    Pricing is certainly different because all stones (diamonds and other gemstones) have different cuts, clarity, carat and color. You’ll have to shop around and get educated on those things so that you can make the best decision for yourself ( =

    Good luck!

  • NoSoup4U 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Ok, Im the daughter of a Jewler and a Diamondtologist/Gemologist (now thats a pair of parents) so maybe I have a different view of the meaning behind the diamond engagement ring.

    1. Diamonds are each unique beautiful stones created out of coal….the blackest substance on earth creates these amazing stones after pressurizing carbon for millions of years and comes out pure and perfect. No two diamonds look the same. Magnified a color stone looks like a colored stone, variations in quality are there but look at the system that classifies diamonds, and look at the system that classifies color stones….not even on the same map in the amounts of variations. Diamonds also have "imperfections" such as carbon spots (little black specks within the diamond) which add to the individuality of each stone.

    2. Diamonds are FOREVER. Yes the cliche stands. Diamonds represent those millions of years of constant pressure to become one of the harders, toughest, and strongest natural materials on Earth. Shatter proof and scratch resistant, Diamonds are meant to stand the test of time, one of the major reasons it is the engagement stone. Giving someone a diamond is giving them a permanent gift, it symbolizes your love lasting as long as the diamond does. Think of the people who usually give you diamonds….husbands, parents, close friends. A diamond says more than "I speant a lot of money" because if it was about the money they would buy you a computer or a tv or a designer shoes but the diamond is a classic I love you forever, gift.

    I don’t mean to knock the gemstone idea, because yes gemstones are pretty but they don’t say "forever" Gemstones often chip, crack, shatter and if you choose to wear your ring everyday you will have to replace the stone often…..once every 5-6 years and thats being generous.

    If you like the look of a gemstone but want the quality of a diamond, there are colored diamonds. Blue, Pink, Red, Yellow, Black, Green. Don’t limit yourself by saying, well I want color.

    As for pricing, like I said a diamond will last you your lifetime…a bit pricey but FOREVER. A gemstone will be cheaper (depending on size, weight, cut) but will need to be replaced which adds to the cost.

    In the end I rather wear a small diamond rather than a large gemstone. Its the meaning, the history, the individual unique qualities of each stone that really makes it the engagement ring. I wear a small engagement ring, my diamond is "flawed" with carbon spots, but I picked this one. Perfectly imperfect was the way I looked at it.

    In the end you do what you do
    but thats my opinion

  • o0mrsavila0o 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    i personally would prefer diamond as an engagement ring and precious stone as an anniversary gift.

    also moonstone is not apart of the precious stone family. precious stones are sapphire, ruby, and emeralds.

    as for price difference there is a difference between the two gems, diamonds will always have a higher value then precious stones. although precious stones can be pretty pricey because precious stones are graded in clarity, size, color and cut. very similar like the way diamonds are graded. so obviously if you want a high quality precious stone along with an intense vibrant color and depending on size for example a 1ct (which is measured as a 5mm i believe) can run you over a couple thousands at the least.

    high quality precious stones come with certificates as well. (the certificates are meant more for the larger stones like 1ct. precious stones are measured in millimeters instead of carat weight like diamonds but you’ll hear the carat weight drop more often so customers can understand in their own way.

    now there are stones that are semi precious and much more affordable and so many kinds too.

    here are some links that explain the two: precious and semi precious stones.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gemstone
    http://www.thefreedictionary.com/precious+stone
    http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Semiprecious?jss=1

    heres a link that list gemstones:

    http://geology.about.com/od/gems/Gemstones_and_Precious_Stones.htm

    if you need to know more information or have any questions you can email me.

  • Blanche K 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Pricing is very different. Each type of stone has its own price range. For example, the http://www.diamondpriceguru.com/ site shows prices for all kinds of "white" (clear) diamonds. If I could find a site like that for other gems, I would love to use them side-by-side to check prices.

    Personally, my taste leans toward diamonds. But if I worked in a creative field where individuality was promoted, I’d probably lean towards a colored gem stone, maybe the birthstones of my husband and me.

    I hope this helps.

  • tripleAs 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    Don’t get me wrong diamonds are beautiful and everything but i have a yellow sapphire engagement ring surrounded by little diamonds and i love it!!! it is so unique and different not to mention cheaper than a diamond. It is just your personal opinion and what you like. Do you what you want. Good luck!!!

  • 4REEE 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    A diamond for sure.

    Anybody can get a diamond. They all look sparkly under the ideal lighting conditions at a jewelry store. But what about candle light, fluorescent, incandescent, sun light…?

    A sparkly diamond can’t be beat. But because so many people get unsparkly diamonds, they all look the same.

    Know your 5 C’s for diamond hunting:

    Cut (most important)
    Carat weight
    Color
    Clarity
    Certificate (AGS GIA)

    Don’t believe me? Check out Isee2 diamonds rated at 9.4 or better. Or check out a Hearts on Fire diamond. They can outdo a Tiffany!

    http://www.HeartsOnFire.com

    http://www.Isee2.com

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  • .★A$HL4y:: 11:02 am on December 3, 2009 |

    iytuiyt

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