Engagement And Wedding Jewelry: Beautiful And Affordable Alternatives To Diamond Rings
Posted on: 27 June 2016
One of the biggest expenses in wedding planning is the jewelry that signifies your commitment. Diamond-studded jewelry for an engagement ring or a full wedding set can set you back thousands of dollars. This can be disheartening if you are on a tight budget and cannot imagine dropping that much money on a ring. Yet, you want to make sure that you and your beloved have attractive rings that will last a lifetime.
If this scenario describes your plight, consider purchasing rings that are decorated with gemstones other than traditional diamonds or that do not have stones at all. You may be surprised at the selection of alternatives available from retailers that specialize in wedding jewelry.
High-Quality Imitation Diamonds
If you are enamored with the look of diamond but short on cash, your options for realistic high-quality lookalikes include cubic zirconia and moissanite. Reputable retailers of engagement rings and wedding bands will have a full selection of cubic zirconia and moissanite pieces for you to choose from during your wedding shopping spree.
Cubic zirconia is a hard material that sparkles like diamonds and can be cut in a myriad of ways. The diamond-substitute can be clear or many other colors. So you can purchase a ring of the material with combination of colored stones.
Moissanite is even harder than cubic zirconia and closely resembles the chemical makeup of diamonds. In fact, it is the hardest man-made material, more brilliant than actual diamonds and looks so realistic that jewelry experts cannot detect the difference between the synthetic gem and real diamonds.
Furthermore, if you lose your engagement ring or a diamond falls out of its setting, moissanite will be your best bet for a realistic replacement.
Imitation diamonds are also more environmentally friendly, as they are not extracted from the earth via mining and do not need to be certified conflict-free to verify that they were not the product of illegal trading.
Sapphire, Topaz and Amethyst
If you are open to having other light-colored gemstones as the center piece of your engagement and wedding jewelry, consider precious stones cut from sapphire and topaz. These gems, while not diamonds, are natural materials that are highly regarded and will not set you back financially as much as diamonds.
While sapphire is traditionally thought of as a blue gem, the material also comes in other colors including light hues of pink, yellow and blue. On the Mohs scale of mineral hardness where diamonds are a 10, sapphires are a 9.
Topaz is another beautiful gemstone that can come in light colors. Some jewelers even carry colorless topaz. The gem is stunning and provides uniform, flawless color. Topaz is an 8 on the Mohs scale.
Amethyst is a gemstone in the quartz family and a 7 on the Mohs scale. While it comes in hues of purple and not as light-colored as sapphire and topaz, the lure of amethyst as a stand-in for a diamond is that it is considered a symbol of true love. According to lore, it was also the gemstone in the ring worn by Saint Valentine.
Knots and Claddaughs
If you that feel gemstones are completely out of your budget, you can still have a traditional piece of wedding jewelry if you purchase more affordable knot and claddaugh rings.
A love knot ring is an unmistakable symbol of a partnership. You can purchase gold or silver knot rings in a variety of shapes with intertwined hearts and infinity knots.
Claddaugh rings have a long history as a symbol of loving relationships. They date back to 18th-century Ireland and feature two hands holding a crown-topped heart. The rings are popular worldwide and even celebrity couples celebrate their unions with Claddaugh rings. Some jewelers sell Claddaughs that are decorated with precious stones in the crown above the heart.
If you're looking for an engagement ring, contact companies like Best Brilliance to see what they have available.
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