Where to Buy Gemstone Engagement Rings

Where to Buy Gemstone Engagement Rings

Latest posts by Sabrina Lopez (see all)

If you want an engagement ring with distinction and personality, you may choose a gemstone over a diamond. An emerald, ruby, or sapphire can make your ring stand out and feel more personal.

But gemstone engagement rings are harder to find because there is greater demand for colorless diamonds. So, let’s take a look at where you can buy gemstone jewelry and what each brand has to offer.

Jewelry Brands Comparison Chart

Brands Ring Price Range Custom options Returns Warranty
Blue Nile Ring setting from $790 Gem selection/ design software available Free 30-day returns Limited lifetime warranty
Rare Carat Ring settings from $480 to over $7000 Gem selection/
Custom ring design
Free 30-day returns Lifetime warranty
KAY Rings starting at $1500 Custom ring design Free 30-day returns Available for an additional cost.
Ritani Ring setting from $880 Gem selection/
Custom ring design/ design software available
Free 30-day returns Lifetime warranty
Jared Ring setting from $990 Custom ring design/ design software available Free 30-day returns Limited warranty
Anna Sheffield Rings from $425 to over $16500 Custom ring design 14-day returns One-year limited warranty
Brilliant Earth Ring setting from $650 to over $12000 Gem selection/
Custom ring design
Free 30-day returns Lifetime warranty
Frank Darling Ring setting from $950 to over $3000 Gem selection/
Custom ring design
Free 30-day returns Lifetime warranty
Ashley Zhang Rings from $650 to over $10500 Custom ring design No returns for engagement rings Six-month warranty
Angara Rings from $500 to over $10000 Gem selection Free 30-day returns Prong-tightening/ re-rhodium plating/ free cleaning

About Gemstones

The gemstones commonly used in engagement rings are called precious stones, which include diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. They are the most widely used due to their brilliant cuts and shapes, and their rarity, history, and value.

Colored diamonds are also popular; pink, yellow, and champagne diamonds are often selected for engagement rings because they add more personality.

10 Gemstone Jewelry Brands for Engagement Rings

BLUE NILE

Blue Nile stands out for its extensive inventory of precious gemstones. In addition to colorless diamonds, they offer green emeralds, sapphires (blue, pink, green, and yellow), and red rubies in a variety of shapes and carat weights.

Blue Nile provides options for your online engagement ring search: you can choose to start with the gemstone and then pick the ring setting, or buy the loose gemstone. These gemstones come with a certificate issued by Blue Nile, which specifies the type of treatment and their quality.

Blue Nile Gemstone Finder to choose a sapphire, ruby or emerald, then a setting, to complete a ring

If you’re thinking about creating a custom design, Blue Nile’s design software called Creative Studio allows you to design your own ring and choose the gemstone of your preference. It’s quick and easy; as you select the parts of the ring, a render is generated, giving you a clear idea of ​​what your ring will look like. You can choose the head, the stone, the design of the band, and the metal color.

Warranty: Includes repair for defects in materials or workmanship, and a one-time free ring resizing.

Price: Ring settings starting at $790.

Best for: Precious gems such as sapphires, rubies, or emeralds.

RARE CARAT

Another well-known online jewelry retailer is Rare Carat. If you are looking for semi-precious gemstones, it’s a good place to start, as it offers an extensive selection of gemstones, including amethyst, topaz, opal, aquamarine, and more, in a wide range of colors and shapes. Many of these gems have a certificate from GIA, IGI, or GSI.

Rare Carat homepage for buying diamonds and ring settings

They also have various types of certified, lab-grown fancy diamonds to choose from. Once you have chosen the gemstone you like best, there are several setting options available, depending on the shape of the stone you’ve selected.

If you would like to personalize your ring or create a design of your own, you can contact customer service to set up a consultation.

Warranty: Includes repair for defects in materials or workmanship. If you would like more coverage, you can purchase additional insurance (for loss, theft, or accidental damage) or opt for a jewelry care plan, which covers cleaning, polishing, resizing, and replacement of missing stones.

Price: Ring settings from $480 to over $7000.

Best for: Straightforward shopping experience.

KAY

Kay offers a wide variety of gemstones, such as quartz, morganite, onyx, and amethyst, among others. The difference here is that their selection includes only ready-made rings that already come with the gemstones set in them, meaning you cannot choose the stone separately.

This is ideal if you are looking for a ring that is already designed, without having to imagine how a stone might look in a separate setting. But their customization options only apply to colorless diamonds.

However, if you would like to personalize a different gemstone or create a new design, you can book a consultation with an expert.

Warranty: For engagement rings, KAY offers two types of warranties for an additional fee. Each one covers different things, so I recommend that you read the details carefully and choose the one you find most suitable, depending on your ring design.

Price: They have gemstone engagement rings starting at $1,500.

Best for: Ready-made jewelry.

RITANI

Ritani offers sapphires, rubies, and emeralds ranging in price from $78 to over $2,000,000, with an inventory of more than 20,000 gems, not including diamonds. Available colors include red, blue, green, and purple.

Ritani homepage with options to shop diamonds and design your ring

The gemstone of your choice can be paired with various ring designs, depending on its shape. The Ritani Custom Ring Builder allows you to design your ring online, or, if you want to customize further, you can contact a designer if you have a specific design in mind.

Warranty: Free center or side stone tightening, complimentary ring cleaning, precious metal preservation.

Price: Ring setting from $880.

Best for: Variety of gemstones and price points.

JARED

In addition to classic diamond rings, Jared offers engagement rings featuring gemstones such as amethyst, sapphire, garnet, topaz, aquamarine, and more. They also have a wide selection of black diamonds. Their designs combine these gemstones with colorless diamonds to create a classic, timeless look.

Jared jewelry store homepage

If you don’t see a design you like, or if you’d like to make modifications to an existing design, you can get in touch with their design team to arrange an appointment to have a custom ring made. If you have a design in mind, you can work with an artisan by bringing a drawing, idea, or photo, and they will create the design from scratch. They also have online software that allows you to create a ring using predetermined designs and choose between a diamond, sapphire, emerald, tanzanite, or ruby.

Warranty: You can protect your jewelry for life for an additional fee, which includes repairs, refinishing, and more.

Price: Gemstone rings from $750.

Best for: Extensive selection of black diamonds.

ANNA SHEFFIELD

Anna Sheffield is a jewelry designer who specializes in fine, distinctive, elegant, and unique jewelry. She offers a collection of engagement rings featuring champagne diamonds, which are very popular right now. Besides fancy diamonds, there is a wide array of gemstones to choose from, such as emeralds, turquoise, sapphires, moonstone, opals, and more.

Anna Sheffield engagement rings with rose-cut diamonds and colored stones

In addition to choosing from the designs offered in their online store, you can customize your ring. Their software called Bespoke allows you to take an existing signature Anna Sheffield design and modify it to your own idea and budget. Choose details such as center gemstone type and shape, metal, or adjust design details such as diamond pavé or side stones, and more.

You can also book an online or in-person consultation for fully custom designs.

Warranty: A one-year limited warranty, which includes one complimentary resize on rings and bands, and repair or replacement due to a defect in materials.

Price: Rings from $425 to over $16500.

Best for: Diamond colors that are difficult to find.

BRILLIANT EARTH

Brilliant Earth is another big name in the online jewelry industry that offers many different options for loose gemstones that you can add to your engagement ring. From alexandrite, moissanites, topazes, and spinels to precious gems like rubies and emeralds, their diverse colors make choosing a stone a difficult task. They also have a large inventory of colored diamonds. And their prices are as varied as their inventory.

Brilliant Earth homepage with engagement rings and a ruby ring in the holiday gift guide

If you want a custom ring, you can schedule an in-person or digital appointment to create your design, with rings starting at $2000.

Warranty: Includes a one-year resizing and replacement of any damaged fine jewelry within 60 days of purchase. Brilliant Earth offers extended service plans at an additional charge, which cover many common wear and tear issues.

Price: Ring setting from $650 to over $12000.

Best for: Useful customization experience.

FRANK DARLING

If your favorite gemstone is the diamond, in all its varieties, this is a good brand to start with. Frank Darling offers colored and colorless diamonds. You can choose from fancy diamonds in various shades: yellow, pink, champagne, and blue. Their diamonds come with either GIA certification or IGI certification.

If you’re looking for a more affordable stone than a diamond, you could also choose moissanite for your ring; it’s a very popular option because it resembles a diamond, but with less brilliance and fire.

They specialize in custom designs. First, you take the ring quiz, book a consultation, send your ideas and sketches to the design team, select the gemstone, and approve the 3D model; then production begins.

Warranty: A lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.

Price: Ring setting from $950 to over $3000.

Best for: Modern, minimalist designs.

ASHLEY ZHANG JEWELRY

This brand is for those who appreciate an antique, romantic style engagement ring. Ashley Zhang’s studio is in New York and offers exclusive gemstone ring designs; in addition to classic diamonds, this fine jewelry label features pieces with citrine, garnet, aquamarine, pearls, opals, emeralds, and more.

Ashley Zhang Jewelry homepage

What makes it unique are its designs, characterized by a romantic aesthetic and “old mine cut” gemstones, a style that predates the modern brilliant cut. These stones have fewer facets, resulting in less brilliance and lending an antique feel to the ring’s design. You can book an appointment to design or customize your ring; the minimum spend for a completely custom design is $7,000.

Warranty: A six-month warranty against manufacturing defects.

Price: The prices of their rings range from $650 to over $10,500.

Best for: Old mine gemstones and unique designs.

ANGARA

Angara offers a wide range of options when it comes to choosing a gemstone ring. You can opt for rings featuring colored diamonds, such as yellow, red, blue, green, or black. If diamonds aren’t for you, there are many other gemstones to choose from, including emeralds, opals, rubies, aquamarines, and more.

Angara homepage with a model wearing emerald jewelry

You have the option to purchase complete rings (the setting and the gemstone included), or to first select the gemstone and then choose the design. The available gemstones include both GIA-certified and non-certified options.

If you choose a design with a gemstone, you have the option to select from 2 to 4 gem qualities and carat weights. But if you’re looking for something more specific, you start by choosing the exact gemstone, followed by the ring design.

Warranty: Free services covered under the lifetime warranty include cleaning, re-polishing, gemstone tightening, and re- rhodium plating.

Price: From $500 to over $10000.

Best for: Variety of available designs and gemstones.

Final Thoughts

Choosing a gemstone engagement ring is a great way to personalize your ring and opt for something different from the popular colorless diamonds. Adding color makes your ring stand out more and gives it a more unique touch.

Another popular request is to tuck a gemstone into the ring, sometimes in the head, and other times on the inside of the band, so that only you and your partner know it’s there.

Whether you decide on a colorless diamond or a fiery ruby, your engagement ring will be a part of your love story forever.

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