Diamond Alternative Engagement Rings
Know someone who just got engaged? Don’t be surprised if they flash an engagement ring with stones other than diamonds. While diamonds are still the most popular choice, other gemstones are gaining popularity for a variety of reasons, including the sagging economy, personal taste, and sentimental value. Let’s look at the first reason: the economy. Unemployed and in dept, people still fall in love and get married. That usually means an engagement ring. You can get an emerald or sapphire that’s three times as big as a diamond for half the price – now that’s a deal! Some brides-to-be simply don’t like diamonds as much as other stones. Maybe she has topaz-colored eyes and has always had an affinity for the golden gems. Likewise, some stones simply have more sentimental value for couples than diamonds – like the bride-to-be who receives a garnet engagement ring from her intended because the first piece of jewelry he ever bought her was a garnet bracelet. With so many gorgeous gemstones available, why confine yourself to just one option for an engagement ring?
Tension Set Engagement Rings
Many people’s first reaction to seeing a tension set engagement ring for the first time is, “How does it stay like that?” It’s as mystifying as it is breathtaking – no prongs, no overlapping edges of a bezel setting, no…nothing! The diamond just seems to float. It doesn’t seem possible that a mounting whose job is to beautifully suspend a stone in the air could be secure, but rest assured that it’s as stable as any other mounting – as long as it’s created by an expert jeweler who specializes in tension settings.
These enchantingly different rings debuted in the 1960s, but tension set rings began their rise to fame in the 1990s when improved technology gave jewelers new metal alloys that made the settings stronger. They’re so strong, in fact, that only the hardest gems can be mounted in a tension set ring: diamonds, sapphires, and rubies to name a few.
If you’re looking for a delicate, thin engagement ring, the tension set isn’t for you. The reason? Since the ring itself is what holds the stone in place – kind of like a wound spring – it can’t be made of flimsy metal. High-quality tension set rings typically have twice or three times the metal of other rings, and that makes them strong, heavy, and tough enough to stand up to everyday wear and tear – all while perfectly showing off the diamond.
One of the biggest benefits of a tension set ring is the clear view you have of the stone. There’s no metal underneath or on top of the gem, which gives you unobstructed access to the entire stone. It also allows light to enter the stone from all angles, creating the kind of sparkle that’s hard to find in other settings.
So if a unique, dazzling ring that will draw “oohs” and “aahs” from complete strangers sounds like your kind of engagement ring, take a good look at tension set options.
