A growing trend in the engagement world is using your partner’s birthstone as the gemstone. This can be a romantic and beautiful idea. It can also be an absolutely atrocious one if pulled off incorrectly. Let’s review a few notes about going this route
Birthstone as a Centerpiece or Accent
If you’re using the birthstone as the centerpiece then the ring is going to be less expensive and less shiny than a typical diamond ring. Things such as Garnet and Emerald don’t typically reflect light as well as a diamond would.
Using a birthstone as the main gemstone can be very risky and we would not typically recommend that unless you feel very strongly about it. Birthstones make great accent pieces to a diamond, so you’ll typically see them in a supporting role.
The Month is Important
Depending on which month they were born, you’ll be using a different gemstone. If they were born in April then their birthstone is Diamond, so just go the typical route. Some birthstones (such as August’s Peridot) are quite a bit harder to make look fashionable in a wedding ring, so that needs to be a consideration as well.
These birthstones all have different hardnesses, some chip easier than others and some (Pearl) are more difficult to implement in a wedding ring. Some months have multiple birthstones and gemstones such as Opal aren’t a clear pattern, so you could be shopping a while to find one that looks how you want.
Birthstone Suggestions By Month
January: Garnet
Small inset garnets can be a great accent, but garnet is a bit softer and will likely see some wear and tear before even the diamond does. Might be too much of a hassle in terms of upkeep.
February: Amethyst
Amethyst is fairly soft but makes for a great accent, it’s generally safe to use in a birthstone ring.
March: Aquamarine & Bloodstone
It’s suggested to use Aquamarine here. Bloodstone is a very, very dark color (typically almost black) and is almost always multi-colored.
April: Diamond
Not much to say here, just go with the classic diamond ring.
May: Emerald
Emerald is a safe bet in just about any jewelry.
June: Pearl, Alexandrite & Moonstone
Alexandrite is the safe bet here, avoid Pearl. Moonstone is a strange gemstone and looks very white with a lighting blue color mixed it, so it’s typically not used in wedding rings unless it’s very high quality.
July: Ruby
Ruby is a generally safe birthstone to use and is very versatile. You can do a slight accent or be a bit more aggressive with it.
August: Peridot & Sardonyx
Peridot is typically a green or light-teal color and can look odd coupled with diamonds. Best used subtly. Sardonyx is not typically preferred for use in engagement rings.
September: Sapphire
You really can’t go wrong with Sapphire, it’s a beautiful gemstone that blends well with just about anything.
October: Opal & Tourmaline
Both Opal and Tourmaline are multi-colored. These two are much harder to pull off than most birthstones and you might be better off avoiding them, even as accents. Opal is also extremely soft (it goes down to a 5.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, most of these are 7+ including Tourmaline).
November: Topaz & Citrine
You’re probably safer with Topaz here. Citrine is fairly soft and usually less aesthetic.
December: Turquoise, Tanzanite & Zircon
Tanzanite makes for a beautiful accent, but you typically want to avoid Turquoise in an engagement ring. It’s extremely soft and has a very solid teal color with other colors mixed in. You can make it work, but it’s difficult to make Turquoise and Diamond look aesthetic in combination without using the Turquoise very subtly. Zircon is a possibility too, but make sure you’re using a trusted custom jeweler because these gemstones have a wide range of colors and hardness.
Need help deciding on which birthstone to use in your handmade engagement ring? Book an appointment or call us at (720) 560-3548!