A Personal Choice

Colored gemstones present another option for engagement rings, offering a chance to create a ring that is uniquely personal.

By Sheryl Jones

Colored Gemstone engagement rings have become prominent in the engagement and wedding ring industry once again. According to Andrew Rosenblatt of New York–based wholesaler Akiva Gil, “In Asia and Europe, they were very common before the rise in popularity of diamonds as engagement rings.” The growth in the popularity of colored gemstones, the vast array of colors and affordability are making gemstone engagement rings a favored choice.
The uniqueness of colored gems may be one reason the Millennial generation is choosing these stones for engagement rings. Adel Chefridi, a Kingston, New York–based designer, says, “Diamonds look very similar to each other but no two sapphires look exactly the same. Colored gemstones, and sapphires in particular, are a way to express your individuality. There is more of a feeling of satisfaction because it is truly one-of-a-kind. It really resonates deeply with Millennials, who feel that everybody has their own voice, impact and path and sapphire can confirm that.”

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Seeking the Unique
Rosenblatt agrees, “When you pick a gemstone, you pick your personality. You have an opportunity to step out and be more unique and to not fit into a uniform pattern.” He goes on to say that he gets requests for pale pink, yellow and blue sapphires.
In selecting a ruby or emerald as an engagement ring, Sally Morrison, director of marketing and sales Americas at Gemfields, says, “Rubies and emeralds do of course carry their own historical symbolism; emeralds have conventionally conveyed rebirth and renewal, and rubies represent passion and protection, so they bring with them their own narrative over and above the classic ‘gift of love.’”
Jewelry designer Megan Thorne, who creates colored gemstone engagement rings for her clients, notes, “When men select a gemstone for the engagement ring they are looking for a way to personalize it and the reasons behind the color and shape automatically makes it unique and sets it apart.”
“I think a very important role model for color in engagement rings was Princess Diana and the spectacular sapphire that her own son famously presented to Kate Middleton,” says Morrison. Since Princess Diana, the halo style of diamonds surrounding the center stone has remained very popular. However, Thorne believes this halo style is becoming less prevalent, particularly with clients who select untraditional colored gemstones, noting, “The focus then becomes the gemstone, with less emphasis on the adornment surrounding it, and even more of a focal point if a unique color is selected.”
Nontraditional colors can make a truly unique and memorable engagement ring. But acquiring that special color that is so unusual can be a blessing and a bane for designers and retailers. Rosenblatt points out, “Semiprecious gemstones is a misnomer because they are not as available or repeatable because they are not uniform.” He goes on to say, “From a retail perspective, it makes it more difficult to source rarer colors in larger sizes. In addition, the customer will do less comparison shopping, but it is difficult to get the specific color and size.” Even though finding the right colored stone may take a while, Thorne says, “My clients are willing to wait for the perfect color because the challenge is part of the fun.”

Sapphires in Every Hue
Sapphires come in every color of the rainbow and the vast array of hues along with their durability make them an ideal choice for an engagement ring.
Chefridi says there are two elements that go into the selection of an engagement ring — emotional and practical. Since a ring has to be more durable than necklaces and earrings, selecting a durable stone is key. Chefridi believes sapphires in different shades of blue rather than the traditional cornflower blue is particularly appealing because they have their own character and can be more casual, and therefore, less intimidating. He thinks the lighter colors appeal to younger people. “Sapphires can be the color of the sky and water, appearing expansive and limitless in their beauty. There is a heavenly dimension to the color, a feeling of infinity like when you look at the sky and its limitless beauty that you can look at without getting tired.”
Finding the right hue of sapphire in shades of sky blue, gray, green and violet can be a challenge, but according to Thorne, “The nontraditional, off colors are most affordable and interesting and often not treated.” She points out it is a way to take something unique and create something truly treasured. Colored gemstones can be a way to get a bigger stone that costs less than a diamond of the same size, unless it is a Kashmir sapphire or Burmese ruby, which can cost more than a diamond due to their rarity.
Even though rubies, emeralds and the more traditional shades of sapphire in larger sizes can be very expensive, Morrison says, “I think it’s just about choice — offering a variety of options at multiple price points. An intense red ‘pigeon blood’ ruby is always going to command the highest price because it’s so rare. But what we know about these Millennial consumers is that they are open to things that are interesting — as opposed to perfect. So I’m confident that there will be emerald and ruby options that will be appealing, and relatively speaking, affordable.”
“The new generation of Millennials has a thirst for spirituality and meaningfulness but is more grounded than the generation of the ’60s,” says Chefridi. “Some gemstones capture that feeling inside you,” he concludes. “Certain people are not about the jewelry and techniques; they are more about the meaningfulness and the tickle inside that they feel. They have the courage to choose what is meaningful.”

Article from the Rapaport Magazine - April 2017. To subscribe click here.

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