12 Coloured Gemstone Engagement Rings That Aren't White Diamonds

White diamonds may be the traditional gemstone for engagement rings, but they are far from the only option. From vivid rubies and electric Paraiba tourmalines to sapphires, emeralds and more, colour can make an engagement ring feel infinitely more personal.

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Celebrities from the likes of Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Lopez to Megan Fox and Katy Perry were all proud owners of engagement rings with coloured gems. More recently, Mercedes F1 driver George Russell proposed to finacé Carmen Mundt with a hefty yellow diamond ring as the centre stone.

Whether chosen for its symbolism, rarity, or simply a favourite hue, a coloured stone offers an opportunity to move beyond the classic white solitaire. The only catch? Not every gemstone is equally suited to a lifetime of everyday wear. Here’s what you need to know before choosing one.

How Gemstones Were Used In Engagement Rings

The idea that an engagement ring should centre on a white diamond is relatively modern. For much of history, betrothal rings ranged from simple metal bands to elaborate jewels set with coloured gemstones. Rubies, sapphires and emeralds were prized for their beauty, rarity and symbolism long before the white diamond solitaire became the prevailing ideal.

According to the Gemological Institute of America, diamonds began appearing in engagement rings in Europe during the 15th century. One of the earliest documented examples dates to 1477, when Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I presented Mary of Burgundy with a diamond ring. Even then, diamonds were far from universal, and coloured gemstones continued to feature prominently in rings for centuries.

It was only much later, thanks to the increasing diamond supply in Africa, advances in cutting and 20th-century marketing, that the white diamond became synonymous with engagement. Today, the renewed appetite for coloured gemstones—and fancy-coloured diamonds in pink, yellow, and champagne hues—have been fuelled by high jewellery trends popularised by maisons such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Tiffany & Co., and more.

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What Are The Different Types Of Gemstones?

You will still encounter gemstones divided into “precious” and “semi-precious” categories, with diamond, ruby, sapphire, and emerald traditionally occupying the former. The distinction, however, is increasingly outdated: rarity and value do not always correspond with those labels, and exceptional alexandrite, spinel or Paraiba tourmaline can be considerably rarer and more valuable than the typical “precious” stones.

Diamonds themselves also extend far beyond colourless stones. Natural fancy-coloured diamonds occur in hues including pink, yellow, blue, green, and brown, with the intensity and rarity of their colour playing a major role in their value.

What Gemstones Are Good For Engagement Rings?

An engagement ring is subjected to more wear than most jewellery. It knocks against tables, catches on clothing and comes into contact with water, cosmetics and household products, every single day. That makes durability just as important as colour or carat weight.

Gemstone durability encompasses hardness, resistance to chipping, and stability—how well a stone copes with heat, chemicals and environmental changes.

Diamonds remain the hardest option for an engagement ring, whether white, pink, yellow or champagne. For coloured gemstones, sapphire and ruby are among the strongest choices, while alexandrite and spinel also stand up particularly well to regular wear.

Emerald, tourmaline, aquamarine and garnet can also work beautifully with sensible care and considered settings. At the other end of the spectrum, pearls and opals require considerably more maintenance. There is nothing stopping them from becoming engagement rings, but someone intending to wear their ring from morning to night should understand the care involved.

Below, we’ve categorised the different kinds of coloured gemstones, and timeless engagement rings for your viewing—and shopping—pleasure.

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1. Amethyst

A large, richly coloured stone without a correspondingly enormous price tag is part of amethyst’s appeal. The purple variety of quartz sits at 7 on the Mohs scale and possesses good toughness, making it suitable for rings.

Nudo Petit Rose And White Gold Ring With Amethyst And Jade, $4,400, Pomellato at Mytheresa

Pomellato’s instantly recognisable Nudo gets a particularly rich update in purple. A cushion-cut amethyst and jade doublet crowns the ring, while smaller pavé-set amethysts add another layer of depth—a bold option for anyone who prefers their engagement ring with fashion credentials.

2. Aquamarine

Aquamarine’s palette runs from very pale blue to deeper blue-green, lending itself particularly well to clean emerald, oval and cushion cuts. At 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale, aquamarine is durable enough for regular wear, although it should still be protected from hard knocks.

Gold Ring With Aquamarine, $11,380, Octavia Elizabeth at Mytheresa

Octavia Elizabeth lets the gemstone take centre stage with a substantial 5.22-carat aquamarine set against warm 18-karat yellow gold. The combination gives the cool blue stone a relaxed, less traditionally bridal quality—perfect for someone who wants an engagement ring that doesn’t immediately read as one.

3. Brown Diamonds

Brown diamonds have shed their once-unfashionable reputation, with warmer champagne, cognac and chocolate tones increasingly appreciated for their understated richness. They offer all the durability of diamond while feeling softer and less conventional.

Platinum Marquise Diamond Ring, $172,601, HYT Jewelry at Farfetch

HYT Jewelry goes beyond the traditional diamond solitaire with this three-stone platinum ring, featuring a spectacular 7.86-carat marquise-cut brown-yellow diamond as the centre stone. Two baguette-cut white diamonds provide a crisp contrast to its delicate champagne hue.

4. Emerald

Its unmistakable green has made it one of jewellery’s most coveted stones for centuries, but an emerald engagement ring requires a slightly gentler lifestyle. Emerald measures 7.5 to 8 on the Mohs scale and its internal fractures make it more susceptible to chipping. Nonetheless, it still makes for an exceptional choice.

Frozen Kiss Emerald And Diamond Ring, $39,160, David Morris at Net-A-Porter

David Morris takes a more playful approach to the emerald engagement ring with Frozen Kiss. A vivid 0.76-carat round emerald sits within a swirling frame of one carat of pavé diamonds, creating a design that feels romantic without resorting to the expected three-stone setting.

5. Garnet

Forget the assumption that garnet means dark red. The family encompasses everything from rich crimson to mandarin orange and vivid green tsavorite. Most garnets fall between 6.5 and 7.5 on the Mohs scale, so they can be worn in rings but benefit from protective settings.

Serpent Bohème Pink Gold And Rhodolite Garnet Ring, $3,560, Boucheron at Selfridges

Boucheron gives garnet a decidedly polished spin. A deep raspberry rhodolite garnet is set in pink gold, playing beautifully against the metal's warmth. The Maison’s signature teardrop-shaped motif makes it feel romantic without veering into the overly traditional.

6. Opal

No two opals look quite alike. Their flashes of green, blue, orange, pink and red can make an engagement ring feel almost otherworldly, but opal is considerably softer than the heavy hitters on this list. It needs protection from scratches, knocks and extreme conditions.

Diana Opal And Diamond Ring, $5,931, We By Whitebird at Farfetch

There is something charmingly old-world about this Diana ring from We By Whitebird. Its oval opal is bezel-set in recycled gold and encircled by a delicate diamond halo—a restrained setting that lets the stone’s shifting colour remain the focus.

7. Pearl

A pearl engagement ring is undeniably romantic—and undeniably delicate. Pearls are organic gems rather than minerals and rank only around 2.5 on the Mohs scale, making their nacre particularly susceptible to scratching and abrasion. Perfume, cosmetics and household chemicals can also damage their surface.

White Gold Akoya Diamond Ring, $10,200, Tasaki at Farfetch

Leave it to pearl specialist Tasaki to make a pearl engagement ring feel thoroughly modern. A lustrous 9mm Akoya pearl sits at the heart of the white gold design, surrounded by 0.50 carats of pavé diamonds that give it an almost floral silhouette.

8. Pink Diamond

For those who still want the durability and brilliance of a diamond but with a hit of colour, pink diamonds offer the best of both worlds. Their blush-to-rose hues are exceptionally rare in nature, making them among the most coveted fancy-coloured diamonds—and a particularly romantic choice for an engagement ring.

White Gold Diamond Ring, $44,458, HYT Jewelry at Farfetch

A pink diamond already feels like the ultimate romantic indulgence and HYT jewelry gives it an appropriately glamorous setting. Crafted in white and yellow gold, the design pairs the rare stone with pavé-set diamonds and it is accompanied by both GIA and Argyle Pink Diamonds reports.

9. Ruby

Ruby offers the same practicality as sapphire but with fiery drama. The two belong to the same mineral family—corundum—which means ruby also ranks 9 on the Mohs scale, boasting excellent toughness. Its saturated red also makes it an especially symbolic engagement stone, associating the ring with passion.

Colours of Love Ruby Fluted Ring, $19,664, Fabergé at Farfetch

Fabergé turns up the romance with a 1.01-carat cushion-cut Mozambique ruby, framed by smaller rubies and diamonds in polished rose gold. The sculptural fluted setting makes the classic red stone feel more contemporary.

10. Sapphire

There is a reason sapphire remains the reigning alternative to diamond. At 9 on the Mohs scale with excellent toughness, it is exceptionally suited to daily wear, and blue is only the beginning: sapphires come in pink, yellow, green, purple and the coveted orangey-pink padparadscha varieties.

1735 Platinum, Sapphire And Diamond Ring, about $20,789, Garrard at Net-A-Porter

For the royal romantics, Garrard’s 1735 ring takes its cues from Princess Diana’s famous engagement ring. A 1.36-carat oval blue sapphire is encircled by diamonds and set on a diamond-lined platinum band, giving the familiar cluster silhouette extra sparkle.

11. Tourmaline

Tourmaline, or to be more specific, Paraiba tourmaline, is one of the most distinctive options for an engagement ring, prized for its electric blue, turquoise and green hues caused by traces of copper. It’s not the toughest gem on the market, but its extraordinary colour and rarity make it a compelling choice for someone seeking something truly one-of-a-kind.

Yellow Gold Kingdom Tourmaline Ring, $123,627, Pragnell at Farfetch

More Art Deco statement than conventional solitaire, Pragnell’s Kingdom ring lines up three baguette-cut Paraiba tourmalines of the same shade totalling an impressive 6.06 carats. The electric stones are set simply in polished yellow gold, allowing that unmistakable colour to do all the talking.

12. Yellow Diamond

Sunny and instantly recognisable, yellow diamonds range from pale lemon to intense canary yellow. They retain diamond’s exceptional hardness while offering more warmth and personality than a traditional colourless stone.

Promise Oval Yellow Diamond Engagement Ring, $63,500, Graff

A yellow diamond hardly needs help making an entrance, but Graff’s Promise setting amps it up with pear-shaped white diamonds flanking the centre stone in platinum and yellow gold, creating a classic three-stone engagement ring with a lot of flavour.