{"id":40957,"date":"2014-06-11T20:49:36","date_gmt":"2014-06-12T01:49:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.artofmanliness.com\/?p=40957"},"modified":"2026-03-13T10:49:21","modified_gmt":"2026-03-13T15:49:21","slug":"5-alternatives-to-the-diamond-engagement-ring","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beta.artofmanliness.com\/relationships\/marriage\/5-alternatives-to-the-diamond-engagement-ring\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Alternatives to the Diamond Engagement Ring"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Vintage<\/p>\n

So you\u2019ve found the woman you want to spend the rest of your life with and you\u2019re ready to make it official by getting down on one knee and proposing. The next step is to figure out what kind of engagement ring you\u2019ll be proffering at that singular moment. The choice seems obvious: a diamond, of course. The bigger and blingier the better.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t always so, though.<\/p>\n

The idea that engagement rings<\/a> = diamond rings is a modern one that grew out of a shrewd marketing ploy by the De Beers company. Despite the aura that surrounds them, diamonds are in truth neither rare nor special. They are expensive simply because the De Beers cartel has succeeded in controlling both supply and demand.<\/p>\n

In the early 1900s, diamonds were a common choice for engagement rings, but were considered just one option amongst many, and people were choosing diamonds less and less often. When folks did go the diamond route, they bought small, inexpensive ones, preferring to spend their money on other things. Needing to get people to buy the heaps of diamonds they were sitting on, in 1938 De Beers launched a decades-long, multi-million dollar press and advertising campaign<\/a> that sought to imbue the jewels with romantic meaning and social status. Their stated goal was \u201cconstant publicity to show that only the diamond is everywhere accepted and recognized as the symbol of betrothal,\u201d and to turn the jewel into \u201ca psychological necessity capable of competing successfully at the retail level with utility goods and services.\u201d<\/p>\n

To this end, the agency got celebrities to be photographed wearing the glittery rings, placed them in movies, had radio programs talk about the new \u201ctrend\u201d towards diamonds, and even sent lecturers to high schools to talk to young women about the importance of choosing the diamond for their engagement rings.<\/p>\n

The tagline \u201cA Diamond Is Forever\u201d was formulated not simply to evoke eternal love, but to intentionally dissuade folks from ever re-selling their jewels; with the public sitting on more than 500 million carats of diamonds, were people to regularly unload them for cash, the market for new diamonds would crater.<\/p>\n

\"Vintage

Lest you forget, De Beers is here to remind you that “a diamond is a mark of your achievement.” And the most valued symbol of your devotion…is an overpriced, cartel-controlled rock.<\/p><\/div>\n

De Beers also expressly worked to increase demand by tapping into the population\u2019s desire for conspicuous consumption, and transforming the diamond into a status symbol both for the man giving it and the woman receiving it. Their ad agency\u2019s report specifically recommended \u201cpromoting the diamond as one material object which can reflect, in a very personal way, a man’s … success in life.” To target men who aspired to join the upper classes, they suggested the ads \u201chave the aroma of tweed, old leather and polished wood which is characteristic of a good club.”<\/p>\n

The blitz was of course one of the most successful ad campaigns of all time: the vast majority of people now consider diamond rings, and only diamond rings, when it comes time to get engaged.<\/p>\n

But some ladies today aren\u2019t into the status quo. Whether it\u2019s a rejection of the diamond\u2019s crass commercial history, a discomfort with the way they\u2019re mined (though \u201cconflict-free\u201d diamonds are an option), a desire to have something more unique or meaningful, or a belief that spending 3-months\u2019 salary on a rock is ridiculous (read: keeper), your gal may wish to think outside the box when it comes to the engagement ring you\u2019ll get her.<\/p>\n

If that describes your soon-to-be fianc\u00e9e, below are several types of engagement rings without diamonds to consider.<\/p>\n

First: Be Sure<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Before we get into some of the options, it\u2019s important to emphasize that you shouldn\u2019t propose with a non-diamond ring unless you\u2019re 100% sure that your gal is cool with it. Though it began as a marketing campaign, the expectation of a diamond engagement ring is now thoroughly ingrained in our culture. Even if your girlfriend is the non-traditional type in many matters, she may surprise you (and even herself) with her desire for a diamond. This is a ring she\u2019ll be showing off to her friends after your proposal and likely wearing for the rest of her life, so you want her to be proud of it, and for it to elicit fond feelings, rather than disappointment, whenever she looks at her hand.<\/p>\n

So be sure to discuss your girlfriend\u2019s desires and expectations before you decide on a ring.<\/p>\n

5 Non-Diamond Engagement Rings<\/strong><\/h3>\n

1. Man-Made Diamonds<\/h3>\n

For the woman who doesn\u2019t want a natural diamond, but doesn\u2019t want to stray too far from modern tradition, man-made diamonds are an option.<\/p>\n

While most people think of cubic zirconia when they think of synthetic diamonds, there are actually a couple different categories under this umbrella.<\/p>\n

Cubic zirconia and similar materials like moissanite are considered diamond \u201csimulants.\u201d They look virtually identical to real diamonds to the naked eye, but are composed of a different substance.<\/p>\n

The advantage of \u201cCZ\u201d (and other simulants) is that it\u2019s significantly cheaper than real diamonds. But unless your lady is wholly on board with this option, I\u2019d say it\u2019s best to steer clear of it. Whenever people admire her \u201cdiamond,\u201d she\u2019ll be thinking to herself, \u201cit\u2019s fake,\u201d which is a real romance killer.<\/p>\n

Now the second choice in this category is much different \u2013 a more recently developed option I didn\u2019t even know existed until I researched this article. These are \u201claboratory-created\u201d or \u201ccultured\u201d diamonds. It\u2019s not really accurate to call them \u201csynthetic\u201d because they\u2019re created through an atom-by-atom crystal growth process that exactly<\/em> duplicates the physical, chemical, and optical properties of naturally-mined diamonds. It\u2019s impossible to tell the two apart unless one uses advanced spectroscopy. For all intents and purposes, a lab-created diamond is<\/em> a diamond.<\/p>\n

Because lab-created diamonds can be produced ad infinitum, their price is lower than natural, mined diamonds, though not by as much as you\u2019d think; because De Beers has sensed that these lab-created diamonds may represent the wave of the future, they\u2019ve already made moves to control the market and boost the price! They\u2019re a good choice for a woman for whom \u201cresponsibly sourced\u201d doesn\u2019t go far enough, and who would like to further decrease her ecological footprint.<\/p>\n

2. A Knot<\/h3>\n
\"Eternal

Ring by Indulgent Designs<\/a>. This kind of knot works well for an engagement (or wedding) ring, as it forms the symbol for infinity — eternal love.<\/p><\/div>\n

A perfect option for a woman with simple tastes. What better way to show a lady you\u2019re looking forward to tying the knot with her?<\/p>\n

\"True

Here’s another kind of knot that’s quite appropriate for an engagement ring. The maker of this ring describes its meaning: “This particular type, often called the ‘true lover’s knot’, was a popular ring style for sailors separated from their beloved. It’s made by interlocking two overhand knots in two parallel wires, so each one is flexible to move about the other, yet they’re inseparable forever. (Aw!) Another fact about this type of knot: in Victorian times, to show if a young couple’s love would last, each would take a small limb of a tree and tie a lover’s knot. If the knot held and grew for approximately a year, their love would stay true.”<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Two

A knot ring made with two different colors of gold works particularly well for an engagement ring, as it symbolizes the entwining of your lives. Ring by TND Creations<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

3. A Meaningful Gemstone<\/h3>\n
\"Antique,

Antique, opal and pearl engagement ring from the Victorian era. <\/p><\/div>\n

There is a world of beautiful gemstones out there beyond the diamond, and they each have a traditional meaning as well. So choosing a gemstone with a special significance to you and your girlfriend creates a unique ring with a built-in layer of meaning.<\/p>\n

Here are the meanings of a few gemstones that may tie in particularly well with your unique relationship and the sentiment you wish to convey when you propose:<\/p>\n