How to Incorporate Colour in Your Engagement Ring Design

Coloured gemstones are a beautiful way to make your engagement ring entirely unique. While you might be sure that you want some colour in your engagement ring, it can be trickier to decide exactly how you want to incorporate coloured gems into your design.

We’ve got you covered.

From colourful statements, to subtle accents of colour, here are 5 ideas for how to include colour in your engagement ring design.

1. Solitaire coloured gemstone engagement rings

Coloured gemstones are a beautiful statement all on their own, in a ‘solitaire’ engagement ring design. Whatever its size, a single coloured gemstone makes for a personal, unique, and practical engagement ring. Solitaire engagement rings can feature coloured gemstones in claw settings, bezel settings, wraparound designs, or inset into a band.

2. Coloured gemstone engagement rings with diamond accents

Coloured gemstones pair beautifully with diamonds of all shapes, sizes and styles. Surround a centre coloured gemstone with a halo, include diamonds in the band, or choose matching side stones for a modern trilogy engagement ring design. All these options work beautifully alongside a personal coloured gemstone, keeping the colour the focus of the design.

3. Engagement rings with coloured gemstone accents

If you love the idea of colour, but want a white diamond as the main feature of your engagement ring, coloured gemstones can be incorporated as a secondary feature of the design. Use them as accent stones in your band, halo, or side stones for a diamond engagement ring that’s uniquely yours. 

4. Engagement rings with multiple coloured gemstones

You can steer away from white diamonds entirely, and incorporate multiple different coloured gemstones into an engagement ring design. Whether you’re looking to represent multiple meanings, or have multiple favourite colours to include, you can create a ring that uses multiple colours in a way that’s both beautiful and unique.

5. Engagement rings with hidden coloured gemstones

For a more subtle way of incorporating colour into an engagement ring, you can consider setting a hidden coloured gemstone into your engagement ring design. Whether embedded inside a band, or below a setting, it’s a beautiful way to incorporate a sentimental meaning that only you and your partner know about.

These 5 ideas are just the beginning of what you can design for your unique coloured gemstone engagement ring. Book a time to meet with me, to begin designing your very own design with colour.

5 Blue Gemstone Varieties

An ever popular and versatile colour, blue gemstones are the most desired colour of gem for heirloom fine jewellery. Gemstones can be found in any blue shade you can dream into existence, from dreamy pastels, to vivid deep blues. Here are 5 of my favourite blue gemstone varieties to work with.

1. Sapphire

An excellent choice for engagement rings, and frequently worn in dress pieces, Sapphires have been loved in jewellery for centuries. It’s no surprise that Blue Sapphire holds a solid place in the ‘big 3’ most popular coloured gemstone varieties of all time. Blue Sapphires are found worldwide, including right here in Australia, which is home to some exceptional Blue Sapphire discoveries.

2. Aquamarine

A beautiful pastel variety, the Aquamarine is a familiar variety on the gemstone scene. Aquamarine occurs naturally in very large sizes, making them a popular choice for big statement pieces - plus, for this particular gem, a bigger size means a richer colour, making larger stones that much more appealing.

3. Spinel

A lesser known gemstone variety, the Spinel (spi-NEL if you’re wondering how to pronounce it) is one of the jewellery industry’s best kept secrets. Strong and durable, Spinels are perfect for a wide range of jewellery pieces, including engagement rings which call for hard wearing gems. Blue Spinels can be found in rich deep blue colours through to vibrant blue shades thanks to the element Cobalt that colours some of these gems.

4. Tourmaline

While better known for its green and pink varieties, Tourmaline is also found in magnificent blues. With rich blue colours, and vibrant flashes as they catch the light, Blue Tourmaline is a lesser known yet beautiful choice for a blue gemstone piece.

A special type of Tourmaline, ‘Paraiba Tourmaline’ is a candidate for the most refined of gem connoisseurs. Their colour is other worldly, reminiscent of vibrant azure waters, with an almost neon blue glow that draws you right in. Best suited for pendants and earrings, a Paraiba Tourmaline is sure to become a conversation starter for any wearer.

5. Tanzanite

Found in only one location in the world, Tanzanite is a relatively recent gem to appear in jewellery history. Tanzanites are found in vivid blue shades, and beautiful violetish blue shades, with personality unlike any other gemstone around. Best suited to pendants and earrings, Tanzanites are stunning both on their own and paired with diamonds.

Looking to bring a blue gemstone into your very own fine jewellery collection? Book an appointment to explore these and many more beautiful gemstone varieties for your next piece.

4 Coloured Gemstones for Engagement Rings

While white diamonds have been the dominant choice of gemstones for engagement rings for many years, there are many more gemstone options out there if you’re looking for an engagement ring with colour.

Engagement rings are often a piece of jewellery that’s worn every day, so it makes sense to choose a gemstone variety that’s durable. Luckily, there are durable gemstone varieties that are found in a stunningly diverse range of colours. Here are my 4 go-to coloured gemstone varieties for including in an engagement ring design.

1. Coloured Diamond Engagement Rings

White diamonds are the most well known of all diamonds, but they aren’t the only colour that diamonds can be. Coloured diamonds are just as strong and durable as their white counterparts, so are an excellent choice for a coloured engagement ring.

The range of colours, and the subtle variations within them make each coloured diamond stunningly unique. We often reach for Pink Diamonds and Yellow Diamonds as both feature gemstones, or secondary accents in engagement ring designs. Blue diamonds make for beautiful icy blue additions, and there are even diamond colours so unique that they defy conversational colour descriptions.

Coloured Diamonds also allow a choice of local Australian mined gemstones, with Pink, Cognac, and Champagne diamonds found locally.

2. Sapphire Engagement Rings

One of the most famous blue coloured gemstones for very good reason, Sapphires make for beautiful features in engagement rings. They’re one of the strongest coloured gemstone varieties, making them a sensible and stunning choice for an engagement ring that will be worn every day.

Blue Sapphires are found all around the world, including Australia, Sri Lanka, Montana, and Madagascar. They’re found in shades from deep rich blues, right through to pastels, and are faceted into a wide variety of shapes, giving you endless options for a unique feature gemstone in your engagement ring. Small blue sapphires are also beautiful bright additions as accents to a diamond engagement ring.

3. Fancy Sapphire Engagement Rings

While Blue Sapphires are by far the most famous, ‘Fancy Sapphire’ is the term used to describe all other colours Sapphire can be found in - and that spectrum of colour is huge. From bright yellows, to deep greens, to rare peachy pink Padparadscha sapphires, and even Parti Sapphires that feature multiple colours in one gems, there’s a colour for every taste in this magnificent gemstone family.

If you’re looking for a statement gemstone in an engagement ring, in a very specific colour, or one so unique that no one else will have, Fancy Sapphire is an excellent rabbit hole to explore for your perfect coloured gemstone.

4. Spinel Engagement Rings

If you haven’t heard of Spinel (pronounced spi-NEL), get ready to be in awe. It’s a lesser known, yet exquisite gemstone that’s perfect for a unique engagement ring.

Spinels are especially beautiful in big bold colours that make an incredible statement in a coloured engagement ring. Our favourite spinel colours include neon pink, rich red, peachy tones, and bright cobalt blues, though they are also found in a huge range of other colours.

There’s something about the way Spinels play with colour and light that makes them intriguing from the second you see one in real life. Plus, their relative obscurity in common gemstone knowledge makes them an excellent conversation starter every day that engagement ring is on your finger.

Looking to bring to life your very own coloured gemstone engagement ring? Book your complimentary appointment to begin exploring your ideas and the wonderful world of gemstones with our colour-loving jeweller.

Why Sapphire Engagement Rings Are A Popular Diamond Alternative in Australia

While diamonds are often the default option for engagement rings, there’s one other gemstone variety that’s a strong favourite for engagement rings in Australia: Sapphire. This incredible coloured gemstone variety is an increasingly sought after option for engagement rings, particularly for couples looking for a locally sourced Australian gemstone.

Here’s why.

1. Sapphires are one of the strongest coloured gemstones.

For a ring you’re going to wear on your hand every day, you want a gemstone that’s strong. Diamond is the strongest of all gemstones, and it’s this strength factor (rather than any rarity factor) that makes diamond the most popular gemstone option for engagement rings.

While no other gemstone is quite as strong as a diamond, there are other gemstones that are still strong enough to use in an engagement ring. So, diamonds aren’t the only strong option. Sapphires are one of the strongest coloured gemstones around, and they typically hold up very well in an engagement ring.

The infamous Sapphire is one of the few coloured gemstones that are strong enough for engagement rings.

2. Sapphires are found in a huge range of colours.

While sapphire is strongly associated with the colour blue, this gemstone variety isn’t exclusively blue. Fancy sapphires are available in many more colours than the traditional deep blue we’re all familiar with. The world’s sapphires includes colours from pale pastels through to bold colours in every shade you can imagine (except red, because a red gemstone with sapphire’s chemical makeup is classed as a ruby). There are even that display different colours in different lights as you go about your day, known as colour shift sapphires, or colour change sapphires.

If there’s a colour you love, chances are you’ll be able to find a sapphire in that shade. Locally in Australia, sapphires for engagement rings can be found in blues, greens, yellows, teals. Australia is particularly famous for gemstones that display multiple zones of these colours, known as parti sapphires. Other sought after favourites around the world include the peachy pink Padparadscha Sapphire, and the pastel ocean-like colours of Montana Sapphires.

Sapphires can be many colours other than the familiar Blue Sapphire, including peachy pink shades of the rare Padparadscha Sapphire.

3. Each Sapphire is wonderfully unique.

If you’re looking for a ring that’s unique, a coloured gemstone like sapphire is a wonderful way to know that no one has a ring exactly like yours. Natural sapphires have subtle variations in the colour, colour distribution, and patterning that gives each individual gemstone its own unique character. This uniqueness goes even further when you add your choice of shape and faceting style.

It’s a true joy making each and every sapphire engagement ring we create here at Harlequin Jewellers, and seeing how the uniqueness of the gemstone creates a personalised engagement ring for every client.

Colour variations in Natural Sapphire, especially Australian Parti Sapphires, make each gemstone wonderfully unique.

4. Sapphires are one of the few Australian gemstones suitable for an engagement ring.

If you’re looking to support Australia’s local industries instead of choosing an engagement ring with a gemstone from overseas, an Australian sapphire engagement ring is a wonderful way to achieve that. Australian sapphires are one of the few gemstone varieties found in our beautiful country that are strong enough for an engagement ring. We’re so lucky that the colours of Australian sapphires are breathtaking as well.

Choosing a local Australian jeweller to create the piece for you goes even further to support our local industries, and you’ll start your next life chapter with a unique, beautifully made piece to celebrate it.

Australian Sapphires are exceptionally beautiful, unique, and one of the few local gemstone options strong enough to consider including in an engagement ring.

Design your own sapphire engagement ring with an Australian jeweller

To bring your on unique Australian sapphire engagement ring to life, book an appointment directly with our jewellery maker, to explore some incredible gems, and get all the advice you need to create a practical and beautiful design.

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