Colorful engagements rings used to be a more niche choice, and they have soared in popularity over the last two years.
Choosing colorful stones for your engagement ring gives your ring distinctive character and an unique twist compared to a standard diamond look. Here are a few reasons people are opting for a colorful stone for their engagement ring in 2026…
How Colorful Engagement Ring Stones Became The New Classic
Diamonds have dominated in the engagement ring market for decades. Sapphires, emeralds and morganites are all soaring in popularity, and make a real statement.
Influential figures like Princess Diana’s iconic blue sapphire ring (and later Princess Catherine of Wales’) catalyzed the trend of colorful stones.
Couples can choose gemstones and colors with meaning to their love stories, and give a modern twist on the diamond engagement ring design.
Popular Gemstones People Are Choosing Right Now
Sapphires are one of the most popular colorful gemstones as they offer beauty and toughness all-in-one. There are many different colors of sapphire, from pinks to blues to greens, giving you the option of choosing your favorite color in a sapphire stone, rather than just the classic blue sapphire.
Emeralds give a beautiful vintage feel to an engagement ring, but they are softer than sapphires, so you have to give them more care and regular cleaning to keep them looking their best.
Rubies are another very popular gemstone for engagement rings, with a strong red color or a softer pink tone. Rubies hold up well for everyday wear, providing the stone is set properly.
Morganite is a less popular choice, but it is a super pretty warm, peachy-pink color which looks both romantic and soft.
Aquamarine is a good choice for those that love blue hues, with a pale blue color that suits simple and modern ring settings. It is a relatively durable stone, and it often looks brighter in lighter metal settings.
Spinel is a good stone, as it’s available in many colors of the more famous (and more expensive) gemstones, but at a lower price point. You can get vivid red, blues and pinks that look like ruby and sapphire without the same high cost.
Mixed Stones And Two Tone Looks Couples Love
Mixed stones within an engagement ring are very popular, especially with the Toi Et Moi engagement rings setting. You can mix stones that tell your story, like mixing your birthstones. Pairing a sapphire with a diamond or colored center stone flanked by smaller gems, gives your ring depth and personality too.
Two-tone engagement bands means you can combine metals like yellow gold and white gold for contrast, which highlights the stones and makes details like a halo setting for the stone pop.
Halo settings can boost the sparkle of your ring, making your colored center stone pop. You could choose a halo of diamonds surrounding a ruby or emerald, to add brightness without detracting from the main gemstone of the ring.
Budget Friendly Options That Still Look Luxurious
You can get an engagement ring that looks high-end without spending a fortune, especially now lab-grown gemstones can give you gemstone brilliance for less.
They are chemically the same as mined gemstones, so they offer the same sparkle and durability, and you can often find lab-grown options in classic and colorful cuts, for your engagement ring to give you a luxe vibe.
Moissanite stones shine with extra fire at a much more affordable price than a mined diamond. Moissanite resists scratches and holds up well for daily wear.
Cubic zirconia is a great budget choice, and comes in high-clarity and well-cut pieces that mimic a diamond, without the very high cost.
If you get the setting right, it can really elevate a budget-friendly gemstone, and make your engagement ring look a lot more high-end.