Cheap engagement rings are great for couples who are on a tight budget and who cannot afford to purchase something which is going to give them any financial trouble. In this article I am going to recommend some good affordable engagement ring choices.
What is cheap?
Cheap can really mean anything, it all depends on the perspective of the person saying it. I have a friend who calls the handbags she buys cheap, even though each one costs her a few thousand dollars. For the sake of clarity I am going to say cheap engagement rings are anything between 100-600 U.S dollars, anything cheaper would be just too cheap and anything more expensive might be outside your budget, so let’s work from there. For that price what options do we have?
Cubic Zirconia Engagement Ring(50+ dollars; suggest 100-400)
You have may heard of cubic zirconia before, they are very similar to diamonds. They are a form of synthetic diamond which is grown in a laboratory, unlike natural diamonds which form through thousands of years, these diamonds can be made at lighting speeds. They were first introduced to the market by the company Swaroski and they have been a hit ever since. Don’t get the wrong impression and thing these are fake or bad quality diamonds, that is completely wrong. They look exactly like real diamonds and it would take an expert to tell the difference. What seperates them from natural diamonds:
- They are grown in labs; Natural diamonds are grown over time.
- Cubic zirconia does not reflect light as well as a natural diamond
- They have less flaws than natural diamonds.
- They are heavier than natural diamonds
- They conduct heat differently.
Moissanite Engagement Rings (300+ dollars; suggest 300-600)
If you are looking for a better quality of diamond subsititue for just a few hundred dollars more than you should definitely think about Moissanite engagement rings, they make great cheap engagement rings. Moissanite is actually an extremely rare natural mineral which can now be lab grown. Unlike cubic zirconia, moissanite actually has better reflective qualities than diamonds and so you won’t be spoiled for sparkle of light if you choose one. It is also just as hard as diamonds are, so you don’t have to worry about it cracking. All in all it is a good choice and you can get a nice one from between 300-600 dollars.
Other Cheap engagement rings which are not diamond substitues
Lab created sapphire engagement rings (100+ dollars; suggest 100-400)
Sapphires are a hard beautiful gemstone which are great alternatives to diamonds, you can also get lab created sapphire rings and these make fantastic cheap engagement rings. Sapphires come pink, blue, green and more colors and they are also renowned for their hardness and beauty. Don’t agree, well then ask Prince William, he gave a blue sapphire engagement ring to Kate Middleton for their engagement.
Opal engagement rings (100+; suggest 100-600)
Opal engagement rings are beautiful and not only are the lab created varieties of them cheap, so are the natural ones. Although they are most popular as birthstones they also make very affordable engagement rings. They come in a load of colors, including yellow, brown, pink, red, black and others. They are also a very different choice and so you are not likely to find many people who have them, a good choice for your money.
Is that all?
Besides the above choices there are a number of other types of gemstones and styles of cheap engagement rings which you can get for affordable prices. Have a look at ruby engagement rings, pearl engagement rings and man made diamond engagement rings. When buying any of these rings I suggest you do some homework first and research them online. If price is your biggest concern then I also suggest you purchase online as it is going to be much cheaper and there will be a wider selection to choose from.
