Jack Lewis Logo in all white. The letters J and L leaning up against one another with a round diamond icon in the middle and the words Jack Lewis Jewelers beneath it. Jack Lewis Jewelers brown gift box with a blue ribbon
Jack Lewis Jewelers brown gift box with a blue ribbon
  
tudor menu banner
Mon-Fri: 10a-6p
Sat: 10a-5p
Sun: Closed
chat bubble

Gemstones at
Jack Lewis Jewelers

If you don’t want a diamond in your engagement ring, you’ll find your colored gemstone alternative at Jack Lewis Jewelers. As gem nerds, we have more in-house than anyone else in central Illinois.

Colored Gemstones
for Engagement Rings

There are a lot of good reasons you might want a colored gemstone in your engagement ring instead of a diamond. But most likely, you want to create your own tradition and do something unique. We love that. Again, while we love diamonds, we also love colored gemstones and we are not here to judge. We simply want to connect you with whatever gemstone means the most to you. 

But when it comes to putting a non-diamond in your engagement ring, there are some tips you should know. We’re happy to walk you through your options at the counter when you visit us in-person, but in previous episodes of the CarterCast, we’ve already started the conversation about colored gemstones in engagement rings, which ones you should avoid (and why), and which ones you should choose (and why).

Gemstones to Avoid if You Don’t Want a Diamond

Spoiler alert: these three are quartz, emerald, and opal. Learn why here:

Headshot of owner John Carter on the right side of the image looking directly at the camera with a confident smile, next to text that reads, Episode 4 Engagement Ring Alternative Don'ts. Top 3 Gems to Avoid if you don't want a diamond. Above the text is a logo for Carter Cast, the YouTube program being promoted. The logo is the outline of a diamond.

Gemstones to Choose if You Don’t Want a Diamond

Spoiler alert: these three are rubies and sapphires, spinels, and some garnets. Learn why here:

thumbnail image of a YouTube video with headshot of CEO John Carter on the right, the Jack Lewis Logo, the CarterCast Logo and the words, "Top 3 Gems to Choose if you Don't Want a Diamond"
green triangle shaped gemstonerectangular magenta colored spinel gemstone with rounded edgessquare shaped teal spinel gemstone with rounded edges
Make an Appointment

Colored Gemstones in Fashion Jewelry

Beyond engagement rings, colored gemstones are also popular choices for fashion jewelry. At Jack Lewis, you’ll find a wide variety of earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and right-hand rings that feature bold, beautiful colored gemstones. Or if you want something unique, let’s start with the loose colored gemstone and build a custom piece of jewelry around it! 

a blue gemstone in a teardrop shape placed within a gold rimmed pendant necklacepair of teal tear drop shaped gemstones placed within a set of gold earringsmulti colored opal in a rounded triangle shape mounted in a gold ring with diamonds on the bandsales manager Missy wearing a blue teardrop necklacesales manager Missy smiling and wearing a pair of tear drop teal earringssales manager Missy smiling and wearing a multicolored opal ring
pair of light purple rectangular gemstones set in a pair of earrings. gemstone is surrounding with diamonds, and the top and bottom of each earring have an additional diamond Make an Appointment

List of the 12 Birthstones by Month

When you think of colored gems, you might first think of birthstones. Popular gifts like Mother’s Rings, pendants, and earrings have all been built around a loved one’s birthstone. Here’s a list of the birthstones for all 12 months as a quick reference. And yes, at Jack Lewis, we can connect you with a gemstone from any month.

  1. he gemstone for the month of January
    January birthstone – Garnet
  2. the gemstone for the month of February
    February birthstone – Amethyst
  3. the gemstone for the month of March
    March birthstone – Aquamarine
  4. the gemstone for the month of April
    April birthstone – Diamond 
  5. the gemstone for the month of May
    May birthstone – Emerald 
  6. the gemstone for the month of June
    June birthstone – Pearl or Alexandrite 
  7. the gemstone for the month of July
    July birthstone – Ruby 
  8. the gemstone for the month of August
    August birthstone – Peridot or Spinel
  9. the gemstone for the month of September
    September birthstone – Sapphire 
  10. the gemstone for the month of October
    October birthstone – Tourmaline or Opal
  11. the gemstone for the month of November
    November birthstone – Topaz or Citrine 
  12. the gemstone for the month of December
    December birthstone – Tanzanite, Zircon, or Turquoise
Make an Appointment