Ruby Engagement Rings: The Ultimate Power Move for the Bold and the Beautiful

While diamonds are the traditional gemstone of choice for an engagement ring, a ruby engagement ring stands out, and will be the envy of all your friends. At Four Words we have seen a huge uptick in our clients designing their own custom bespoke ruby engagement rings and we are all for it.

This article will walk you through why a ruby engagement ring might just be better than a diamond engagement ring especially if you consider your style classic-but-unique.

The Appeal of Ruby for Engagement Rings

Rubies make for a one of a kind ring that reflects much more personality than the traditional diamond, especially when it is you or your partner’s birthstone. And when it comes to something classic but unique, a ruby engagement ring is exactly that.

And while other gemstones are too soft to be a centre piece for an engagement ring, rubies sit at 9/10 on the Moh’s Scale. This means that it is hard enough for everyday wear.

So are rubies good for an engagement ring? At Four Words we believe so. But it can be quite a bold move if the engagement ring is going to be a surprise. “We typically encourage our client’s to at least get an idea of if your partner is keen on a ruby before choosing it as a centre stone” says Isabella — head of design. “In saying that, rubies can be used as accenting stones in ways that even the traditionalist would be pleasantly surprised by”.

So if you are planning on proposing with a ruby engagement ring, we highly recommend you plan the engagement ring design with your partner. And at Four Words we offer a full custom bespoke design process so you and your partner can get exactly what you want.

Can You Propose With A Ruby Engagement Ring?

While it is clear that you can propose with a ruby, we often get asked if you should. And our answer is a resounding yes, so long as you have intentionally thought about choosing a ruby, the overall engagement ring design and whether or not your partner has left any hints.

We typically see couples come in together to design the engagement ring. We believe this is the best option so you or your partner gets exactly what they want. The finer details (such as price and delivery) are left for the person proposing.

When couples come into our studio, they typically have an idea of what they want (a lab grown diamond engagement ring). However after shown gemstones such as rubies, sapphires and emeralds done in interesting designs — we find couples completely pivot to something much more personal. And while we will never push a specific gemstone or design, we have found couples be more adventurous with their engagement ring centre stone and designs simply because they didn’t know what was possible.

At Four Words we are seeing a strong uptick in couples choosing coloured diamonds and gemstones such as sapphires, emeralds and rubies. Even lesser known gemstones such as aquamarine and alexandrites are becoming hugely popular. Why? Because they hold a special meaning, are much more personalised, and they stand out from the crowd of plain white diamonds.

What Do Ruby Engagement Rings Mean?

Rubies have collected a range of meanings over thousands of years. The aristocrats of the Western world have used rubies to guarantee success in love, health and fortune. So much so that Queen Elizabeth often wears a 96 ruby tiara which was a wedding present from the people of Burma. And in Burmese culture, rubies were believed to ward off illness and evil.

In the East, Indian royalty considered rubies as the “king of precious stones” and believed that it would help you to live in peace with enemies.

Today, rubies represent inner fire and passion. protection and wealth. Many cultures today also believe it symbolises love and commitment making it an ideal centre stone for an engagement ring.

How To Choose The Best Ruby Engagement Ring

Unlike diamonds, rubies don’t have a standardised grading system. Choosing a high quality ruby then depends on working with a jeweller that has experience in choosing the best ones.

Be explicit with the exact colour you are looking for

While all rubies are red, they are not necessarily the same red. Some rubies are richer in colour than others. Furthermore, they can also have a slightly different colour and brilliance.

When choosing a ruby, make sure you work with a jeweller like Four Words that understands this and knows how to source the exact colour in the exact shape that you are looking for.

At Four Words, we work with ruby suppliers from all over the world to get you the exact shape that you are looking for too.

Make sure see the ruby before you buy

The most important thing when choosing a ruby is that you actually like it. At Four Words, we will always send you a video of the ruby, or any other gemstone before we purchase it on your behalf.

We also do all the heavy lifting by looking at the cut, dimensions, optical performance, and clarity so you don’t need to.

Work with a jeweller that knows what they are talking about

Too often, retail jewellery salespeople are not well equipped to navigate the confusing world of precious gemstones. “Retail jewellery sales is more about commission than it is about getting the best for the customer” says Vinny Chauhan, co-founder of Four Words.

“At Four Words, we have collectively spent decades on learning about gemstones, precious metals and the jewellery industry to answer all your questions about what makes a particular gemstone good or bad — all the way down to each gemstone’s atomic composition.”

Versatility In Design

Ruby engagement rings are versatile especially for ambitious and statement designs. Whether it is dainty and chic or bold and outspoken, rubies can play on both sides and the rings below are perfect examples.

Kite cut ruby engagement ring with accenting diamonds in a yellow gold band

This dainty bridal ring set features the ruby centre stage, with diamonds being the accenting stones on both the engagement ring and wedding band. The tapered band also adds to the dainty nature of this bridal set.

7 stone ruby engagement ring in a yellow gold band

This engagement ring speaks more volumes than the kite cut ruby engagement ring. It is bold sparkly and definitely eye catching with its lipstick red coloured ruby.

Toi et moi ruby and pink sapphire engagement ring

This modern engagement ring plays with colour, brilliance and bezels. For each gemstone, it is slightly different but work perfectly together. This piece makes up part of our collection and if you are interested in learning more, customising, or buying this ring, you can do so here. For example, this ring would look brilliant in rose gold or white gold.

Round cut ruby engagement ring with halo in a yellow gold band

This classic but unique ruby engagement ring speaks to a simpler time. Available in both round or old European cut, it is a great way to pay homage to the vintage era with a modern touch.

Round cut ruby engagement ring with asymmetric diamond halo

This maximalist engagement ring is guaranteed to get compliments. At its core, its similar to the ring above — vintage, speaking to a bygone era. However with this solitaire's unique diamond halo, it throws itself into being a trendsetter. And while the round ruby is the star of the show, the halo and diamonds along the band ensure for maximum sparkle.

Design the Perfect Engagement Ring with Four Words

Whether you are looking for a bespoke ruby engagement ring or want to know what is possible, we would love to hear from you. Our custom bespoke engagement ring process will ensure that you can get exactly what you want. Even better, we will work within your budget.