While diamonds will always be the traditional stone of the engagement ring, they're not the only ones. Choosing a different gem as the focal point of your ring is a great way to add character and class to it. Some couples may opt to forgo diamonds entirely!
If you're considering a stone with a bit more color and just as much beauty, consult this list of three options you might not otherwise have considered.
1. The sapphire. A sapphire engagement ring is a good medium between the ubiquity of diamonds and the striking color of other stones. These have grown in popularity both in America and England since Prince William presented the diamond-circled sapphire family ring to Kate Middleton.
2. The emerald. The perfect stone for a summer engagement, emeralds have a verdant liveliness that offset diamonds beautifully but also stand well on their own. This stone is symbolic of both youth and devotion.
3. The ruby. As classic as the sapphire, the shades of a ruby can range from striking red to soft purple. Set in the right metal, it's a versatile stone ideal for a variety of ring fingers.
Diamonds are beautiful stones, but some women prefer a bit more color in their jewelry collection. When you're looking to pop the big question, you'll want a ring that's as iconic as it is personal – something unique and, at the same time, classic. Consider some of the benefits of a 
If you're gearing up to ask the big question, you're probably debating what kind of ring will fit your soon-to-be-fiancée's finger best. The first thing you'll need to find out is her ring size, which is going to take the same kind of detective work you'll be doing to discover her taste in jewelry to begin with. Does she wear a lot of gold – or perhaps white gold, platinum or silver? Snoop around the jewelry case and consider her style, with special attention paid to the jewels themselves, particularly anything with diamonds.
While a $9,000 stone certainly says plenty about your fiancé's income, it can say a lot more about you than one might expect. Engagement rings of all sorts reveal the characters of the individuals whose fingers they sit on. So what might yours say about you?
While summer may be wedding season, it's also just as wonderful a time to take a step toward that special day. Whether you're looking to propose on a beachside vacation, at a family gathering or on a simple and romantic evening out somewhere of particular resonance, there's no finer time than summer – a season brimming with adventure, natural beauty and the exciting air of expectation.
Mila Kunis has made a name for herself as both a master of the comedic and dramatic in films ranging from Forgetting Sarah Marshall to Black Swan and Friends with Benefits, but she started her career in comedy as part of the voice cast on Seth MacFarlane's animated sitcom Family Guy. So when MacFarlane made his big-screen debut with the upcoming feature Ted, he turned to Kunis for a leading part.
From her starring role on the classic teen-drama series Dawson's Creek to a variety of independent film roles in the early 2000s and Oscar-nominated turns in Brokeback Mountain and Blue Valentine, Michelle Williams is one of the most talented and critically praised actresses working in film. Her dedication to complicated character study is only matched by her dedication to excellent fashion.
Jane Fonda was destined to be a star, if only by name. As the daughter of actor Henry Fonda, Swinging Sixties star of Barbarella, Oscar-winning actress in 1971's Klute, political activist, fitness icon and even, for a decade, the wife of Ted Turner, Fonda has had one of the busiest and most successful careers in Hollywood. Having signed on to Aaron Sorkin's new HBO series The Newsroom, the multiple Academy Award-winning actress is preparing to launch what will undoubtedly be an acclaimed return to television.
Newspapers and online fashion blogs still haven't quieted down about Miley Cyrus' engagement to Liam Hemsworth. The young Hollywood couple created a 3.5-carat splash in the world of designer jewelry, and as the requests pour in to Neil Lane (the designer to the stars who took on the Hemsworth-Cyrus engagement ring), they're pouring in elsewhere too.