Coloured Side Stones on Engagement Rings: Sapphire, Emerald, and Tourmaline Accents
Adding a coloured gemstone to an engagement ring doesn't mean choosing a coloured centre stone. Some of the most distinctive rings use coloured stones as accents — a pair of sapphires flanking a white diamond, a hint of emerald in the gallery, or a sliver of pink tourmaline as a shoulder stone. The result is a ring that looks unmistakably personal without departing from a diamond-centred aesthetic.
Where coloured stones appear as accents
Three-stone positions. The most common use is in a three-stone configuration where the two side stones are coloured rather than white diamonds. Blue sapphire is the most popular choice here — it echoes royalty, has cultural significance, and contrasts beautifully with a white diamond centre in both white gold/platinum and yellow gold settings.
Hidden accents. Small coloured stones can be set beneath the head or along the gallery — the underside of the ring that is only visible when you look at the ring from below or remove it. This is one of our Signature Touches at Diamond Ateliers: a detail that feels like a private message rather than a public statement.
Shoulder stones. A pair of small coloured rounds or baguettes set on the shoulders of the band on either side of the head introduces colour without making it the centrepiece.
Band accents. Alternating white and coloured stones in a pavé band creates a subtle pattern — a touch of colour woven through the sparkle of the band rather than standing alone.
The most popular choices
Blue sapphire is the most requested coloured accent stone. It's hard (9 on the Mohs scale), durable for daily wear, and available in a wide range of blues from pale sky to deep royal. Lab-grown sapphires are available and offer the same hardness and colour at significantly lower cost.
Pink sapphire sits between the warmth of rose gold and the romance of a coloured stone. It works exceptionally well as a hidden accent in rose gold or yellow gold rings.
Emerald is softer than sapphire (7.5–8 on the Mohs scale) and requires more careful setting, but the colour is incomparable — a deep, lush green that references both nature and heritage jewellery. Better suited to protected settings like bezel or channel rather than exposed claw-set positions.
Tourmaline comes in an extraordinary range of colours: from paraiba-like teal to hot pink to deep green. It's less well-known than sapphire but deeply loved by people who want something genuinely distinctive. Hardness is around 7–7.5 on the Mohs scale — suitable for protected accent positions.
What to consider
Hardness and placement. Coloured stones in exposed positions should be hard enough to resist abrasion. Sapphire and ruby (corundum family, hardness 9) are best for claw-set positions. Emerald and tourmaline are better suited to protected settings.
The accent, not the centrepiece. The most successful coloured accent rings use colour sparingly. A single pair of small blue sapphires in three-stone positions reads as elegant. Less is more.
How we design coloured accent rings at Diamond Ateliers
Coloured accents are part of the bespoke conversation from the start. If you have a colour in mind — whether it's your partner's birthstone, a favourite colour, or something from an heirloom piece — bring it to your consultation and we'll work it into the design. We source coloured stones alongside the diamond and show you the combination digitally before anything is made.
Book a consultation to explore what's possible.