Alternatives to Diamond

Wikipedia

Magnify

It's well known diamond prices are kept high by withholding supply off the market.  The best values in diamonds are estates located through bank trust officers, but there is competition for those stones.  You can buy from distressed individual through classified ad in newspaper,  risks include holdup (buy at bank only) and possible synthetic stone like moissanite (doubly refractive) or CZ (clouds over with breath condensation test) or "enhanced" diamond.  Ruby is a good diamond alternative. Tip--sponsored matches at search engines are very overpriced in spite of their claims otherwise.  Synthetics are a mere fraction the value of naturals.  Heat treated stones are the best value.  The color/clarity is permanent, but not of interest to connoiseurs as untreated, which are VERY scarce and much pricier--and often less attractive.