A diamond round ring is out of the question because it costs too much, so people settle for colored stones instead on their engagement and wedding rings. Everyone knows emeralds (green), rubies (red), and sapphires (blue), but these are capable of financially debilitating you unless you choose a relatively unassuming stone, which ends up defeating the purpose of the purchase. Luckily, there are alternative gem choices that are cheap by comparison, such as spinel. Spinel looks a lot like ruby, so much so that back in the old days, people frequently confused the two. Several world-famous “rubies” are not rubies actually, but spinels. The latter are durable and come with appealing natural hues that remove the need for treatments. They also have a “fire” much like those of jewelry-grade diamonds, which means if you are in the market for an affordable, durable, and beautiful stone, spinel should figure somewhere at the top of your list of options to check out.