Hope I'm putting this in the right place!
My boyfriend and I are not yet engaged, but we plan to be within a couple of years. We're both 20, I'm in college and he's looking for a job (couldn't afford to go to college, got laid off of his job in this awful economy). Because of the fact that he doesn't have a job and I'm not sure when he'll get one/how much money he'll be making, I'm considering telling him about non-diamond engagement rings (something he likely wouldn't think of!). Plus the fact that I think gemstones are beautiful as well. Trouble is, I'd want a gemstone that still has some meaning - as beautiful as many of them are, I'd prefer having a connection to it other than it being pretty, though that's okay too.
My first thought was that my birthday is in November, so I was thinking about a citrine/yellow topaz ring, but 1) they're kind of hard to find, and 2) I'm unsure about their durability for everyday wear.
My other ideas were ruby (both his and my Mom's birthstones), or an imitation diamond (white sapphire, topaz, etc).
I've found a few on etsy I really like, since I lean towards vintage-inspired rings, and would prefer one with a matching wedding band. Any suggestions? Do any of you have gemstone e-rings?