Colored gemstones often switch off with each other as the most popular center stone for jewelry: for years, sapphire was king, then emerald started gaining popularity. Now, red gemstones, especially ruby, are starting to take center stage. Ruby, however, is exceptionally expensive, which is why we’re showing you your options when it comes to more affordable red gemstones that will allow you to stay on trend without breaking the bank.

Red Spinel

While spinel is available in a vast array of colors, red spinel is likely the most popular type. One of the reasons is that the average consumer with a naked eye usually can’t tell the difference between a ruby and a red spinel. But, there certainly are differences between the two.

Mined largely in the same places across the globe, a ruby – a gemstone which is part of the corundum family of minerals – rates at a 9 on the Mohs scale of hardness while spinel comes in at an 8. That means that a negative for spinel is that it’s a less durable option, especially if you intend on wearing it every day. Another downside is that red spinel isn’t as vastly available for purchase as rubies are, making them harder to find. However, because red spinel generally has a better clarity than rubies do, when you find a ruby that’s as imperfection-free as many red spinels, you’re going to pay a lot more money for it.

Garnet

January’s birthstone in the red variety is more on the blood-colored side with brownish undertones, but there are lighter versions of the gemstone out there if you know where to look. Almandine and Malaya garnets are more on the red side, and rhodolite garnets tend to have a purple-pink, raspberry color to them. All, however, are less expensive than a good quality ruby, are fairly easy to find, and will generally give you a similar look for the type of jewelry you’re seeking.

Rubellite

Also referred to as “red tourmaline”, rubellites can range from pinkish-red to bright red, and from purplish-red to reddish-purple, similar to many specimens of ruby. Most red to pinkish-colored tourmalines are colored by manganese but are also known to be colored by lithium. Again, in comparison to a medium to high-quality ruby, tourmaline is an excellent alternative, price-wise, and are widely available in the gemstone market.

If the three options above still don’t seem like they’re exactly what you’re looking for, you can also try looking at deeply colored pink sapphires, fire opals (though they are more of a reddish-orange), and red zircon, though the red variety is a pure color and is extremely rare to find.