Fox TV's hot primetime soap The OC prides itself on being over the top. So it's not surprising that when characters Julie Cooper and Caleb Nichol became engaged this season, the ring had to be a real attention-getter. And it was: a 5.95-carat Colombian emerald flanked by two half-moon shaped diamonds totaling 1.62 carats. The ring's intense green color was a statement that Julie was not an ordinary bride. But Julie is not nearly as unusual as you might think. In search of an expression of individuality and romance, more and more couples are choosing colored gemstones for their engagement rings.