I love this ring. The stone is large but not tacky looking. The faceting is done beautifully and the accents are a great extra sparkle. The ring is engraved with a .925, so it is sterling silver. I know some of the other rings sold by Peora had reviews saying it wasn't sterling silver. I have crazy sensitive skin, so I've had to paint many rings with clear nail polish. I wore this ring with no problems at all. I also love that it's at an angle, it's a really unique looking ring. As for the stone, like I said before it is gorgeous. I love a good faceted stone. I know for the size it seems too good to be true. Well I'm not a jeweler but from what I've read online garnet isn't precious and is so common it's kind of pointless to try and "simulate" one. But it's no guarantee it's real. Either way, it's a gorgeous ring.