diff --git a/examples/gauge.rs b/examples/gauge.rs
index fd0e706..3182846 100644
--- a/examples/gauge.rs
+++ b/examples/gauge.rs
@@ -106,7 +106,8 @@ fn main() -> Result<(), Box<dyn Error>> {
                         .add_modifier(Modifier::ITALIC),
                 )
                 .percent(app.progress4)
-                .label(label);
+                .label(label)
+                .use_unicode(false);
             f.render_widget(gauge, chunks[3]);
         })?;
 
diff --git a/src/widgets/gauge.rs b/src/widgets/gauge.rs
index c86e07b..f518f0b 100644
--- a/src/widgets/gauge.rs
+++ b/src/widgets/gauge.rs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ pub struct Gauge<'a> {
     block: Option<Block<'a>>,
     ratio: f64,
     label: Option<Span<'a>>,
+    use_unicode: bool,
     style: Style,
     gauge_style: Style,
 }
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ impl<'a> Default for Gauge<'a> {
             block: None,
             ratio: 0.0,
             label: None,
+            use_unicode: true,
             style: Style::default(),
             gauge_style: Style::default(),
         }
@@ -82,6 +84,11 @@ impl<'a> Gauge<'a> {
         self.gauge_style = style;
         self
     }
+
+    pub fn use_unicode(mut self, unicode: bool) -> Gauge<'a> {
+        self.use_unicode = unicode;
+        self
+    }
 }
 
 impl<'a> Widget for Gauge<'a> {
@@ -101,8 +108,14 @@ impl<'a> Widget for Gauge<'a> {
         }
 
         let center = gauge_area.height / 2 + gauge_area.top();
-        let width = (f64::from(gauge_area.width) * self.ratio).round() as u16;
-        let end = gauge_area.left() + width;
+        let width = f64::from(gauge_area.width) * self.ratio;
+        //go to regular rounding behavior if we're not using unicode blocks
+        let end = gauge_area.left()
+            + if self.use_unicode {
+                width.floor() as u16
+            } else {
+                width.round() as u16
+            };
         // Label
         let ratio = self.ratio;
         let label = self
@@ -114,14 +127,25 @@ impl<'a> Widget for Gauge<'a> {
                 buf.get_mut(x, y).set_symbol(" ");
             }
 
+            //set unicode block
+            if self.use_unicode && self.ratio < 1.0 {
+                buf.get_mut(end, y)
+                    .set_symbol(get_unicode_block(width % 1.0));
+            }
+
+            let mut color_end = end;
+
             if y == center {
                 let label_width = label.width() as u16;
                 let middle = (gauge_area.width - label_width) / 2 + gauge_area.left();
                 buf.set_span(middle, y, &label, gauge_area.right() - middle);
+                if self.use_unicode && end >= middle && end < middle + label_width {
+                    color_end = gauge_area.left() + (width.round() as u16); //set color on the label to the rounded gauge level
+                }
             }
 
             // Fix colors
-            for x in gauge_area.left()..end {
+            for x in gauge_area.left()..color_end {
                 buf.get_mut(x, y)
                     .set_fg(self.gauge_style.bg.unwrap_or(Color::Reset))
                     .set_bg(self.gauge_style.fg.unwrap_or(Color::Reset));
@@ -130,6 +154,20 @@ impl<'a> Widget for Gauge<'a> {
     }
 }
 
+fn get_unicode_block<'a>(frac: f64) -> &'a str {
+    match (frac * 8.0).round() as u16 {
+        //get how many eighths the fraction is closest to
+        1 => symbols::block::ONE_EIGHTH,
+        2 => symbols::block::ONE_QUARTER,
+        3 => symbols::block::THREE_EIGHTHS,
+        4 => symbols::block::HALF,
+        5 => symbols::block::FIVE_EIGHTHS,
+        6 => symbols::block::THREE_QUARTERS,
+        7 => symbols::block::SEVEN_EIGHTHS,
+        8 => symbols::block::FULL,
+        _ => " ",
+    }
+}
 /// A compact widget to display a task progress over a single line.
 ///
 /// # Examples:
diff --git a/tests/widgets_gauge.rs b/tests/widgets_gauge.rs
index 2dc304a..c39b311 100644
--- a/tests/widgets_gauge.rs
+++ b/tests/widgets_gauge.rs
@@ -22,11 +22,80 @@ fn widgets_gauge_renders() {
 
             let gauge = Gauge::default()
                 .block(Block::default().title("Percentage").borders(Borders::ALL))
+                .gauge_style(Style::default().bg(Color::Blue).fg(Color::Red))
                 .percent(43);
             f.render_widget(gauge, chunks[0]);
             let gauge = Gauge::default()
                 .block(Block::default().title("Ratio").borders(Borders::ALL))
-                .ratio(0.211_313_934_313_1);
+                .gauge_style(Style::default().bg(Color::Blue).fg(Color::Red))
+                .ratio(0.511_313_934_313_1);
+            f.render_widget(gauge, chunks[1]);
+        })
+        .unwrap();
+    let mut expected = Buffer::with_lines(vec![
+        "                                        ",
+        "                                        ",
+        "  ┌Percentage────────────────────────┐  ",
+        "  │              ▋43%                │  ",
+        "  └──────────────────────────────────┘  ",
+        "  ┌Ratio─────────────────────────────┐  ",
+        "  │               51%                │  ",
+        "  └──────────────────────────────────┘  ",
+        "                                        ",
+        "                                        ",
+    ]);
+
+    for i in 3..17 {
+        expected
+            .get_mut(i, 3)
+            .set_bg(Color::Red)
+            .set_fg(Color::Blue);
+    }
+    for i in 17..37 {
+        expected
+            .get_mut(i, 3)
+            .set_bg(Color::Blue)
+            .set_fg(Color::Red);
+    }
+
+    for i in 3..20 {
+        expected
+            .get_mut(i, 6)
+            .set_bg(Color::Red)
+            .set_fg(Color::Blue);
+    }
+    for i in 20..37 {
+        expected
+            .get_mut(i, 6)
+            .set_bg(Color::Blue)
+            .set_fg(Color::Red);
+    }
+
+    terminal.backend().assert_buffer(&expected);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn widgets_gauge_renders_no_unicode() {
+    let backend = TestBackend::new(40, 10);
+    let mut terminal = Terminal::new(backend).unwrap();
+
+    terminal
+        .draw(|f| {
+            let chunks = Layout::default()
+                .direction(Direction::Vertical)
+                .margin(2)
+                .constraints([Constraint::Percentage(50), Constraint::Percentage(50)].as_ref())
+                .split(f.size());
+
+            let gauge = Gauge::default()
+                .block(Block::default().title("Percentage").borders(Borders::ALL))
+                .percent(43)
+                .use_unicode(false);
+            f.render_widget(gauge, chunks[0]);
+            let gauge = Gauge::default()
+                .block(Block::default().title("Ratio").borders(Borders::ALL))
+                .ratio(0.211_313_934_313_1)
+                .use_unicode(false);
             f.render_widget(gauge, chunks[1]);
         })
         .unwrap();