For many years, engagement ring preferences have been dominated by a few designs. While there is a wide selection of variants involved in creating a ring, such as diamond shape, setting, and band style, trends have seldom diversified. When thinking of an engagement ring he solitaire design with a round cut diamond is likely to be the first that pops into your head. The simplicity, elegance, and classic design has proved timeless. However, the preferences of many designers, celebrities, and couples are changing.
In 2015, over half of the engagement rings sold in America were with a round cut diamond. This is an especially large share considering that, in second place, the princess cut diamond made up less than a quarter of all rings sold. Other shapes, such as emerald, cushion, pear, and radiant, had a significantly smaller market portion. The preference for the brilliant round cut may come from its widely-pleasing and iconic design. It is also one of the most expensive shapes of diamond. This is because to create the design, typically with fifty-eight facets, requires the original diamond to lose up to half its mass.
The preferences for more unusual cuts and statement designs are growing. For some, the appeal of the round cut is seen as bland. This pertains to more than simply the shape too, and diamonds are different colors are appearing more often, even with alternative settings. Celebrity couples such as Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom proudly demonstrate their personality and flair with an oval-shaped pink diamond set among eight smaller white diamonds, resembling a flower. Cardi B wears a ring, given by partner Offset, with a pear cut diamond with a halo setting of pink diamonds. More and more celebrity Instagram feeds are showing their creativity and romance through engagement rings and it seems to be driving the change of preference.
Even while retaining the round cut design, couples are invoking their own flair. Olivia Wilde and Jason Sudeikis have a round diamond set among an emerald halo, purportedly to match the actor’s eyes. Scarlett Johansson wears an engagement ring with three round cut diamonds in a rectangle setting while Carrie Underwood wears a yellow round cut with a pavé setting on a platinum band, both demonstrating a blend of classic and modern design.
Designers, too, are driving these changes. Leading brand designers, such as Tacori, are offering more dramatic and ambitious designs to match changing preferences, delivered with their usual high standards. While individual designers, such as the now renowned Lorraine Schwartz, are becoming household names for their continued exciting design work. Lorraine Schwartz is well-known for her work designing engagement rings for Beyoncé and Kim Kardashian, however, she has an extensive portfolio of unusual and unique design work. During pregnancy, Rebecca Romijn sought to have her ring resized and, along with Lorraine Schwartz, decided to redesign the entire ring. The yellow diamond was ultimately placed upon a small charm that dangles from the main band.
The trends we see online and the figures we see from jewelry designers are clear. Dramatic designs, different colors, and unusual shapes are growing in popularity. Couples are looking to better express their own personalities and relationships and, since the engagement ring is often the focal point of pictures, the engagement ring is the perfect way to do this. This puts a greater demand on those buying the ring since, in addition to the required research for finding the right ring, they now have to work even harder to match each element of design to their loved one’s style. But, if you find yourself in this position, don’t fret. Look to the many new designs being celebrated online by couples all over the world to find the inspiration that will work for you.
