Like all things we wear, jewellery has trends that come and go with the times. While engagement rings are more resistant to the fashions of clothing (after all, they’re an item we wear for a very long time, not just one season), there are still shifts in styles that flow through engagement ring designs as times and generations change.
While you don’t want to choose an engagement ring based solely on a “trend”, new designs and styles are great inspiration for finding fresh ideas you haven’t thought of, to find something that is uniquely yours to love for many years to come. Here are the 4 engagement ring trends I’ve seen emerge in Australia, to keep your eye on if you’re designing your ring this year.
1. Asymmetrical Engagement Rings
While engagement rings are typically thought of as a straight band with a centre gemstone in the middle, there are so many ways to design an engagement ring that challenge classic profiles.
Fluid shapes in gemstones and band shapes have shaken up what has historically been thought of as an engagement ring in a way that’s fresh, elegant, yet still timeless and wearable. Asymmetrical designs are growing in popularity with freeform gemstone cuts, angled settings, and flowing wraparound bands, to create engagement ring designs that feel very different to those of generations past.
2. East-West Set Engagement Rings
Traditionally, engagement rings with longer diamond shapes are set with the gemstone vertically, with their longest side angled up-to-down on the band. Recent years have seen more and more gemstones set horizontally, or east-to-west, on the band.
This style is particularly great for oval cut diamonds and emerald cut diamonds, and allows you to have the simplicity and practicality of a solitaire engagement ring, with a profile that feels modern too.
3. Engagement Rings with Patterns and Colours in the Band
Most trends for engagement rings revolve around the centre gemstone, or shape as a whole, though there’s growing attention to bringing a unique spin to engagement ring designs through the detail in the band, or the wedding ring alongside it. Smaller gemstones seem like a minor detail, though have a powerful impact on the style and uniqueness of a ring.
Traditionally, engagement ring bands have either been entirely plain, or had all diamonds along the band. There’s a growing interest in fresh takes on these two options for band designs, by playing with diamond arrangements, patterning, and colour, which opens up endless options. This is a beautiful way to draw in meaning and personality to your design, for example by incorporating birthstones, favourite colours, or reminders of important moments together for your unique engagement ring.
4. Solitaire Engagement Rings
It feels like cheating to include a ‘classic’ engagement ring design in a ‘trend’ round up. However the interest in solitaire engagement rings has been so strong lately, it had to make my list. Many couples are opting for a single, beautiful gemstone for their engagement ring, in a classic solitaire setting to celebrate their engagement.
With such a classic design, the gemstone becomes the all important detail. Choosing your solitaire ring brings the focus to choosing just one wonderful gemstone that you love. While the classic round brilliant cut diamond is always a favourite for engagement rings, they’re not the only shape being sought for solitaire ring designs. Brilliant cut diamonds of all shapes, sizes, and proportions are making their mark as a subtle but beautiful way to make solitaire engagement rings unique.
There’s an art to bringing these trends to an engagement ring design that feels modern, timeless, and perfectly suited to the person who wears it. Looking at these 4 trends is a great starting point to finding your perfect design.
For help designing an engagement ring that’s both fresh, and uniquely yours, book your complimentary appointment to chat directly with a jeweller.
