Trends are an interesting phenomenon in the world of fashion and culture. Sometimes it’s clear and relatable when something is all of a sudden considered “trendy”, other times (leggings as pants?) make us scratch our heads in confusion. In the bridal world trends tend to emerge a bit slower than other markets, and thank goodness for that because no one wants their engagement ring to go out of style when they’ve barely celebrated their first wedding anniversary. So let’s dive right in to the trends we see in the world of bridal today and we see continuing well into the 20s.
1. The Skinny on Thin Bands
First came the skinny jeans and then came the skinny bands.
Thin, delicate, plain or diamond encrusted bands first emerged on the scene a few years ago and quickly began flooding social media while marketing pushes such as “whisper” thin bands have consumed the advertising campaigns of many bridal designers. What is the attraction you ask? Isn’t bigger better when it comes to diamond jewelry? In fact the juxtaposition of the thin band with a large center stone are two anomalies that work together beautifully bringing the full attention to the center stone. This unexpected combination of opposite scales really make the center stone pop and appear larger. However our advice is don’t go too thin; we recommend at least a 1.8 mm width for the best stability and endurance. If a band is too thin, it runs the risk of cracking, bending or losing its shape over time. This is especially important to note for ladies who are quite active in their lifestyle. Ladies with slender fingers and small delicate hands pull this look off best while the look may get lost or appear too small on bigger hands. A wider wedding band, double or triple the width of the engagement ring, looks best with this design, the width balancing nicely alongside the center stone.
2. Go Long with an Elongated Center Stone (Ovals, Pears, Emerald Cuts)
The perks of choosing an elongated center stone shape for your engagement ring, such as an oval, pear cut or emerald cut are quite obvious. Not only do these shapes tend to make fingers appear longer and more slender but they look bigger than rounds in the same carat weights. Ovals have continued to be the number one fancy shape for brides in the past few years while emerald cuts exude sophistication and old world glamour and elegance.
3. Chevron or “V” Engagement Rings
Characterized by their formation of a distinct V shape on the finger, chevron engagement rings are ideal for the trend-setting, ultra-unique ladies among us who appreciate a romantic, quirky and delicate aesthetic. The best way to wear these type of rings is pointing down towards your fingertip, like an arrow.
4. Solitaires
Like the little black dress, the solitaire never really goes out of style. Their enduring appeal has a lot to do with their simplicity, and propensity to showcase the center stone best. However the band or shank design can make the ring feel dated. For instance in the 90s, a wider width was the preference when the modern, slightly masculine look was in. However these days the look that feels most fresh and modern is a thinner more delicate band, whether it’s plain and rounded or set with pave diamonds.
The best part is that solitaires look good on everyone and the setting is relatively inexpensive allowing you to really funnel your funds into the 4C’s. Solitaires are also the easiest rings to layer with other rings such as your wedding band and or an anniversary band to create an amazing bridal stack.
5. A Fine Vintage
We continue to see strong demand for vintage inspired engagement rings. Touted for their timeless appeal, these rings all do have something in common—they are imbued with character, soulful elegance and charm.
Maybe it’s the idea of having a ring that could someday serve as the family heirloom you can pass on to future generations or the belief that an engagement ring should possess serious character and old world charm, one thing is for sure, a vintage inspired engagement ring looks unique and exudes romance. Today’s vintage inspired rings strike the perfect balance of antiquity and modernity, look incredibly fresh and come in all metal colors including rose, yellow and white gold as well as platinum.
6. A Rosy Outlook
Both modern and romantic in feel, rose gold engagement rings are the breakout new (but really old) metal choice. Rose gold has a long and rich history dating back to the early 1800’s. In recent years it has become even more popular among brides who want a ring that exudes sweet feminine charm with a modern, romantic feel. Whether used in vintage inspired or floral designs or in clean modern ones, rose gold feels new again.
7. Three’s the Charm
Thanks to Meghan Markle, we have seen a substantial uptick in demand for three stone engagement rings.
The classic choice is usually a round center stone flanked with round side stones but these days the variety of combinations are much more exciting. An oval looks great with half-moon diamonds on each side while an emerald cut looks elegant with baguettes or trapezoids as its partners. And a princess cut flanked on each side by glimmering trillion diamonds is both unique and elegant. The three stone has come a long way and brides are excited to jump on the bandwagon. One thing that remains, their meaning of love, friendship and fidelity makes them a great choice for brides who desire a sentimental meaning for their engagement ring.
8. Floral
Gifting flowers to the object of one’s affections has often been viewed as one of the top romantic gestures and an engagement ring with floral elements solidifies that sentiment. The floral engagement ring came on the scene in 2018 and has widely appealed to the masses. It looks ultra-feminine and romantic especially if set in a rose gold setting but feels modern and unique in a platinum or white gold setting. Delicate vines lined with millgrain accents and leaves set with sparkling diamonds, rest assured this much adored styling is here to stay.h
9. Hidden Halo
While the halo is still widely popular with today’s brides, not all ladies embrace this type of setting. For those who don’t want a solitaire or a halo, but still want some interest to their ring there’s a newcomer in town that’s garnering mentionable attention. A close cousin to the halo, the hidden halo features smaller diamonds set around the head which are facing out from the side allowing for major sparkle to be seen from all angles.
10. A Knack for the Stack
Thanks to Instagram and Pinterest bridal stacking continues to awe and inspire future brides as well as those already married. Women are happy to not just wear their engagement and wedding ring anymore but to add on with curved diamond bands and other interesting stackable rings allowing them to really express themselves and showcase their unique personal style. These “additions” not only look trendy and modern but make great gifts to celebrate important occasions such as birthdays and anniversary gifts.
For these and other on trend jewelry, view our full catalog and explore all of our engagement rings.
Engagement Stackable – Gabriel & Co.
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