INSPIRATION
Most Popular Engagement Ring Styles
most popular
engagement ring styles
Engagement rings can be traced back to the times of the Roman Empire in 27 BC, where their original meaning wasn’t too dissimilar to its meaning of true and everlasting love today.
Engagement ring styles, however, have come a very long way since the Roman times when women wore flint, ivory, bone, iron and copper around their fingers.
Today there is more choice than ever. From the classic solitaire and halo engagement ring, to coloured gemstones and vintage styles. Explore the latest trends and classic styles that are particularly popular right now in our comprehensive guide.
Solitaire Engagement Rings
The diamond solitaire engagement ring is the favourite choice for many couples. A striking solitaire diamond is a classic design. While some trends come and go, it remains constant and is here to stay forever. It can be understated and subtle, but always beautiful and eye-catching.
The unique setting puts the diamond in the spotlight, making it the obvious focal point of the ring. The quality and cut of the stone are crucial to the finished product. Wearers have a choice of a classic round brilliant cut diamond, or the popular princess cut.
Alternatively, try something different, such as a radiant pear, oval or marquise shape. One of the latest trends is the unusual antique cushion cut, bringing the diamond's style back to its roots. This was a popular choice in the art deco era of the early 20th century.
For optimal sparkle and brilliance, the round cut solitaire is often the diamond of choice. It represents precision craftsmanship at its finest. The best stones are reviewed and graded by experts at the GIA Gemological Institute of America and are then examined a second time through several levels of quality control before being sold.
Halo Engagement Rings
Halo engagement rings have become a modern classic, thanks to their sparkle and glamour. The name comes from the halo of diamonds surrounding the solitaire-type ring with a high-quality diamond in the centre. The style is designed to provide the wearer with the ultimate opulence.
Halo engagement rings are intricately designed with multiple smaller diamonds encircling the larger central stone. A good shape for the main stone is oval, as this maximises the sparkle. They give the illusion of being larger than a round diamond of the same carat weight.
Halo engagement rings also come in many other elegant shapes, such as princess cut, pear, cushion and emerald-cut. For extra sparkle, choose a double-halo design that also has a diamond-encrusted band.
Vintage Engagement Rings
Vintage engagement rings are very popular today. They can be extremely romantic, as choosing a vintage ring means you know your partner very well. Otherwise, how could you navigate your way through the hundreds of different styles on the market to make the right decision?
In the famous US television drama, Sex and the City, the lead character, Carrie Bradshaw, discovers her boyfriend, Aiden, has bought her an engagement ring she doesn't like. She says to her friend, "How can I marry someone who doesn't know which ring is me?
"This strikes a chord with many luxury engagement ring lovers, as a vintage ring is down to personal taste. Choose an engagement ring from different eras, such as an Art Deco ring like the one actress Scarlett Johansson received from Colin Jost, or an Edwardian style, like Benedict Cumberbatch's fiancée Sophie Hunter owns.
The beauty of a vintage engagement ring is that you can often choose an original and unusual design that you may not have been able to afford from the new ones on the market.
Coloured Gemstone Engagement Rings
Couples wishing to break free from traditional engagement rings are choosing gemstones instead. However, it's not advisable to choose gemstones based solely on their aesthetic appearance. If you're considering a gemstone engagement ring, other factors come into play, including its wearability, optical appearance and clarity.
While diamonds are undoubtedly the most popular precious stone for an engagement ring, different gemstones have been growing in popularity since the 1950s. With a hardness of nine, sapphires are among the toughest non-diamond gems that make excellent jewellery stones. They are the most popular of the coloured stones, undoubtedly because they have a reputation as the gemstone of royalty.
The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, received the sapphire engagement ring that once belonged to Prince William’s mother, the late Princess Diana. Empress Joséphine Bonaparte, the wife of the French military leader Emperor Napoleon I, was an early wearer of a sapphire engagement ring. Celebrities who have worn gemstone engagement rings include actresses Elizabeth Hurley and Penelope Cruz.
Emeralds, dubbed the "jewel of kings”, are another popular choice for engagement rings. Said to be the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra’s gemstone of choice, emeralds come in various rich shades of green, from a paler hue to a deep, dark shade. They also have a hardness of eight, so they can resist scratching.
Other popular coloured gems for engagement rings include amethysts, ranging from light lavender to deep purple, garnets, rubies, aquamarines, opals and citrines, a modern choice that gives wearers the options of pale delicate yellow through to deep golden shades. Some people choose to have an engagement ring fashioned from their birthstone too.
Three-Stone Engagement Rings
Three-stone engagement rings have a number of deep meanings. Traditionally, the three stones represent the past, present and future of a relationship. They are also interpreted to stand for love, friendship and fidelity. They can have a religious significance too, with the three stones representing the Holy Trinity. For this reason, they are also known as trinity rings, representing the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
They can be created in various ways, including choosing three equally-sized stones, one larger stone with two slightly graduating stones, or one large central stone with two significantly smaller stones. The stones can all be diamonds, or you can include other coloured gemstones for a personalised design.
You can also mix different shapes, such as an emerald-cut centre stone with a baguette-cut stone on either side, or a round-cut centre stone with a pear-shaped stone at either side. The three-stone engagement ring is often deemed to be the most versatile, as you can pick almost any shape of stones, such as round, marquise, pear, emerald, or princess, designing a unique ring to suit every taste and budget.
Minimalist Engagement Rings
Minimalist engagement rings are classically understated, starting with a sparkling round diamond on a slim gold band, or having a different shape, like a cushion cut or teardrop shape. Although minimalist rings are simple, the different options with solitaire diamonds are endless.
You will never worry about your engagement ring standing the test of time, as by design, it is timeless, turning it into a cherished heirloom that will never look dated. A minimalist ring will go with just about any outfit. It will be unlikely to clash with other pieces of jewellery and can elevate any look, whether it's a red carpet gown or everyday streetwear.