Articles / Brides Seek Engagement Rings Tinged With Nostalgia

This season, engagement ring styles are as varied and unique as the brides who choose them. (And choose them, they do - gone are the days when this long-term fashion decision was left up to grooms.)

Perhaps the most notable trend of the past few years has been the renewed popularity of white metals. The icy elegance of platinum and white gold settings has found favor with today's brides, many of whom have fond memories of their grandmothers' 1940s and 1950s-era platinum and white-gold jewelry. It's a look both fashion forward and tinged with nostalgia.

The single stone ring remains a favorite, to be sure, but this most traditional style is being reimagined and reinvented in new ways. A bezel or semi-bezel setting, for example, offers a fresh take on a classic style. The modernistic tension-setting allows the ring itself rather than prongs or bezels to hold the diamond in place. This makes for a unique and very contemporary look. More unusual cuts, such as princess (square), oval, marquise, or emerald also point to an adventuresome spirit among brides.

And more young women are choosing multi-stone rings. The romantic Past, Present and Future theme, promoted by DeBeers, has more and more brides looking at three-stone rings. In many cases, this style features three prominent diamonds, with the center of a slightly larger size. In others, it means a diamond centerstone with colored gems - such as rubies, sapphires or emeralds - as side stones. Design, in fact, seems to be more important than ever as brides seek looks that reflect their individual fashion styles. Not surprisingly, Victorian-inspired scrollwork, filigree and pave diamond detailing are all popular currently.

Non-traditional brides who crave color and something distinctively different are choosing ruby, sapphire, emerald or even colored diamonds as a centerstones and showcasing them with white diamond sidestones.

Following the lead of celebrity trendsetters, such as Jennifer Lopez, who a few years ago sported a 6-carat, square-cut pink diamond engagement ring given to her by then-fiance Ben Affleck, some of today's most well-heeled brides are opting for rings with colored diamond centerstones.

When you deserve the very best, and the goal is a gem that is uniquely and jaw-droppingly beautiful, what better fits the bill than a bright pink, yellow or blue diamond - dazzling, dramatic and luxurious.

David WeissDavid Weiss

Graduate Gemologist, GIA
Certified Appraiser