Once he has the girl and is sure that their relationship is ready for the next big step, there is one thing he must then decide on before popping the big question…  “What type of engagement ring should I get”?!  Historically, diamonds have been and continue to be by far the center stone of choice for an engagement ring although several excellent options are available for those looking for something a bit different.  To add to the stress of a first-time buyer’s decision, there are countless diamond & gemstone shapes, sizes, colors and qualities as well as endless ring design options to consider.  How then does one decide what that perfect ring should look like, especially if the proposal is going to be a complete surprise?  In this post, we’ll examine a few of the current engagement ring trends as a way to help begin the search for “The One”.

By far, the most popular diamond cut is the Modern Round Brilliant, followed by Princess Cut and Cushion Cut diamonds.  Until recently, Princess Cut diamonds were solidly the #2 choice but within the last couple of years, Cushion Cut diamonds have found their place as one of the most popular diamond shapes.

 

Diamond Halo Engagement Rings:

 

               

Plenty of variations exist but there is a strong trend toward simple halo designs with a single row of pave-set diamonds or round brilliant diamonds set in shared prongs on the band as well as surrounding the center diamond.  One popular variation is to have a round brilliant center diamond set with a cushion-shaped halo encircling it.              

 

Clean & Classic:

 

               

The classic “Tiffany” style solitaire engagement ring continues to be a popular choice with women of all ages, regardless of the shape of the center diamond.  Rather than dedicating a larger portion of the budget to the ring itself, more and more diamond buyers are choosing to place the majority of the emphasis on the star of the show – the center diamond. 

 

Side Stone Engagement Rings:

 

               

This is not too different than the classic solitaire engagement ring in that the main focus is the center diamond.  Here, individuals who like the idea of a solitaire diamond ring but feel like they’d prefer to compliment the center diamond with some sparkle on the side tend to add a single row of diamonds on each side of the main stone.  As with the diamond halo designs, the most popular setting styles for the side diamonds are pave-settings and shared-prongs for round brilliant diamonds. 

 

Engagement Ring Metal Trends:

 

                With gold prices rising to unprecedented highs and making headlines around the world, platinum has found a larger place in the engagement ring market.  There have only been a handful of times in history where the price of a pure ounce of gold has exceeded that of platinum for an extended period of time.  This reversal in metal prices has led shoppers to take advantage of the relatively low gold-platinum price spread, opting for the naturally white, durable and rare metal more than years past.