Meghan Markle’s engagement ring. Photo: Instagram.com
If 2020 and 2021 reminded us of anything, it’s that the future is completely unpredictable – and precious. This reality impacted everything: from our livelihoods to our habits and the way that we consume. For couples with engagement and wedding plans, the pandemic imbued a new meaning of value. As jeweler Thelma West surmises: “People are now in the ‘we only live once, let’s love, let’s live, let’s make each other happy’ mood.”
This nonchalant reactive spirit influenced the engagement ring trends that emerged in 2021. “The desire for meaning and sentimentality is definitely coming through as a trend with my clients,” remarks self-certified engagement ring hunter Kate Baxter, founder of The Cut London. “There’s a real sense that they want to make the ring as special as possible.”
Individuality shone through. More than ever, people were after unique engagement rings with unexpected, colorful twists. “I feel [customers] were in a spending, more expressive mood than usual,” remarks Thomas Montier Leboucher, co-founder and CEO of buzzy Paris-based jeweler Viltier. “Maybe because they had more time to save up and also they had a need or a crave to express their love more significantly after such a frustrating year!”
The intimate IRL process of finding an engagement ring was disrupted, but that didn’t stop jewelers from finding new ways to connect with customers and ensure they found the perfect piece. West praises the unprecedented shift: “It’s great that we are able to adapt like that, in what has traditionally been a face-to-face interaction.”
2022 looks to be a little brighter than this year – on the jewelry front, anyway. From dazzling rainbow stones to grand gestures and responsibly-sourced gems, read on for the engagement ring trends to keep tabs on next year – especially if you’re in the market for one or compiling a ring wish-list.
The bigger the better…
“Larger, more sculptural rings are gaining popularity,” says Baxter. Whopper, statement-making stones and silhouettes are forecast to take over in 2022, as are unconventional settings. While once upon a time it was all about the size of the rock, chunkier bands are also becoming the preference for a lot of proposers.
Grand gestures needn’t be big in the literal sense. Simple, understated designs are wonderfully elegant. West specializes in pieces that “highlight a beautiful diamond”, with classic pear and oval cuts among the most popular. Her USP? “I create from a place of simplicity, leaving room for the important details. I produce a limited number of pieces per year, all with ethically-sourced materials, focusing my attention on excellence.” Enticing.
2022 signals a time of change: some couples will veer in the non-traditional direction, while others will stick to timeless designs. “There are always ways to make the conventional look absolutely exceptional,” muses Baxter.
Alice Cicolini memphis bubble pavé ring, Alice Cicolini
Rachel Boston sapphire and gold ring, The Cut London
Investment pieces
Engagement rings are an important investment – in every sense of the word. Chaumet experienced a 25-30% increase in customer spending for engagement rings specifically, a figure that CEO Jean-Marc Mansvelt felt was “quite surprising” and “a godsend, as without e-commerce there was almost no revenue during the initial lockdown.”
The brilliant-cut diamond will forever be a Chaumet signature, a style that it will “renew” with a collection in early 2022. Cushion settings are another customer favorite, while the empress cut has been Chaumet’s “main innovation” of 2021.
Elsewhere, “budgets have definitely increased,” Baxter reveals. She’s had the busiest year of engagement ring sourcing since she started The Cut London seven years ago, which she credits to people “people reassess[ing] their priorities and more couples wanting to focus on the meaningful things in life, which includes the romantic gesture of proposals and buying meaningful rings.”
Paris-based brand Viltier specialises in one-of-a-kind rings.
Offbeat choices
Going against the grain – in the jewelry realm – is predicted to become even more popular in 2022. People are becoming more adventurous with their choices, gravitating towards unusual colored stones and arrangements. Look out for pale sapphires in olive, pink and yellow: customers are still buying mesmerizing dark blue shades, but more striking tones are on the rise, too.
Over in Paris, Viltier’s offering is made for those on the hunt for a fabulously unique engagement ring. Even rings that were not designed with the intent of becoming an “engagement ring” – as such – have become the ideal choice. “We do have a ring that initially was not created thinking it would become an engagement ring, but it has been chosen as an engagement ring by many of our clients because it features a big, unique, coloured stone, which is a good alternative to diamonds,” says Thomas Montier Leboucher.
Hancocks London yellow diamond ring, Hancocks London
Gee Woods Asscher cut diamond ring with baguettes, The Cut London
Bear Brooksbank vintage Cartier diamond ring, The Cut London
Viltier Brulante ring, Viltier
Lily Kamper rainbow sapphire ring, The Cut London
Chaumet Liens D’Amour ring, Chaumet
Good things come in threes
Sometimes, less is more. On occasion, more is more. Whatever your preference, rings with multiple dazzling stones are becoming increasingly popular. Trio settings – a sparkling hat trick, if you will – are a timeless engagement ring style. Trilogy settings are entrenched in symbolism: the three stones represent the past, present and the future.
Modern takes on the classic three-stone engagement ring are a winning option for those who can’t pick between gemstones or want maximum impact. Be it a classic diamond flanked by sapphires or vice versa – or an offbeat rainbow stone arrangement – a band can never be too crowded.
Jessica McCormack mini diamond vine ring, Jessica McCormack
Ruberg diamond cluster ring, The Cut London
Conscious mindset
With any purchase, there comes a responsibility. Conversations regarding transparency, sourcing and sustainability have been brought to the fore of the jewelry conversation this year and 2022 will truly put this to the test. No longer can people buy with disregard for the environment or ethical practices involved in the making of their goods – and for jewelry, especially.
“If the brand doesn’t have a sustainability agenda or sustainability credentials, then for many consumers – millennials in particular – it will just not be viable,” McKinsey partner Alexander Thiel said on the McKinsey on Consumer and Retail podcast earlier this month.
Together with Tyler Harris – an associate McKinsey partner and expert in various fields, including jewelry – he conducted a 96-page report entitled State of Fashion: Watches and Jewellery, that details changes in consumer behavior in the watches and jewelry sector, specifically the “sustainability surge”.
Origin is more important than ever – customers are keen to know where the raw materials come from. “I’ve seen a marked increase in enquires for lab-grown diamonds, as well as a lot of clients wanting to reset inherited or heirloom diamonds,” says Baxter. “If clients are unsure about lab-grown, I always suggest finding an antique diamond as a more sustainable alternative.”
Thelma West rebel rose ring, Thelma West
Viltier Scintillante ring, Viltier
Toi et moi is a shape to keep an eye on
Toi et moi rings – a coiled band, with two gemstones nestled side by side where it meets around the finger – dominated the market in 2021. Emily Ratajkowski and Ariana Grande were responsible for the toi et moi hype, but it’s been a romantic style for some time. Napoleon Bonaparte proposed to Joséphine de Beauharnais with one in 1796 – a gesture that inspired Chaumet’s Joséphine Duo Éternal collection. “The symbolism of two stones in one ring is full of romance,” says Baxter, who has witnessed piqued interest in the style.
Toi et moi engagement ring styles have grown in popularity. Jemma Wynne
Bespoke pear and emerald cut diamond open ring, Jemma Wynne
Toi et moi ring, Katkim
Originally published on Vogue.co.uk
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