8 Engagement Ring Trends That Will Be Big In 2021, According to Experts
If the number of celebrity engagements in the latter half of 2020 — think: Gwen Stefani, Lily Collins, Gabourey Sidibe, and Clare Crawley — is any indication, a lot of people are getting hitched right now. Or, at least, they’re planning to once group activities like engagement parties and weddings are safe to host again. Ahead of engagement season, jewelry designers have upped their game, designing a slew of fresh engagement ring styles for brides and grooms to choose from in the new year.
“Where elaborate halos and other diamond-encrusted settings have been all the rage in recent years, there's been a shift towards simplicity in 2020,” says Shelley Brown, The Knot’s senior fashion and beauty editor. According to her, after a rise in popularity this year, simple solitaire settings will continue to reign supreme in 2021. “The diamond shape may vary, like Lily Collins' rose-cut diamond or Jasmine Tookes' oval diamond, but the settings tend to be very clean, without a lot of intricate detail,” she says. Emeralds, sapphires, and vintage rings are also expected to perform well next year, according to Brown. (Thanks, The Crown.)
Also on the list of trending engagement rings are oval-shaped diamonds, as well as hidden-halo engagement rings (that feature accent diamonds underneath a larger diamond), according to Anubh Shah and Slisha Kankariya-Shah, the co-founders of fine jewelry brand With Clarity. And those are just the highlights.
Ahead, find out what experts predict will be the biggest engagement ring trends come 2021.
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Solitaire Settings
Calling engagement rings with a solitaire setting “trendy” is debatable given that they’ve been a staple in the bridal industry for, well, forever. That said, over the last few months, there has been even greater demand than usual for the simple, elegant style, according to Brown. "Solitaire settings with one — usually very large — diamond have been trending in 2020 among celebrities,” she says. A celebrity trend often leads to increased popularity across the industry.
The listed price is for the setting only.
Après Jewelry The Stella Ring Setting Asscher, $, available at Après Jewelry
Concept 26 Solitaire Stackable Ring, $, available at Concept 26
Vrai & Oro Cushion Cut Diamond Classic Solitaire Ring, $, available at Vrai & Oro
Blue Engagement Rings
Thanks to the highly publicized release of The Crown’s fourth season, starring Emma Corrin as Princess Diana, blue engagement rings are more popular than ever. Diana’s ring — which features a 12-carat, oval-shaped Ceylon sapphire, surrounded by 14 diamonds — became popular with the public following her engagement to Prince Charles in 1981. Now worn by Kate Middleton, the ring continues to inspire brides. In fact, U.K.-based jewelry brand Taylor and Hart recently reported a 300% increase in interest for blue-stone engagement rings.
According to Brown, sapphires aren’t the only blue stones trending right now, either. Aquamarine, tourmaline, topaz, and tanzanite are also set to make a big splash in 2021: “They fit the bill for a to-be-weds' ‘something blue.’”
Mateo 14kt Gold Blue Topaz Point of Focus Ring, $, available at Mateo New York
Vintage Vintage Astorville 1.13ct Sapphire Engagement Ring, $, available at Trumpet and Horn
Tiffany & Co. Novo Horizon Ring, $, available at Tiffany & Co
Emerald Engagement Rings
“Emeralds are associated with serenity and new beginnings, making them a symbolic choice for many to-be-weds,” says Brown, who calls the green gemstone the “it” stone of 2021. Though we haven’t seen a new one debut in a while, both Heidi Klum and Victoria Beckham wear emeralds on their ring fingers. (Fun fact: Beckham’s is one of 14 rings given to her by her husband David!)
It should be noted that because emeralds, as well as other gemstones, are not as durable as diamonds, they involve a bit more care and upkeep than traditional engagement rings.
Polamai Natural Emerald Engagement Ring, $, available at Etsy
Angara Emerald Cut Emerald Engagement Ring With Diamonds, $, available at Angara
Vintage Bluegrass Farms Vintage Emerald Engagement Ring, $, available at Trumpet and Horn
Oval Engagement Rings
Ever since model Jasmine Tookes announced her engagement to Snapchat exec Juan David Borrero on Instagram last September, oval-shaped engagement rings like hers have experienced unprecedented popularity. According to Kankariya-Shah, up to 25% of With Clarity’s customers are now choosing the oval shape for their forthcoming engagement. “The shape has officially overtaken princess-shaped diamonds, making them the second most-requested shape on the site,” she says, adding that she suspects the jump is due to celebrity engagements, as well as the unique look of oval diamonds.
The listed price is for the setting only.
Après Jewelry The Stella Ring Setting, $, available at Après JewelryPrice includes 0.5 Carat H SI2 diamond.
Loop Jewelry At Last North/South Oval Diamond Solitaire Ring, $, available at Loop JewelryThe listed price is for the setting only.
Brilliant Earth Luxe Ballad 1/4ct Diamond Ring, $, available at Brilliant Earth
Rose-Cut Diamond Engagement Rings
One specific vintage-style ring that’s expected to shine in 2021 is the rose-cut diamond engagement ring, according to Brown. The retro ring style features a flat-bottom, domed top diamond, which is meant to resemble the shape of a rosebud. Because of its shape, rose-cut diamond rings tend to air on the accessible side, since the stone looks larger than its actual carat weight. “You get more bang for your buck with a rose-cut diamond,” says Brown.
That, and it’s the ring style worn by Emily In Paris star Lily Collins. It was previously thought that her Irene Neuwirth ring featured a cushion-cut morganite stone, but Collins set the record straight during a segment on Live With Kelly And Ryan: "It’s a rose-cut diamond,” she said via Zoom. (Rose-cut diamonds refract less light, which can make them look foggy and slightly colored, which explains why the ring appeared to be pink in photos.)
Sofia Kaman Hexagon Ring With Salt And Pepper Rose Cut Diamond Ring, $, available at Sofia Kaman
Laurie Fleming Ilona Ring Rose-Cut White Diamond Ring, $, available at Catbird
Valerie Madison 0.49ct Eva Champagne Rose Cut Diamond Engagement Ring, $, available at Valerie Madison
Vintage Engagement Rings
Interest in all things vintage has skyrocketed in lockdown — whether for style purposes, sustainability reasons, or because factories and businesses were closed early on in the pandemic. The engagement ring industry, too, saw increased interest in vintage styles. According to Brown, in 2021, many to-be-weds will opt to repurpose family heirloom or estate jewelry. “Others will purchase new rings with vintage-inspired settings,” she says, pointing to milgrain and filigree rings and elaborate halos.
Rothschild Trading Vintage Mid-Century Diamond Engagement Ring, 0.73 Ct, $, available at Etsy
Vintage Vintage Diamond Marquise Princess Engagement Ring, $, available at 1st Dibs
Vintage Half Hoop Vintage Engagement Ring, $, available at Sofia Kaman
Hidden-Halo Engagement Rings
Another up-and-coming trend for 2021 is the hidden-halo engagement ring that features one center diamond, as well as smaller diamonds placed underneath the centerpiece in order to add a sparkling effect. “The hidden halo style of engagement rings is becoming the most requested and popular ring style after the classic solitaire styles,” says Shah, who calls the style “unconventional.”
The listed price is for the setting only.
Verragio Tradition Oval Diamond Hidden Halo Engagement Ring, $, available at J.R. Dunn
Blue Nile Six-Prong Solitaire Hidden Halo Diamond Engagement Ring, $, available at Blue Nile
Charles & Colvard Oval Lab Grown Diamond Hidden Halo Solitaire Ring, $, available at Charles & Colvard
Multi-Stone Engagement Rings
Solitaire settings, though popular, will have worthy competition in two- and three-stone engagement rings in 2021. For starters, Meghan Markle wears a three-stone engagement ring, composed of two diamonds from her late mother-in-law’s collection and one from a trip that Prince Harry and Markle took to Botswana. Model Emily Ratajkowski and musician Solange Knowles also have multi-stone engagement rings.
Similar to Markle's, two-stone rings — which Brown says are also referred to as “‘Toi et Moi’ rings, meaning ‘you and me’ in French” — can be symbolic and represent the forthcoming union.
Jennie Kwon 3S Diamond Ring, $, available at Jennie Kwon
Irene Neuwirth One Of A Kind Triple Ring, $, available at Irene Neuwirth
Garden Ring Oval Cut Moissanite Engagement Ring, $, available at Etsy
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