Are round brilliant diamond engagement rings out of fashion? Luxury houses think so

Jun 15 , 2024

Created by Louis Vuitton’s artistic director of watches and jewellery Francesca Amfitheatrof, the new LV Diamonds collection features a revolutionary star-cut diamond inspired by the brand’s monogram. Photos: Handout

Masterpieces

Bridal jewellery’s 2024 must-haves are officially fancy-cut diamonds, as seen in tradition-defying designs from Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co. and De Beers

Has the round brilliant solitaire diamond engagement ring had its day? Jewellery designers certainly think so – and so do brides. Would-be wives, and their husbands-in-waiting, are increasingly leaning away from traditional engagement ring styles and seeking pieces that offer more modern and individualised aesthetics.

Just a few years ago, the bridal world was abuzz with the news that geometric emerald-cut diamonds were outranking former favourites like cushion- and round-cut varieties. Now, in response to couples’ needs to express their individuality, designers are experimenting with older cuts, reviving vintage shapes like the marquise – a cut that dates back to the 18th century – as well as lesser-seen shapes that are full of character.

The originator of the engagement ring concept, jewellery house De Beers, offers marquise, pear- and heart-shaped diamonds in its current collection, while the ever-popular range at Tiffany & Co. includes hearts, pears, ovals and emerald cuts – though both still produce models with more traditional round brilliant-, cushion- and princess-cut diamonds.

Louis Vuitton LV Diamonds monogram star-cut diamond solitaire ring

For obvious reasons, the heart is one of the most symbolic shapes – and its romantic connotations and timeless allure have jewellery designers and couples falling in love with this fancy cut all over again. The enthralling shape captured the imagination of Ruiyin Lin at Singapore’s State Property, who designed a line of engagement rings with heart-cut (as well as half-moon and marquise-cut) diamonds, along with matching wedding bands designed to fit snugly against these uniquely shaped stones.

Louis Vuitton’s new LV Diamonds collection is further proof that the fancy-cut trend is here to stay. Created by the maison’s artistic director of watches and jewellery Francesca Amfitheatrof, the new line features a revolutionary star-cut diamond inspired by the brand’s monogram. Technically, these diamonds are very challenging to produce – they take considerable time and skill to cut, and there’s a high risk of failure. But that doesn’t reduce the appeal of sophisticated contemporary engagement rings.

Alongside a penchant for unusual diamond cuts, couples are displaying an interest in unique colours and settings.

Hong Kong’s Ronald Abram presents diamond engagement rings with both premium and white diamonds to meet the demands of its discerning clientele. The interest in yellow diamonds is “for their perceived value, as they provide a larger size for the price compared to white diamonds”, says brand director Jonathan Abram.

Ronald Abram sapphire and diamond toi et moi ring

Settings are also fair game for creating unique engagement rings. Boghossian’s Merveilles bridal collection has an engagement ring featuring an old European-cut diamond – a rare, antique style that was popular between the 1890s and 1930s for its ability to highlight the “fire” of a diamond. In Boghossian’s example, the old European-cut diamond is set on an 18k white gold band completely encrusted with 6.17 carats of small brilliant diamonds, allowing an abundance of light to flow through the ring.