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

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.

With so many options available, brides have no reason to settle for a traditional claw-set solitaire. This doesn’t mean simplicity is out, though – just that brides want a modern take on a ring they’ll – presumably – wear for the rest of their lives. Bold cuts like the kite can benefit from the simplicity of a plain band, while an off-set central diamond that sits proudly to one side of the ring is a look that’s proving popular, most notably with designers Jade Trau, Anita Ko and Aaryah.

Los Angeles’ Anita Ko often chooses to place oval-cut and heart-shaped diamonds in an east-west setting, allowing the length of the gemstone to follow the line of the ring as it coils around the finger. Toi et moi settings – featuring two gemstones of approximately equal size set side by side – are also proving popular. This is one of the favoured designs at Ronald Abram, where sapphire and diamond combinations “are the most popular”, confirms Jonathan Abram.

In Singapore, Simone Ng of Simone Jewels opts for vintage settings for some high jewellery rings, such as the spectacular Dolmabahçe ring, which features an unheated sapphire set amid tiny diamonds and mother-of-pearl marquetry, laid out in sinuous shapes inspired by Istanbul’s Bosphorus strait.

Bringing a modern sensibility to a classic setting, State Property has an engagement ring with a round brilliant diamond encircled by a double halo, with an accent diamond on the outer rim.

Men have traditionally tended to play it safe with engagement rings, popping the question with a sparkling round brilliant solitaire. But with so many options now available, couples are choosing to visit jewellers together to find the perfect ring. And why not? A ring of such significance is too big an investment for guesswork.

The need to therefore go ring shopping together is sparking other trends. Prospective grooms who want to keep the proposal a surprise, without investing in what might be the wrong ring, are going down on one knee with a place-holder ring – one that’s often slim and set with just one or two small diamonds. The idea is that the couple can then choose the real engagement ring together, and the place-holder can migrate to the right hand or be worn alongside the real engagement ring and wedding band.

This latter style is being spearheaded in Chaumet’s Bee My Love collection, which includes engagement rings and wedding bands that stack together with an interlocking hexagonal silhouette.

Engagement rings are the ultimate jewellery milestone, so it’s essential that couples find one that suits them forevermore. With designers going the extra mile to create innovative diamond cuts and creative settings, finding that made-for-you ring is easier than ever.

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