Experts Tell Me These 5 Engagement Ring Trends Will Dominate Next Year

I'm going to say something that might surprise you, but engagement ring trends shouldn't really be a thing. Ultimately, you should just find the ring that you love the most. However, I would say that everyone needs some inspiration, which is why looking at the most popular ring trends is so useful. There could be styles, cuts, gems, and metals you might not have considered before. You might realise that classic princess-cut diamond ring isn't actually in line with your usual style.

While some celebrities might boast more than one engagement ring (Victoria Beckham allegedly has 14!), I am not similarly blessed, so I can't claim to be an engagement ring expert. However, there are plenty of jewellery designers who are. They see trends come and go, and they know exactly what people are after right now. I had the chance to ask nine jewellers about the biggest engagement ring trends coming up for 2021, and there were five key styles that I think you'll find interesting. Whether you're aiming for a collection like VB (we can all dream) or are just after some inspiration, I suggest you keep scrolling for everything you need to know. 

1. COLOURED STONES

Out of the nine jewellers who I spoke to, over half told me that coloured stones and gems are going to be big business in 2021. Emma Clarkson Webb says she's seeing a "real movement towards coloured gemstones—from salt and pepper diamonds to tsavorites and tourmalines."

Similarly, Lucy Crowther, the founder of Minka Jewels, says she's seen a rise in the popularity of coloured pieces. "I love chunky gold rings with a flash of colour, and this coming year, I think we will be seeing a lot more of them," she says.

Phoebe Coleman also said that she expects to see an increase in people being more adventurous with their stone choices, "opting for grey sapphires rather than royal blue for example," she tells me. 

2. CHUNKY

According to jeweller Jessie Thomas, there's an increase in the popularity of chunky rings. "While people's styles seem to be remaining very minimal, this is well complemented by a cool, modern chunky ring," she says. Crowther also said that she'd seen a trend towards clients after chunkier, bolder pieces. 

3. MODERN

There's definitely been a big move away from traditional designs, according to nearly everyone I spoke to. Designer Liv Luttrell is seeing interesting and unusual abstract styles coming up more frequently and said that she's seen "a growing interest in creating more design-led engagement rings over the past few years." 

Angie Marei of Diaboli Kill also reinforced the idea of clients hunting down more unique jewels. "I am seeing more people requesting non-traditional engagement rings and custom-designed settings. This makes me think that there's possibly a decline in the traditional round solitaire-setting designs," the designer tells me. 

And to really cement this as a key engagement ring trend of 2021, Meadowlark Jewellery also says similar: "Strong and bold settings with fluid form have been increasingly popular for us. They are not only really comfortable and practical to wear, but they protect the stone and allow for an understated bridal look."

4. Sapphires

Nope, the Kate Middleton effect hasn't worn off yet, but it's definitely changing. The team at Meadowlark Jewellery told me that sapphires are still going strong and that they "don't see this changing any time soon." Michelle Oh reported a slightly different take on the trend. While the sapphire ring isn't declining, those done in the style of the Duchess of Cambridge's are. Oh told me that she's seeing requests for "more unusual designs that combine sapphire as well as diamonds in the ring. Teal sapphires are hugely in demand right now, as well as hexagonal or more geometric shapes of sapphires."

5. Multi-Stone

According to designer Shahla Karimi one trend that is set to rise in 2021 is the two-stone ring. "We saw this a bit last year, but I think it will become more prevalent in the engagement world this year. Since the trend did so well as just fashion pieces, I can see a more elevated version coming into play in 2021. However, bigger isn't always better in regard to this style. My advice for shopping two-stone rings is to pay attention to stone size. If the stones are too big, it can take away from the design and doesn't allow for much appreciation of each individual stone," she says.

Next up, The biggest spring/summer 2021 fashion trends to know.