Over the past year, Corina Madilian, co-owner of Single Stone, a wholesale and retail jeweler in Los Angeles that specializes in vintage and heirloom rings, has noticed a big difference among her engagement ring clientele.
“For a while, all we saw were brides getting engaged with oval stones, super-white diamonds, micro-pavé shanks,” she tells JCK. “Now, they want to stand out vs. being trend driven. The biggest trend now is not being on trend.”
Madilian has a theory as to what’s caused the shift. “In some ways, the lab-grown diamond introduction and that whole push is one reason why couples are getting away from the very traditional things that everyone seems to be doing. The more original and different the ring, the better—and not in some funky, wonky way.”
Below, Madilian riffs on the wedding jewelry styles that are resonating with couples getting engaged in 2025.
Platinum is back.
“We have clients once again considering platinum. Ultimately, gold is still the metal of choice for bridal, but clients have more of an open mind. It has nothing to do with price.”
East-west styles continue to trend, now boosted by Zendaya.
“We have always done horizontal east-west rings. We just sold a beautiful vintage ring with a moval cognac diamond set east-west. We do make a lot of pieces that way. But having someone like Zendaya wear one will open the door to a bride who might not have had permission before to try something different.”
Clients are more open to colored stones and “warmer” diamonds.
“We do bridal rings with emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and aquamarine is also popular for us. Those are the colored stones people gravitate to the most. And we’re seeing clients wanting our ‘warmer’ diamonds—they’re not shying away from Q and R color stones, something that faces up very warm, definitely cognac. Again, it’s about wanting to be different.
“For a while, all the engagement rings really looked the same. And that’s not the case anymore. Bigger is still what they’re going for, but if they’re going to sacrifice, they’re okay sacrificing on the color of their stone.”
Lab-grown diamonds are a turn-off.
“Our client is not considering lab diamonds. They’re definitely wanting natural stones. There’s an insecurity about what lab-grown is. There’s no trust behind it. It even seems a little bit deceptive. They want it to be natural—you get what you’re paying for—rather than this ambiguity about what goes into a lab diamond. And there’s some distrust about the messaging.”
All shapes are in.
“Who would have thought marquises were going to make a comeback? Or pear-shape diamonds? We love a beautiful old moval but some were not always the most popular or fashionable. Yet clients are asking for them. It’s really open right now. There’s not one dominant stone.
“In the last few years, emerald cuts were the most popular stone, but now people are appreciating old Europeans or rose cuts. It’s more about the finish, the entire aesthetic.”
Chunky gold styles have lasting appeal.
“The one thing I don’t see going away is the chunky gold. It’s got that modern aesthetic but still has a nostalgic vintage element. And clients are wanting rings where the stones are set low because that day-to-day wearability is really important. Chunky gold and low-set stones are not going anywhere.”
Top: Rhoni ring in 18k yellow gold with 6.25 ct. fancy brown yellow old European–cut diamond with 0.37 ct. t.w. old European–cut accent diamonds, price on request; Single Stone
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