There’s nothing quite like a classic round solitaire engagement ring to please the masses, and that isn’t predicted to change in any time soon (it’s worked for this long, why should it stop now?).
But every once in a while another stone cut pops in and makes a splash, whether it be a full-blown fashion frenzy or a micro trend. At one point the marquise seemed to command the crowds (this was in the ’80s, I believe), and it was only a year or two ago that heart-shape diamonds made a splash. Ovals have been particularly pined for as of late, set top-down like an egg, or across like a football.
Emerald-cut diamonds in three-stone settings were in demand after a string of celebrities were engaged with them, including the high-profile coupling of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. There’s always a market for any one of these cuts, really, but what I’ve found to be especially compelling recently is the emerald cut, specifically when set in east-west fashion, and especially in a chunky gold setting.
That last specification is a personal preference, of course, and one that is fairly of the moment, at a time when gypsy rings and chunky styles abound. But even in delicate settings, the emerald cut in landscape orientation feels fresh, because designers continue to find new, and nuanced, ways to frame it.
It isn’t only in engagement rings that this version of a diamond seems appealing: Earrings from stud to long and lanky drop, layerable petite pendants, and even the men’s jewelry category show fascinating options.
But it is the wedding-style rings that I’m really feeling at the moment, for engagements, daily fashion wear, and for the guys, too. My colleague Emili Vesilind featured a ring in this style by Brilliant Earth in her recent article about a new retail jewelers survey, and it just cemented my intrigue.
Are you loving them too?
Top: Misha ring in 18k yellow gold with 3.39 ct. emerald-cut diamond, $30,500; Single Stone
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