Tacori Bets Big on Three-Stone Engagement Rings, Thicker Bands, and ’80s Cuts

By Victoria Gomelsky | February 19, 2025

Over the past four years or so, the trend in engagement rings hasn’t changed (much): Oval-shape diamond solitaires with thin foundations set in yellow gold are the style of the week, the month, and the year.

A backlash was, perhaps, inevitable.

“I’m bored,” Nadine Tacorian Arzerounian, the head of design at Tacori, one of the nation’s most popular bridal jewelry manufacturers, tells JCK. “Our retailers are sick of selling these tiny little solitaires, and I don’t know how many more different iterations brands can come out with.”

The boredom, however, served a purpose: Arzerounian used it to catapult Tacori in a new direction.

“We knew this trend would slow down, but we said, ‘It’s time for us to set the next trend because that’s what people are looking for from brands like us,’” Arzerounian says. “I’ve always been a three-stone fan. My first engagement ring was a three-stone. My 10-year upgrade is a three-stone. I love three-stone.

“I know it’s a different look, and it’s a different customer. It’s not for everyone. But it’s time for us to bring it back.”

Tacori three-stone engagement ring — *Founder’s Collection three-stone emerald-cut diamond engagement ring in 18k yellow gold, $6,990 (center stone not included)*

Not only did Tacori bring it back, they doubled (er, tripled?) down on the concept. “Most of our three-stones usually have smaller side stones and more fancy shapes,” Arzerounian says. “We do really well with pear-shaped sides. We do well with cadillac sides. This new collection that we launched this year is the traditional round three-stone, a round center with complementary round side stones.”

The selection also includes three-stone emerald-cut and three-stone oval rings. “We’re excited to be going back to the traditional three-stone,” she says. “We have many varieties of the other kind, and they’re doing really well, but I really feel like it’s time to bring back some of the traditions. We’ve paired it with a really simple but beautiful classic Founder’s crescent, which has done really well for us. The rounded foundation with the diamond-encrusted signature crescent on the bottom, people are really loving.”

Part of the appeal of three-stone is that it’s a great way to feature larger center stones—“and obviously, with lab-grown, the center stones have been increasing every year,” Arzerounian says. “Now we’re seeing nothing below 2-carat.”

To complement the 2 ct. centers, Tacori has used 30-pointer side stones, while 3.5 ct. centers get half carat side stones, and 5 caraters get 0.75 ct. side stones.

“They’re really big show-stopping rings,” she says. “And our retailers are itching for something else. They’re sick of selling little solitaires as well.”

The fatigue with daintier designs is being reflected in growing demand for wider foundations—“and not just 2 millimeters, but really bold wide rings,” Arzerounian says.

Tacori 3 mm foundation engagement ring — *Founder’s Collection 360 Foundation diamond engagement ring in platinum with 3 mm band, $5,990 (center stone not included)*

“We’ve launched these big 4-millimeter-wide engagement rings and wedding bands. And clients are saying, ‘I want 5-millimeter, 6-millimeter bands.’ They want something more like a cigar band, but as an engagement ring.

“Platinum is still our metal of choice for engagement rings. But yellow gold is definitely popular. I don’t know if it’ll stay as strong with these wider looks, but I do know that that yellow gold cigar band is usually in yellow.”

Tacori 3 mm wedding band — *Founder’s Collection 3 mm wedding band in 18k rose gold with diamonds, $7,990*

Tacori’s version of the wider band is a four-prong style; both it and the matching band are available in widths of 3 mm and 4 mm. “What’s really special and unique about this solitaire is the comfort fit rounded dome-shaped foundation. And it’s diamond encrusted. It’s got this cushiony-shaped crescent, and milgrain edging to create that crescent design.”

“We’ve gotten requests for even 5 millimeters,” Arzerounian adds. “So we’re going to be expanding on that. And we’re going to be doing a high-polished version. It’s really exciting to see people are wanting bolder, wider, more statement pieces.”

Equally exciting is the emergence of styles that smack of 1980s design. “Thanks to Selena, we’ve got a lot of marquises coming out and elongated is still really, really popular, Arzerounian says. “Ovals are our second most popular shape after round, but we’re really starting to see emerald-cut and radiant-cut centers moving up a little bit more.”

Marquise diamonds are especially dear to Arzerounian. “I love bringing back anything from the ’80s because that’s when we grew up,” she says. “People are playing around with the east-west of ovals. They’re not afraid. It feels like the last five years, everyone was like, ‘I want exactly this.’ And, now, everyone’s waking up and saying, ‘I don’t want the exact same ring as all my other friends.’ So they’re giving themselves that freedom to be a little bit more creative.”

Top: Founder’s Collection three-stone emerald-cut diamond engagement ring in 18k yellow gold, $6,990 (Note: The price of this ring and the others on the page does not include the center diamond and may vary based on size and diamond coverage.)