At this point, we might as well divide up the year into wedding season and engagement season. I'm either fielding spring and summer wedding invites or scrolling through Facebook to see yet another one of my high school friends get engaged between Thanksgiving and Christmas. For some, that might spark a healthy dose of envy, but for me, I revel in the announcements for one reason only: to see what kind of engagement ring they're wearing.
Fascinated with engagement rings, I decided to reach out to a diamond expert to get her take on the four trends that will never go out of style. I tapped Jenna Housby, Aether's chief design officer. If you're not familiar with the brand, it has a fascinating backstory. Aether is the creator of the world's first diamonds made from atmospheric carbon, "using carbon sequestration technology to pull CO2 directly from the air and transform it into diamonds (unlike other lab-grown diamonds, which utilize fossil fuels)," the brand explained in a press release. "This results in a positive impact on the environment, leaving the planet more brilliant than before. Each carat of diamond sold by Aether offsets customers' carbon footprints for over one year." Scroll down to see Housby's expert opinion on the engagement ring trends you can't go wrong with.
1. Round Solitaire
"For the classic consumer, the solitaire band is undoubtedly the go-to when choosing a timeless way to show your love and commitment," Housby told Who What Wear. "Round brilliant stones are the most popular stone shape and certainly would appear to be the safest choice for surprising a loved one. It's important to note that a shift in buying behavior has seen increasingly more partners shopping together—and jointly paying—for engagement rings. Experimenting with other fancy cuts is not unusual. However, a simple band and a single stone still prove to be the most common option."
2. Two Stones
"Arguably the most romantic style of engagement rings that is now making a fierce comeback is the 'toi et moi' (you and me) style," Housby told us. "One of the first noted creations of this type of setting was Napoleon Bonaparte's gift to his wife Joséphine de Beauharnais back in 1796; therefore, we can take it on good authority that this ring style is a keeper! It's also a fun way to experiment with color and shape to create your own, very personal piece."
3. Ring Jackets
"The time-honored tradition of stacking commitment rings on one finger has always been a consistent winning look. However, more recently, 'ring jackets' have grown in popularity and are undoubtedly the most stylish (and uncomplicated) way of elevating your ring styling," Housby explained. "It's perfect for those who prefer a more manageable, understated look day to day but appreciate the flexibility of being able to transform their plain band into a cocktail ring party piece for best!"
4. Ethical and Sustainable Diamonds
"Younger consumers now seek more from their purchase, and in a break from the tradition of their parents' generation, more emphasis is placed on environmental concerns and innovation than purely the emotion of the piece. With this being paramount, alternatives to the traditional mined diamond have become vastly more popular. Commitment to the future of the planet is just as important as the future of the marriage."
