We’re well into “Proposal Season” which starts around Thanksgiving, peaks at Christmas, and concludes with Valentine’s Day. Per The Knot.com, almost 40% of all engagements happen between the months of November and February.
Even so, we’re guessing you think about your engagement ring all year long, and over the years. It’s certainly the most important piece of jewelry most of us own, the most oft-worn, and the most beloved. And while we’re highly skeptical of trend-buying when it comes to such a treasured possession, we do love to see what’s trending out there while we’re diamond-day-dreaming.
This article is sponsored by ASCOT DIAMONDS, a collection of only the finest quality natural and lab grown diamond engagement rings. Appointment recommended, schedule your consultation today. Located in Davidson, NC.
2022 Engagement Ring Trends
- OVAL CUT
- ETERNITY BAND DIAMOND RINGS
- ETHICAL DIAMONDS
- COLORED CENTER STONES
- TWO STONE RINGS (toi et moi) AND THREE STONE RINGS
- HEIRLOOM UPDATES
Oval Cut Diamonds
Several celebrity engagements may have kicked off the Oval stone trend a few years ago ~ Hailey Bieber, Ariana Grande and Kourtney Kardashian to name a few ~ but it’s stuck around as a fresh, new alternative to the more traditional and common brilliant (round) or emerald cut. Uniqueness is a huge trend in the 2020’s, and oval cuts stand out beautifully while still maintaining a very classic style.
Eternity Band Statement Rings
Jenny McHugh, designer and owner of local jewelry store Campbell+Charlotte tells us that one of the most important things she hears from customers is that they are looking for flexibility in their wedding set ~ flexible enough to change day to day depending on what they are doing, and that can also evolve over time.
“In terms of changing day to day, this most often translates into wanting a dramatic enough wedding band to stand on its own when they aren’t wearing an engagement ring. I am seeing clients want diamond eternity bands that have unique diamond cuts and/or are somewhat of a statement on their own.”
Some modern brides are foregoing the solitaire or diamond engagement ring all together, and investing all of their available budget in the most statement making eternity band they can afford.
Campbell + Charlotte
Ethical Diamonds
Many of today’s couples are looking for diamonds they know have been ethically sourced and are conflict-free. These buyers want assurance that their gems were mined with sustainable mining practices and earth conservation in mind, with safe treatment for the miners, were not produced using child labor, and that the profits are not used to finance wars or terrorist activity. Millennial couples look to lab grown diamonds as the ultimate in ethically sourced gems.
It doesn’t hurt that these lab grown diamonds can be up to 50% less in cost, and are virtually indistinguishable to the human eye from mined diamonds.
Lab grown diamonds (also referred to as man-made, manufactured, or lab created diamonds) are grown in a laboratory using cutting-edge technology to replicate a natural diamond by a process of growing crystallized carbon.
Man-made diamonds are not fake. They have the same physical and chemical properties as a natural mined diamond. Lab created diamonds have the same refractive index, dispersion, and hardness qualities of natural diamonds and are graded using the same laboratories and techniques as mined diamonds.
That’s right. You still look for the 4 C’s when buying your lab-grown diamond.
Charlotte couples are able to explore an extensive lab-grown inventory right here in our area, at the ASCOT DIAMONDS Showroom in Davidson. A premier purveyor of both man-made and natural diamonds, ASCOT specializes in custom diamond engagement ring design, and offers an impressive, highly vetted selection of gorgeous lab grown and natural stones. When you’re shopping in person at their showroom, you’ll be able to compare side-by-side natural diamonds to lab grown, and make an informed choice based on your budget and preferences.
(Side note: we really like the way the ASCOT website puts their pricing and detail right out there for you to research online, to get some of those embarrassing “what can we really afford” questions out of the way early on.)
Colored Diamonds & Gemstones
Jenny McHugh again, “I have seen a ton of interest in experimenting with stones beyond just diamonds. I see my clients wanting these for the center stone as well as accent stones. I think the most popular for me have been clients wanting to experiment with sapphires and emeralds.”
Heirloom Updates
Lucky is the bride (and groom) who inherit a beautiful stone or ring from family, whether it’s perfect as is or needs an update. A family heirloom can create a most special engagement ring, the perfect blend of something old and something new. Some couples use the antique setting with new stones, some put the stones into a more modern setting.
Jenny McHugh ~ “This is really one of the areas we specialize in regarding jewelry design. I have some many brides that have heirloom jewelry passed down that they want to use for an engagement or wedding ring. Sometimes this is a diamond that we use as the center stone or sometimes this is a pair of stones we can use as accent stones, etc.”
Two Stone “Toi et Moi” and Three Stone Rings
Also part of the non-traditional trend for unique and unusual rings which we’re seeing for 2022.
The romantic two stone Toi et Moi (which is French for “you and me”) actually dates back to the marriage of Napoleon and Josephine in 1796 and is characterized by two stones, often both diamonds. This ASCOT Diamonds Toi et Moi design works so beautifully with a fancy yellow pear shaped and a round white diamond.
“We have also seen many clients seeking rings outside of the ‘normal’ diamond engagement ring in terms of design or aesthetic – something that may have traditionally been more of a cocktail ring or a ‘right hand ring’ that clients want to wear as their engagement/wedding set.”
If you are looking for the finest diamond jewelry and lab grown diamonds in Charlotte, North Carolina, be sure to visit Ascot Diamonds, where you will enjoy nearly a half century of experience in sourcing diamonds direct from the finest cutters in the world and providing only the best when it comes to man-made diamonds. Take a minute to peruse their website HERE, where you can see the many gorgeous diamonds available, complete with pricing, GIA rating and more. The showroom is open 7 Days a week by appointments. Make yours here.
Ascot Diamonds Charlotte
215 S Main St #302 Davidson, NC 28036
704-970-0377
INSTAGRAM: @ascotdiamondscharlotte
