Celebrity Life

She said yes! Jodie Sweetin is engaged to boyfriend Mescal Wasilewski. The Full House alum, 39, announced the news on Monday, January 17. “I love you Mescal, for always. You’re my person. I can’t wait to see the life that lies ahead for us,” she captioned a selfie via Instagram. In the photo, Sweetin beamed […]

Doing it their way! After getting down on one knee, Machine Gun Kelly shared the sentimental reason he proposed to Megan Fox with two-stone engagement ring. “I know tradition is one ring, but I designed it with Stephen Webster to be two,” the 31-year-old musician wrote via Instagram on Wednesday, January 12, one day after […]

Not about the bling. Scheana Shay showed support for fiancé Brock Davies after the morganite engagement ring he gave her was questioned by Vanderpump Rules viewers. After fans watched Brock, 30, purchase the special piece of jewelry during the Tuesday, January 4, episode of the Bravo series, one social media user pointed out that it […]

She said yes! Michelle Young concluded her journey on season 18 of The Bachelorette with a proposal from Nayte Olukoya — and the ring is positively breathtaking. On the Tuesday, December 21 episode of the ABC series, the 28-year old Minnesota teacher handed out her final rose to the 27-year-old account executive. In return — […]

A Bachelor Nation-adjacent engagement! Jed Wyatt proposed to Hannah Brown on the Bachelorette, and though they didn’t work out, they can now celebrate a different engagement. Hannah’s brother, Patrick Brown, is set to marry Haley Stevens, who is Wyatt’s ex-girlfriend. “12.18.21  I said YES to forever with my best friend!!…and it was perfect,” Stevens, 29, captioned a Sunday, […]

To those whose whirlwind romance looks likely to become permanent, we've put together everything they'll need to know about that all-important token of everlasting love – the engagement ring.

If we didn’t know this already, 2021 definitely proved a certain point – that nothing can get in the way of love, not even a pandemic that knows no end. People may reschedule their weddings to 2022, even 2023, but proposals and engagements are still very much happening.

And with every proposal, there’s the ultimate prop: the ring to symbolise eternal love and commitment. It doesn’t have to be a diamond, but it sure needs to be something you know your partner will cherish. Whether you’re dropping hints to your partner about the ring of your dreams, or even shopping together for it, we’ve gathered all the advice from our favourite bridal jewellers to narrow down the top engagement-ring trends that we believe are here to stay.

Read on to discover all the engagement ring trends.

Trend 1: Keeping it Classic

The diamond engagement ring will forever remain a classic, even if it isn’t technically traditional – diamonds only became synonymous with bridal jewellery when copywriter Frances Gerety coined the phrase “A Diamond is Forever” for a 1947 De Beers campaign. Nonetheless, white diamonds remain a popular choice and numerous jewellery brands purport to offer the best of them.

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For example, Graff, the king of diamonds, takes its diamond selection process extremely seriously, having spent generations perfecting the journey of a stone from mine to boutique, ensuring on the way that the cut, the setting and the craftsmanship behind each jewel are flawless. Diamonds are graded by the 4Cs, a universal standard set by the Gemmological Institute of America (GIA) that refers to a diamond’s cut, colour, clarity and carat weight. At Graff, the diamonds are cut and polished to be perfect balanced with symmetrical mirror-like facets to display the optimum scintillation; you’ll also find that in terms of colour, Graff only uses diamonds ranging between D and G – the rarest and most sought-after grades.

At Hearts on Fire, cut is the most important of the 4Cs. A round, brilliant-cut diamond is arguably the most sparkling and radiant, as it displays the highest number of facets within to reflect light, and this is also the cut that Hearts on Fire exclusively specialises in.

Trend 2: Going for Fancy Shapes

Today, however, there’s definitely a rise in popularity for fancy shapes. Clients who go to Angie Marei in New York, aren’t looking for round brilliant-cut diamonds.. The Dominican-Egyptian designer takes inspiration from Ancient Egyptian decorative arts, architecture and the anti-traditional elegance of the Art Deco era to bring each piece a unique story. Her Ayla Bridal Collection for example, is inspired by the majestic open curves and fluidity of Arabic calligraphy and decorative arts, with a serpentine design that’s a spiritual symbol of rebirth, transformation, eternity and immortality.

“Most of my clients are requesting unique cuts over the traditional round brilliant cuts,” Marei tells us. “For example, our Ayla Engagement Ring featuring a marquise-cut diamond is in high demand now. They love the ultra-feminine look of the marquise shape. We’re also getting a lot of requests for pear and oval-cut diamonds.”

Similarly, De Beers has noticed the trend for fancy cuts, and has extended its offering of fancy-cut and fancy-colour solitaire diamond rings this year, offering its clients full control of their individual expressions. Marquise-cut, a modification of the round brilliant that maximises carat weight and gives the illusion of longer and slimmer fingers, dates back to the 1700s. According to legend, Louise XV of France requested a diamond cut to resemble the perfectly-shaped mouth of his mistress, the Marquise de Pompadour.

Heart-shaped diamonds are also making a comeback among hopeless romantics. Their popularity dates back to the 16th century, when Mary Queen of Scots gave Queen Elizabeth a heart-shaped diamond ring as a gift of friendship.

Trend 3: Design-Forward

London-based designer Liv Luttrell, who excels in creating bespoke engagement rings for her clients, says she’s “found a real interest in dramatic design-led pieces.

“I’ve been exploring geometric shapes paired with detailed settings and simple curving architectural-inspired lines,” says Luttrell. “The challenge I relish is to take a bold brief and bring it to life, where the final design has the right balance of quality, uniqueness and timeless elegance that will be wearable for a lifetime.”

Intricate design is on the mind of Harry Winston’s designers, too. Inspired by the intricate details and elements of a bespoke wedding gown, the house has applied the same mindset and artistry to its new Bridal Couture collection of rings. Each ring highlights the various diamond cuts with signature elements that recall the wedding-day ensemble – such as the corset lacing of a couture gown, married with a pear-shaped diamond centre stone, or an emerald-cut diamond contrasting with the delicate open-weave fabric of Chantilly lace. For a more avant-garde take on an engagement ring, there’s also an exquisite ring designed with two marquise-shaped diamonds of approximately the same carat weight, resting asymmetrically side-by-side on a diamond and platinum band.

Trend 4: Attention to the Ring Band

Jewellery designer Rachel Boston has noticed a trend for more unusual band styles. “At the moment, we’re seeing a lot of interest in more unusual band styles, with people leaning towards wider statement bands,” she says.
“A chunky band is a perfect way to turn something that would otherwise be a much more classic-looking engagement ring into a piece with a really unique character,” says Boston. “Split bands are a popular choice as well, and much easier to wear and pair with a wedding band than you’d think. We’re also seeing a draw towards intricate, Art-Deco inspired halos.”

For popular British fine-jewellery brand Annoushka, which introduced its first bridal collection this year, it’s all about the ring jacket. Called Love & Commitment, the collection ranges from simple solitaires and delicate three-stone designs to more extravagant fine stone rings. What’s super interesting is the diamond ring jacket that clients can pair with an engagement ring. Available in yellow or white gold, the interchangeable ring jacket slides snugly around the solitaire ring for extra oomph and pizzaz. The ring jacket functions perfectly as a wedding band, or could even be added as a milestone gift in years to come.

Trend 5: Making a Statement with Colour

Every couple is different, and every proposal is unique. There’s definitely a growing number of people looking for something different – and coloured stones have never been more popular. According to London-based jeweller Michelle Oh, “We’re seeing a huge and growing demand for coloured stones to be used in engagement rings these days. Gone are the days when someone just wants a round brilliant-cut white diamond solitaire for an engagement ring.”

People today are looking for uniqueness. “More and more people try to be different and steer away from silhouettes and shapes that feel too commonplace,” says Oh. “I think this is all part of the zeitgeist of wanting to express individuality and uniqueness.”

Colour is an extremely personal way to display this sense of individuality, she adds. “Even those who still want some diamonds on their ring will opt for less traditional-looking diamonds, such as champagne or grey diamonds, or maybe an unusual cut or shape, to get that different look in their diamond ring.”

The post Engagement Rings: Here’s What You Need to Know About the Latest Trends appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Off the market! Siesta Key star Chloe Trautman is engaged to boyfriend Chris Long. “Yesterday I said YES to my soulmate in Fairyland,” the reality star, 25, captioned an Instagram slideshow from Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah on Thursday, November 4. “Chris took us on an 8.2 mile loop trail that was the hardest […]

Celebrity engagement rings have always caught the attention of fans, but when it comes to this piece of jewellery adorned by the royals, the buzz around it is at another level. Whether proposing with family heirlooms or going all out and designing the perfect engagement ring themselves — the royals know how to profess their love in style and grandeur. 

Creative resource Design Bundles conducted research wherein it analysed 25 most popular royal engagement rings. Their goal was to find out the 10 most Googled engagement rings. 

From Meghan Markle’s cushion-cut diamond ring to Kate Middleton’s heirloom ring, here are the ten most Googled royal engagement rings. 

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex

It’s not a shocker that the world’s most Googled royal engagement ring belongs to none other than the former Suits (2011–2019) actress and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle. Raking in a hefty 20,000 searches per month, the cushion-cut diamond ring is designed by husband, Prince Harry, himself. 

Estimated at £100,000 (approximately US$ 1,35,727), the gorgeous ring features a large square centre diamond sourced ethically from Botswana. The two smaller diamonds, which are placed on either side of the large 5-carat diamond, belong to Princess Diana’s collection. The stones are set in yellow gold.

Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge

With 8,200 Google searches per month, Kate Middleton’s royal engagement ring is among the most popular ones. The ring, comprising an oval 12-carat Ceylon sapphire encircled by 14 solitaire diamonds, is made of 18-karat white gold.

Originally, this was Princess Diana’s engagement ring. It was inspired by a sapphire-diamond brooch, made by the then-Crown jeweller Garrad, that Prince Albert gifted Queen Victoria. The brooch, which is now a Crown heirloom, was probably on Prince Charles’ mind when he asked the same Garrad to send a few rings to the then-Lady Diana to choose from. This was the ring she picked. 

After her untimely death, the ring was inherited by her elder son, Prince William, as per the late princess’ “Letter of Wishes”. She wished her children to have all the jewellery she owned. 

According to E! Online, the ring was estimated at a value of £300,000 (then US$ 500,000) in 2014.

Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco 

Oscar-winning actress and princess Grace Kelly’s Cartier ring was given to her by Prince Rainier III of Monaco and is one of the most Googled rings too. Estimated at £3 million (around US$ 40,71,735), the eternity band is made into a beautiful sight with a 10.47-carat emerald-cut diamond sandwiched between two baguette diamonds. 

Drawing 3,900 searches per month, the royal engagement band set with rubies and diamonds — red and white being the colour of Monaco’s flag — is a family heirloom. 

Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon

Another one of the most beautiful royal engagement rings on the list, Princess Margaret’s stunning ruby trilogy ring with a halo of smaller diamonds gets 3,400 monthly searches. 

What made the ring even more special was that it was designed by her ex-husband Anthony Armstrong-Jones to bear semblance to a rosebud, keeping in mind Margaret’s middle name — Rose. 

Queen Elizabeth II

Drawing in 2,600 searches per month, Queen Elizabeth’s royal engagement ring was presented to her by the late Prince Philip. It was made from his mother Princess Alice of Battenberg’s tiara. 

Estimated at £100,000 (around US$ 1,35,835), the platinum ring consists of a 3-carat round solitaire and has five diamonds on each shoulder. 

Princess Eugenie of York

Receiving around 1,600 monthly searches, Princess Eugenie’s blush pink Padparadscha sapphire, encircled by diamonds, given to her by husband Jack Brooksbank is a sight to behold.

Her royal engagement ring is somewhat similar to her mother and Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson’s engagement ring. 

Princess Beatrice of York

Tailing her sister’s royal engagement ring at 1,500 monthly searches is Princess Beatrice’s bespoke ring from British jeweller Shaun Leane. 

The princess’s husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi proposed to her with this gorgeous band, comprising a 3.5-carat round diamond and two smaller diamonds. It is accompanied by tapered baguettes on each side, extending halfway down the band and lending a vintage art deco look.

Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother

Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, received a sapphire and diamond ring from her husband, King George VI. Later, she chose a ring with a large pearl, bordered by diamonds to replace the earlier one. 

Not left too behind in popularity, her royal engagement ring gets 900 searches per month. 

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall 

Camilla Parker Bowles or the Duchess of Cornwall’s five-carat emerald-cut diamond ring hedged by three diamond baguettes on the sides has been seared by hundreds. Presented to her by Prince Charles, the royal engagement ring belonged to his grandmother — Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Estimated at £100,000 (US$ 1,35,840), her art deco engagement ring receives 800 monthly searches. 

Anne, Princess Royal

The Princess Royal received two engagement rings in her lifetime — the first was a trilogy sapphire ring with a diamond on each side, presented to her by first husband Mark Philipps; the other one was a cabochon sapphire, surrounded by three diamonds on both the sides, given to her by Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. 

Princess Anne is the owner of the world’s tenth most Googled royal engagement rings, raking in approximately 500 searches per month. 

Main and Featured image: @theroyalfamily/Instagram

The post Most Googled Royal Engagement Rings Revealed appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

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