The Top 5 Trends in Engagement Rings — and How Lab Created Diamonds Bring the True Wows
Designing Your Own Unique Dream Ring With Clean Origin
BY PC Studios // 07.14.20This article is part of a promoted series and not produced by the editorial staff.
A lot of work and planning go into any wedding day. But in recent months those plans have become more stressful than ever. It’s no walk in the park to take a stroll down the aisle these days.
Destination weddings ― pretty much out for the time-being.
Out of state weddings ― guests may require a two week quarantine in some locales.
Reception protocols ― now limited and socially distanced, or all-together virtual.
It’s enough to take the fun out of getting hitched, and make any wedding day lose a bit of its sparkle. But one decision can still be set in stone ― and that usually comes in the form of a brilliant diamond. Choosing the perfect ring still holds all the luster that it always has. A permanent reminder of a couple’s devotion and commitment, picking the ultimate engagement ring is one decision you’ll never second guess.
Clean Origin’s ethical, lab created diamonds can provide that special difference that takes a ring from nice to extraordinary. With Clean Origin, you can create your own ring — making your ring a true one of a kind stunner.
The all-important ring is a big investment, and there’s a lot to consider beyond the “Four C’s” (cut, carat, color and clarity). To begin your search for the ideal stone and setting, here are the top five trends in engagement rings right now:
Oval Shaped Diamonds
Oval shaped diamonds are gaining in popularity. Celebs like Hailey Bieber choosing an oval shaped diamond ring has had a lot to do with this trend. Ovals are not just of the moment, though. They are an elegant choice. The elongated shape of this stone will blow onlookers away with its fiery brilliance.
Perfect on its own or surrounded by accent diamonds, the oval is versatile and unique in style, and they can even give you more bang for your buck.
Oval diamonds are considered a ‘fancy shape’ with some real added bonuses. Ovals tend to appear larger than a different shape diamond of the same carat weight. Plus, due to their shape, inclusions and blemishes are well hidden in an oval diamond, allowing you to get a higher carat diamond and stay within budget.
Ethically Sourced Diamonds
Ethical diamonds are more important than ever for good reason. Mined diamonds have been a hot topic in recent years. The diamond trade is sometimes linked to unsavory supply chains, and war zone. Especially in Africa where so-called “conflict diamonds” continue to ravage communities and fund ongoing wars. No bride wants that on their conscience, much less on her ring finger.
One of the top American brands of consciously created, laboratory grown diamonds, Clean Origin is proud to provide buyers with a new, beautiful, conflict-free choice. Lab created diamonds have a microscopic inscription which clearly identifies their source, putting buyers at peace. Ethical diamonds are also the environmentally friendly option ― lab created diamonds result in far less waste, water and energy use, and carbon emissions than their mined counterparts.
“Their price tag is another huge benefit ― running anywhere from 20 to 40 percent below mined diamonds. This expands your budget, allowing couples to choose higher quality or larger stones than they could otherwise afford,” says Caroline Clark, marketing coordinator for Clean Origin.
The Quiet Beauty is a classic four prong setting allowing plenty of light to the main stone, while adding the sparkle of smaller diamonds from all angles.
The only thing that makes a lab created diamond different from a mined diamond is where it was formed. A lab-created diamond is “grown” inside a lab, using cutting-edge technology that replicates the natural diamond growing process. The result is a diamond that is chemically, physically and optically the same as those grown beneath the earth’s surface.
Just like mined diamonds, lab created diamonds range in cut, clarity, color and carat weight ― so the array of unique options is endless. You can choose one of Clean Origin’s on-trend settings, design your own from the ground up, or purchase loose diamonds from their vast inventory of IGI- and GCAL-certified stones to remake your grandmother’s antique setting to suit your style
For all these reasons, more brides than ever are opting for lab-grown diamonds to celebrate their love.
Yellow Gold Settings
Yellow gold settings are making a comeback. For the past few decades, it seemed that yellow gold wedding rings had gone the way of bubble veils, back bows, puffy sleeves and over-the-top royal tiaras in terms of wedding style. Now it seems yellow gold is on trend once again.
While white gold is still a bestseller at the moment, yellow gold is also quickly coming back into style. If you’re stuck between the two, consider the undertones of your skin and try both colors on to see if there’s one that you prefer. In general, cool skin tones look better with white gold or platinum. Warm skin tones tend to make yellow gold settings a great choice.
The white color of the diamond really pops against yellow gold. The metal lends itself to both antique settings, featuring swirls and filigree, as well as modern settings with minimal embellishment, or the simplicity of a six prong solitaire.
Buying Online
Buying engagement rings online is a growing trend as well. The convenience and safety of purchasing online fits the modern millennial sensibly. Brides and grooms are willing to forgo the showroom experience so they can remain anonymous, do their own research from the comfort of home and not get “steered” by a salesperson.
Picking a ring can seem overwhelming with so many options available. Some websites can be very helpful in this regard, utilizing their platform to educate the shopper ― making an otherwise intimating purchase, a more confident and relaxing experience. Purchasing your engagement and wedding sets online give you all the joy of the moment, without any of the sales pressure and hype.
Clean Origin makes online buying easy with its state-of-the-art platform, which gives couples the tools to design their ring right on the website.
Once you narrow down your options, if you’re still unsure of what diamond and setting to choose, Clean Origin suggests you, “Look to her closest friends and family for help. It’s likely that she’s either sent them pictures of her dream ring, made comments about someone else’s, or has it sitting on her wedding Pinterest board that you forgot to check.”
As an added bonus Clean Origin diamonds are available only online, which further reduces their price and gives you more buying power.
Minimalism Rules
Minimalist settings are very of the moment, allowing a bride to express her true style rather than being stuffy or overly showy. Minimalists opt for a simplistic and clean lifestyle, which often influences a bride’s style choices as well. Of course, less does not mean boring. Anything but.
Often a simplistic style allows for the beautiful details and features of a diamond to shine through, especially with engagement rings.
Not every bride wants an over the top ring, and for those brides, there are plenty of options today. A modern, minimal setting like the Quiet Beauty is a good example. With the elegance of a simple diamond solitaire, this design is highlighted by a thin band that allows your lab-created stone to shine. It embellishes the diamond itself rather than the band.
Just like mined diamonds, lab created diamonds range in cut, clarity, color and carat weight ― so the array of unique options is endless. You can choose one of Clean Origin’s on-trend settings, design your own from the ground up, or purchase loose diamonds from their vast inventory of IGI- and GCAL-certified stones to remake your grandmother’s antique setting to suit your style
The possibilities are as endless as your imagination. With ethical, lab created diamonds, you’re in charge of your own diamond destiny. What magic are you going to create?