When it comes to love, courtship, and marriage, jewelry often—okay, always—plays a role.

Many mark the ill-fated Ben Affleck-J. Lo romance through their jewelry. Remember their first engagement ring? That natural pink diamond? Or in ‘Bennifer 2.0’ when Affleck gifted Jen a custom gold necklace for her 52^nd birthday? Medallions included symbols of change, growth, and resilience. Fast-forward to their second engagement, and Affleck went the natural-colored diamond route again with a green diamond center stone. Sadly, the second time around wasn’t the charm for the pair but boy did their relationship leave us with lasting impressions of jewelry gifts and engagement rings done right.

In real life, the jewels will be more modest, but the sentiments delivered with them are just as powerful as the high-profile presents (and may have better staying power). Regular folks are quite keen on lab-grown diamonds, something the rich and famous needn’t be bothered with; rare, mined diamonds are within their reach, but that’s not necessarily the case for everyday Joes. This is why so many American couples are snapping up bigger, higher-quality, and less expensive synthetic diamonds, which are more abundant naturals. And when it comes to jewelry presents, shoppers can charge into stores with all the enthusiasm and starry eyes of a leading-role type and find something personalized and perfect for their own occasion that won’t require Affleck-Lopez-type wallets.

Read on to learn more about what’s trending in engagement rings, what the next generation is looking for in ring styles, and sentimental jewelry gift ideas that are fresh and accessible.

Ring It On

While engagement ring designs are starting to get exciting—we see you, Kaley Cuoco, and your asymmetrical three-stone ring—manufacturers tell us those super untraditional looks are still a ways off from going mainstream.

“We’ve seen that traditional styles are still relevant, but there is a certain amount of growth towards the more modern looks,” explains Sam Hupp, vice president of sales and marketing for Paris 1901, a division of Prime Art & Jewel.

Contemporary styles include thicker shanks to accommodate larger center stones.

Prime Art & Jewel

“We are incorporating more stable mountings that support larger stones,” adds Hupp. “With the opportunity to purchase a lab grown diamond, women can get much larger stone looks for more approachable prices.”

Large center stones have been trending for years since lab grown diamonds have grown in popularity, but they’re also in demand among mined diamond shoppers.

“Most of our custom work is adjusting existing semi mounts to fit larger stones—usually 2 carats and up,” says Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development, ODI. “We only sell natural diamonds.”

Theresa Namie, merchandise manager, Ostbye, has also been making designs to fit larger centers. Styles in her Forever Elegant line feature easy-to-adjust peg heads while others have larger crowns. Ostbye sells both mined and synthetic diamonds.

“Our collection of lab-grown bridal sells well in the simple designs but is a small percentage of our bridal business,” she explains.

Hupp, meanwhile, is all in on lab-growns. “Our position for engagement rings will only be lab-grown given where the market is and where our national retail bases are,” he says.

Besides larger center stones, other desirable engagement ring designs are executed in yellow gold. Namie reveals that her accounts ask for bold gold designs with retro-inspired 1980s–1990s rings—“Yellow Gold has been great for the last two years,” she says—while vintage looks also have some appeal. For those buyers, Namie has boho-inspired styles with leaf and floral motifs.

ODI’s Fletcher is also moving yellow gold engagement rings, particularly “yellow gold rings with fancy-shape side diamonds and non-traditional scattered diamond looks,” she explains. And Hupp, too, is upbeat on yellow, insisting that it “is his leader in metal color.”

Mixed metals aren’t too far behind. Namie sees it, as does Surbhi Jain, marketing director, Shefi Diamonds. “[Mixed-metal] rings are in high demand,” she notes.

      Ostbye

And because of the value of platinum’s price now compared to karat gold, some manufacturers are moving more in that metal. “Non-halo platinum classics are doing well, as are channel-set cathedral mountings, delicate micro-prong looks, and heavy solitaires,” notes Fletcher.

Jain, too, notes the popularity of cathedral settings her buyers. Paired with matching bands, they offer sophisticated and enduring style,” she says. Other clients still ask for hidden halos, though demand for halo styles overall is diminishing.

When it comes to center stone shape, fancy shapes have truly taken off. Shefi Diamonds’ Jain says emerald cuts are faves among her buyers and Asscher cuts are making some inroads. Others are also moving emerald cuts, as well as ovals, elongated cushions, radiants, and pears. And what of rounds? You know they’re still tops. “Rounds will always be the queen,” insists Hupp.

                 Z Advice                 

Just because engagement ring sales are a staple in the jewelry business doesn’t mean they’re an easy sell. Some even call them a challenge at times.

“Specifically reaching the younger Gen Z and Millennial groups,” concedes Sam Hupp, vice president of sales and marketing for Paris 1901, a division of Prime Art & Jewel.

Prime Art & Jewel

This is a familiar issue for many given that today’s first-time married couples hail from these two generations. Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996 and are the largest generation in American history, while Generation Z was born between 1997-2012. Both groups are adept at technology, have access to vast amounts of education and knowledge, can be collaborative in nature, and aren’t ‘married’ to traditional milestones like marriage or home ownership. Both groups also like to put their personal stamp on designs like engagement rings, so customization is a crucial offering.

“The next generations want to feel special—they don’t want the same antiquated process of ordering an engagement or bridal ring as their parents and grandparents because their entire worlds are different,” adds Hupp.

Gen Z, in particular, is smarter and “have done their research,” he continues. “That being said, they still want to be shown options and treated like an individual. The experience is everything to Gen Z.”

And just as each Zer has different tastes and style preferences, so, too, should their engagement ring offerings. Manufacturers reveal a wide range of Z design penchants, from classic and delicate solitaires with larger center stones to über modern color combinations like black and gold. “Just a little bit unconventional and very unique,” says Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development, ODI.

While Gen Z won’t follow pack inclinations, they will still follow trends like modern yellow gold settings, vintage effects, micro pavé, and hidden halos. “They just want it to be their own,” observes Theresa Namie, merchandise manager, Ostbye.

Fletcher agrees. “Gen Z’ers celebrate their cultural, ethnic, physical, and gender diversity, and they are eager to express their authentic selves,” she says.

Ostbye

      

Something else they do? Reject consumerism, opting to thrift, recycle, or upcyce over buying a newly manufactured product. To capture those clients, consider promoting your estate case.

“Offer pre-owned or vintage natural diamonds that can be restyled into a custom ring,” notes Fletcher. “This avoids any adverse environmental impact of mining, allows the customer to create something unique, and reduces your inventory of old trade-ins.”

At Shefi Diamonds, its Baby Bridal collection is designed with Gen Z in mind, according to Surbhi Jain, marketing director. Pieces include modern styles that resonate with the younger generation as well as possessing attractive price points. And while many engagement ring buyers today are lured by the bigger sizes and lower costs of lab grown diamonds, Shefi recommends naturals to its clients “for their authenticity and timeless value,” says Jain.

Hupp sees a flip side in choices—his ever-pragmatic Gen Zers are buying synthetic diamonds for their value. It makes sense when “you consider that marriage actually makes life more affordable by sharing income,” he states.

Namie see offering both as a fair solution. “What we see is the stores educating their clients about both options to let them make an informed decision,” she says.

Original Designs / ODI

And while diamonds grab most of the spotlight in engagement ring sales, it’s important to remember that colored stones are starting to surface as strong options. It’s a move that PeriLynn Glasner, design and marketing director, Lali Jewelry, sees this happening among his Gen Z buyers, who love minimalist styles “perfect for everyday wear,” she says.

Finally, after choosing the ring, Gen Z will need to keep it clean, advice which Pam Waclawski has in spades. Waclawski is the vice president of sales and marketing at The Kingswood Company, a maker of a proprietary blend of jewelry cleaner that stores can carry for shoppers. She says that while hacks “thrive” on the Internet, they often omit the risks of using cleaning agents “not formulated specifically for jewelry, like ammonia, toothpaste, or vinegar,” she says.

“While your customer may wish to never take off that beautiful ring, the truth of the matter is that sometimes it’s best to do just that,” she urges. “Rings should be left in a safe place when one is cleaning, exercising, swimming, gardening, and sometimes even when cooking or baking.”

Getting Personal!

Before a couple decides on an engagement ring purchase, there will likely be some other jewelry gifts exchanged as the relationship develops. Remember Taylor Swift’s diamond and gold initial line bracelet gifted to her by beau Travis Kelce in December 2023? [Media reports say he has a matching one.] Jewelry is part of the courtship of many budding relationships.

For these gifts exchanged between sweethearts, personalization enhances the meaning of that gifting moment. Engraved messages, initials, zodiac signs, and birthstones are no-brainer choices, but other less-obvious options can cement the specialness of your union just as much or even better.

Shefi Diamonds

“Personalized jewelry is in high demand,” confirms Surbhi Jain, marketing director, Shefi Diamonds. “Consumers seek a personalized touch to add sentimental value to their jewelry.”

Sam Hupp, vice president of sales and marketing for Paris 1901, a division of Prime Art & Jewel, agrees, and insists it should be top of mind for merchants starting now.

“We see personalization growing dramatically over the next 6–10 months,” he says. “Most of our lines have items that are engravable, and we are coming out with a personalized bridal assortment offering.”

Manufacturers reveal that retail clients have a range of style and theme preferences for this category. At Shefi Diamonds, its cluster-styles program is a verified hit. “For gifting items, it’s one of our top-selling collections,” says Jain.

Beyond birthstones—which Lali Jewelry’s PeriLynn Glasner, design and marketing director, maintains is the quintessential personalized jewelry gift—there are religious jewels and other sentimental silhouettes. At Ostbye, the latter includes tree of life designs and compasses that are part of the maker’s Enhanceables Collection according to Theresa Namie, merchandise manager. “They tell a story when gifted,” she says.

Prime Art & Jewel

Shefi Diamonds also offers hearts, Stars of David, Hamsa, and mother-and-child designs, though its diamond crosses are among “best sellers,” notes Jain.

Ostbye also does well with crosses and religious discs—so much so that it has Diamond Marriage Symbol and Christian Marriage Symbol Collections for “easy sentimental purchases,” explains Namie.

At Lali Jewelry, pearls are a timeless option for gifting. “They’re relatable and classic,” notes Glasner.

Anniversary bands, too, are go-to gifts for many. “They’re always a best seller,” says Namie. That’s why her company offers a lifetime trade up policy so that as a couple’s love grows, so do the diamonds. “These styles mix and match well and can be sold for several occasions,” she adds.

Lali Jewels

Hupp, meanwhile, likes to encourage layering and multiple adornments celebrating love. For example, in Paris 1901’s M by Monte Luna collection of demi-fine jewelry, ‘I Love You’ necklaces can be paired with heart pendants and bracelet stacks.

“We see personalization as more than just an individual style,” he says. “We see consumers wearing multiple items in a personalized and styled way, including layered necklaces, multiple rings on one finger, or a beautiful bracelet stack on the wrist. Personalized means more than a single piece; it’s a manner of speaking about your style without saying a word.”