Engagement ring styles vary as much as the personalities of betrothed couples, but there is one strong common denominator now in most selections: they fancy! From fancy center stone shapes like pears, cushions, marquise, and more, to fancy-shape side stones and halos to center stones with color, fancy diamonds are inspiring the next generation of engagement rings.

“The engagement ring conversation is definitely moving into fancies, including melee,” insists ALTR founder Amish Shah, a maker of lab-grown diamonds (LGD) and jewelry. “Fancies are driving the direction of engagement ring designs.”

ODI

At ODI, elongated ovals, radiants, and emerald cuts are most requested, while Goldstar Jewellery fields demand for pink and blue lab-grown diamond centers and accent stones. LGDs in general are a fixture in the market, favored by most American buyers now. The lower prices and better qualities of LGDs have prompted many couples to ditch halo styles that build a bigger look for larger LGD solitaires that make a statement without small-stone support.

“Halos seem to have slowed down since lab-created diamonds have been introduced and you can achieve the larger look with the single stone,” explains Jessica Zerega, merchandising director.

Shah reveals that more than two-thirds of his buyers seek LGD centers, so ALTR has been building semi-mounts to hold all those bigger stones. “Last year we saw this growth, so we created a new semi-mount program,” he reveals.

Eric Wadia agrees. “The push for lab is higher due to the options in shapes and sizes,” confirms the vice president of marketing and corporate communication for Asian Star Group.

These less-traditional looks extend into the colored gemstone space as well. It remains a strong category for Goldstar, with Zerega suspecting that its morganite offerings led buyers to admire pink LGDs, noting that blue topaz has become another core gemstone choice—a somewhat surprising bridal center selection because it falls into the semiprecious category.

For those who can’t afford the size of natural diamond they want, and who don’t want an LGD, colored gemstones are the alternative.

Chatham

“Pink and yellow sapphires have the look of fancy color diamonds, and blue sapphires feel vintage and traditional,” observes Valerie Fletcher, vice president of design and product development, ODI.

SHEFI Diamonds’ clients ask for engagement rings with aquamarine, while Chatham is increasing its custom design services with lab-grown colored gemstones (think the Big Three and alexandrite) at the request of clients.

“We offer CAD services to our Authorized Gemstone Retailers and Branded Retailers who carry our jewelry,” notes Monica McDaniel, vice president and marketing director. “We also offer custom gemstone cutting to achieve the couple’s engagement ring dreams with any size or shape within reason.”

As for metal types of new engagement ring offerings, it’s a mix between karat gold and platinum, despite the high price of the former (just over $3,000 at press time).

“Consumers connect with yellow gold,” says Shah. “When you craft fancy shape diamonds into yellow gold, the shapes are more defined and refined, blending into the metal.”

SHEFI Diamonds

Fletcher is even seeing requests for black diamond centers set into yellow gold mountings. “They have an avant-garde, unconventional look,” she says.

Still, it’s hard to resist the value that platinum offers: durability, rarity—more so than gold—and a host of other benefits, not to mention a mind-blowingly lower price than its naturally yellow peer. This is why ODI is seeing more custom orders for platinum.

“For a customer who wants white metal, platinum offers a superior finish without rhodium plating, and platinum won’t polish away over time, like gold,” says Fletcher.

Platinum is a key product for Asian Star Group as well, with Wadia calling the firm “one of the biggest manufacturers of platinum jewelry.”

ALTR saw the platinum writing on the wall last year when it debuted more platinum bridal pieces in Las Vegas. This year, the momentum continues. In the last seven months, Shah witnessed “two regional companies who never sold platinum” reverse course. “ALTR has the artisans and right equipment to work with and offer platinum,” he says.