The biggest trend in engagement rings right now? Unconventionality. Millennial couples are forging their own path, keen to do things differently to their parents, and are now popping the question in glorious technicolour—choosing alternative engagement rings over traditional solitaires.
Forget carat weight, or any of the other criteria that make up jewellery’s famous “five Cs”, for that matter. For a decidedly fresh aesthetic, betrothed couples are turning to bold cocktail-style rings or a delicate jumble of coloured gems, expressing themselves with alternative engagement rings that are as unique as the relationships they celebrate.
Take Zoë Kravitz, who showed she is a certified trailblazer when she opted for the unique beauty of antique, old-cut diamonds upon her engagement to Karl Glusman, spawning a rush on vintage designs. Or look to Emma Stone, whose choice confirmed how the luminescent lustre of pearl can be a great option for modern brides. And few jewels are more romantic than the toi et moi ring, where two stones meet to symbolise becoming one. Where Emily Ratajkowski’s combines contrasting diamond cuts, other designs mix coloured stones and shapes. Then there is Scarlett Johansson, whose chose a light brown diamond for her alternative engagement ring, possessing the same sparkle as a white stone, but with a unique beauty all its own.
As Vogue’s picks show, and as Cole Porter once wrote, when it comes to 21st-century wedding planning, anything goes.
1 / 20
Ashley Zhang
Asscher cut gypsy engagement ring, US$23,900, available on ashleyzhangjewelry.com
3 / 20
Boucheron
Serpent Bohème two-stone ring S motifs, price on request, inquiries on boucheron.com
5 / 20
Revival Jewels
Hexagonal diamond blackened gold ring, US$48,300, inquiries on revivaljewels.com
6 / 20
Dauphin
Rose gold white diamonds ring in alternate setting, price on application, available on maisondauphin.com
7 / 20
Fraser Hamilton
14K yellow gold wrapped ruby and diamond ring, £1,295, available at tomfoolerylondon.co.uk
8 / 20
Lebrusan
Hera 18K ethical gold emerald gemstone engagement ring, US$1,612.51, available on lebrusanstudio.com
11 / 20
Dior
Archi Dior “Bar En Corolle” ring in 18K pink gold and diamonds, £13,400, available at dior.com
12 / 20
Taylor & Hart
Ethereal marquise diamond centre and bead-set diamond halo set in platinum, US$2,095 (excluding taxes), available on taylorandhart.com
13 / 20
Fewer Finer
Yellow gold cocktail-inspired ring featuring one off-set marquise diamond, US$1,100, available on shopfewerfiner.com
14 / 20
Sophie Bille Brahe
Grace Diamant diamond and 18K gold solitaire ring, S$5,940, available at matchesfashion.com
19 / 20
Rosa De La Cruz
18K yellow gold sapphire-embellished ring, S$4,552, available at farfetch.com
20 / 20
Moritz Glik
Garnet and diamond ring, £4,417, available at auverture.com
This article was originally published on British Vogue.
