Engagement Ring Trends Report: Here Are the Trending Ring Styles

Engagement rings symbolise the love between a couple and are purchased to be worn for a lifetime. With so many options to choose from, knowing the diamond shape, cut and banding to select can make finding the right ring overwhelming. 

To support those planning a proposal in the new year, experts at engagement and wedding ring jeweller, Queensmith, have released exclusive internal data detailing the trends they predict will be big in 2024. 

Topping the list for style is the classic solitaire. This traditional ring dominated the market in 2023, making up 43% of Queensmith’s sales, an annual increase of approximately 5%. And, its popularity isn’t expected to slow down with the timeless elegance of a central solitary diamond, or gemstone, contributing to its enduring appeal. 

It is not just the gorgeous design alone that has created a high demand for solitaire rings. As with many walks of life, celebrities have had a huge influence on engagement ring trends with Molly Mae, Zoe Sugg and Zoe Kravitz all getting engaged in 2023 and appearing to sport solitaire or diamond band engagement rings. Hailey Bieber, engaged in 2018, remained a substantial influencer in 2023, with her oval solitaire ring taking centre stage and further impacting buyer’s choices. 

Diamond bands and trilogy rings came second and third most popular respectively, with their positions remaining relatively stable in 2023, accounting for 21% and 16.7% of sales compared to 21% for diamond bands and 16.8% for trilogy rings in 2022. 

More bespoke styles have become increasingly popular as couples aim to make their engagement ring feel more personal to them. Throughout 2022, Queensmith witnessed a consistent increase in the demand for ‘other’ styles such as toi et moi (“you and me”) or five-stone rings and that demand has significantly increased throughout 2023, nearly overtaking halo rings altogether. 

When looking at the most popular diamond shape, Queensmiths’ data reveals that the leading diamond shape for 2023 remains the classic round shape, capturing 55% of sales, despite experiencing a 4% decline compared to the previous year. 

Despite the popularity of the round diamond shape, it’s interesting to note that five years ago, round diamonds constituted a huge 75% of sales, marking a significant decrease over time. September 2023 marked an unexpected low for round diamonds, with sales dropping to a low of 51%.

Although oval diamonds are still growing in popularity making up 23.9% of sales, this increase of just 2.37% from 2022 was a lower growth rate than expected. Queensmith saw popularity for ovals rise throughout the first half of the year, peaking in July and slowly falling again. This could indicate fatigue with oval designs, leading people to seek something more distinct and exclusive now.

The most unpredicted shift has been the rise of emerald-shaped rings. With only 3.8% of total sales in 2022, this year has seen a 2.9% increase, the largest rise out of all the diamond shapes, replacing last year’s pear in 3rd place most popular. Emerald cuts call for super high quality with their open facets making flaws and poor colour more visible. The increased availability of top-quality lab diamonds has allowed people to afford top-quality (lab-grown) emerald cuts.

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