PAST ENGAGEMENT RINGS

Just like our clothing seems to change and come back in different waves and timeframes, the same goes for engagement rings. What is popular now may not be popular in a few years, and what was popular 60 years ago may not be even close to what's popular now. Trends have evolved over the years in jewelry, including in engagement rings. Whether you are looking for a more vintage style or just want to stand out, we have compiled the different types of engagement rings in the past so you can have a better idea of what you'd like.

Types of Past Engagement Rings

  • Diamond halos. Diamond halos became popular in the 1920s, so they had sharp lines and geometric shapes. Emerald cuts were also exceedingly popular at this time.
  • Ribbon bands started to come into style in the 1930s, breaking away from the geometric shapes and going for more twisting that could be likened to ribbons or bows.
  • Round stones became popular during the 1940s with gold bands. This was due to the platinum shortage in the US due to World War II needing to put a limit on the production for civilian use.
  • In the 50s, pear shaped diamonds were everything along with stacked bands. Part of this is based on Audrey Hepburn's iconic engagement ring, which featured a trio of bands in three different types of gold.
  • In the 60s we saw the 20s come back with the Asscher-cut diamonds and emerald cut stones. Jackie Kennedy's engagement ring also brought about a new trend, for those couples who wanted to be more unique and feature colored gemstones in addition to diamonds.
  • In the 70s the emerald cut stones continued to hold on to the trends, and this is when brides first began matching their engagement rings to the wedding bands and helped to begin the popularity of the bridal set, which is very much still popular to this day.
  • In the 80s we saw an even bigger rise in colorful diamonds and gemstones being used as engagement rings. Princess Diana was an extremely popular public figure at the time, and her engagement ring from Prince Charles featured a sapphire gemstone instead of the traditional diamond as the centerpiece. Many women wanted to be like Diana, and many replicas were made to match that of the royal ring.
  • In the 90s, we saw more of a grunge style in how we dressed as well as the jewelry we wore, which helped rings to be more bold and sharper. The marquise-cut was extremely popular in the 90s as it was unique and a much sharper, bold cut.
  • By the time we got to the 2000s, rings started to take on larger diamonds or stones and the princess cut began to gain popularity.
  • In the early 2010s, cushion-cut diamonds were the most popular of that time frame, and still are very popular cuts.

Of course, no couple should feel they need to shop on-trend. What's important is that the future bride loves the ring and that it matches her personality and her style, not the trends.