We have definitely seen a shift with diamond shapes, with clients moving away from the traditional and opting to proceed with step-cut diamonds, like emerald shapes.
These shapes complement weighty gold bands, bezel settings that frame the stone in precious metal, and rings that are reminiscent of signet rings, like our Suspense collection — Sarah & Sebastian.
I'm loving working with elongated radiant cuts and ovals at the moment. A large oval diamond is incredibly elegant and easy to wear, running up and down the finger,
yet they maintain the incredible aesthetic impact and sheer presence inherent in all large diamonds — Olivar Musson, Creative Director of Musson.
Halo designs, which have been a mainstay for the last 10 years, are starting to evolve into variations more reminiscent of the cluster styles of the 80s.
We're seeing more people choose larger, claw set diamonds to surround their centre stone which gives more of a snowflake effect rather than the previously popular seamless halo styles — Kate Reid, Operations Manager and Jeweller at Larsen Jewellery.
Tapered designs are still a big hit – i.e. having a main stone and clusters of smaller stones on both sides creating a 'tapered' effect – it's a great design and also lovely to pair with a curved band — S-kin Studio.
Mixed metals are making a comeback in engagement ring design. Whether it is a mixture of white, yellow and rose golds or precious metal mixed with sterling silver, mixed metals lend a unique aesthetic to classic designs.
Some clients are also requesting a different gold for their engagement rings to wedding bands, this mixture creates an appearance that their jewellery was collected over time or handed down through families, something unique to the individual.
Just a subtle hint of another metal can completely change the aesthetic of a piece — Yasmin Tjoeng from Maison Tjoeng. We are finding more and more brides are deciding to mix metal colours in their bridal set.
Perhaps they have a white gold engagement ring and are opting for a yellow or rose gold wedding band. Similarly with eternity rings, the regimented metal colour matching rules of the past seem
to have fallen by the wayside and people are choosing what they love rather than conforming to traditional standards — Kate Reid, Operations Manager and Jeweller at Larsen Jewellery.
Colour is king at Minka and we have been seeing a real surge in interest in rare and wonderful coloured stones this year. Clients are coming to us having done some research into what they want and what they think will stand out and be unique.
It really is so wonderful to be given a brief by a client who has a clear idea of what they want and it makes the hunt for the stone all the more exciting.
Bold designs and big statement rings seem are also very in demand at the moment: our clients are looking for something adventurous, unapologetic and unique that really reflects their personality.
Bold designs often have more gold which can help protect the gemstones from general wear and tear too so they're a win-win — Lucy Crowther, Minka Jewels.
"There's also a strong demand for unique colours. Yellow is the most in demand with pinks still remaining very popular in the initiated market. Their amazing beauty and rarity appeals to those wanting to express their individuality," he says.
"Our most recent 'mine-to-Musson' piece, the Diavik Midnight Sun, created from a rough diamond from Rio Tinto's Diavik Diamond Mine in the far north of Canada, is a perfect example, it glows yellow and captivates all who see it.
The ring is also set with pinks from the now-closed Argyle Diamond Mine in Western Australia. It's an explosion of pink and yellow, named the 'Midnight Sun' for a very good reason — Olivar Musson, Creative Director of Musson.
There has been a return to classic designs as clients are looking for elegant rings which never go out of style but with a contemporary twist.
Classic designs can be elevated by using unexpected gemstones such as peacock sapphires, lagoon tourmalines, pearls, pink opals, and mixing faceted stones with cabochons or non-faceted stones.
The return to midcentury and 1970s styles has helped bring this style back to engagement rings where it was popular to showcase the incredible beauty of setting different coloured or textured stones together — Yasmin Tjoeng from Maison Tjoeng.
Parti Sapphires (or polychrome sapphires) have always been unique and coveted, but we're seeing a shift away from diamonds towards coloured stones when it comes to engagement rings.
Showing more than one colour in a single stone, their gradients can range from green and yellow to teal, blue and purple - no two will ever look the same.
These one-of-a-kind sapphires can't yet be replicated in a lab, so we always source them responsibly and ethically from our trusted Australian gemstone partners, who ensure that any environmental impact is minimised — Holly Ryan.