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Oval engagement rings are here to stay, according to The Clear Cut’s Olivia Landau.
Landau, a fourth-generation diamond expert, told Insider that oval engagement rings are “timeless and super flattering.”
“They look beautiful on everyone’s hand. Plus, they show their carat weight well, which is an added bonus,” she said.
The Clear Cut founder added that when it comes to ovals, color is the most important aspect of the four C’s: cut, color, clarity, and carat. That means a buyer should be looking in the colorless to the near-colorless range when purchasing an oval diamond.
In terms of clarity, Landau said that ovals are good at hiding imperfections, so it’s not necessary to look for a completely clear diamond.
Landau said that antique-cut engagement rings will also be popular this year.
She added that this diamond is “so charming and unique.”
Landau said old European-cut diamonds, which were common during the Art Deco period, are one type of antique style that will be popular this year.
“Because they are hand-cut and have no standardization in terms of proportions, no two antique diamonds are exactly alike,” she added.
Fancier emerald-cut engagement rings will be big in 2022.
When it comes to emeralds, Landau said clarity is important, as the diamond’s step-cut faceting can make it easy to see any small inclusions.
Landau also said that bezel-set and more nontraditional settings will be popular ways to style emerald diamonds this year.
“Emeralds are so classic, and we are seeing a lot of people wanting to put a trendier twist on this timeless elegant design, so it isn’t just your grandma’s emerald-cut ring,” she said.
Stephanie Gottlieb of Stephanie Gottlieb Fine Jewelry agreed with Landau that bezel-style engagement rings are on the rise because it’s not commonly found in bridal pieces.
“It’s great for everyday wear because it’s super protective of the stones,” Gottlieb added.
Gottlieb also said that she recommends keeping the bezel as an open-basket setting so the light can catch the stone from all angles.
Gottlieb told Insider that marquise diamonds are a great alternative shape for an engagement ring.
The certified gemologist said that marquise diamonds appear larger because they are long in shape and not as deep as other cuts.
“They are less expensive and look very big for their carat weights in comparison to other shapes, so they offer a great ‘value,’” she said.
Gottlieb added that when buying marquise diamonds, or other elongated brilliant shapes, it’s important to look out for the “bowtie” effect.
“This occurs when there is poor light performance in the center of the stone, creating what looks like a dark bowtie shape,” she said. “This is an effect of how the stone is cut.”
A marquise and oval combined engagement ring, otherwise known as “moval,” is a unique cut that will become a popular alternative to an oval, Gottlieb said.
Gottlieb said that when buying a unique cut like a “moval,” you’re usually paying a premium per carat because the stones are less readily available. It allows less competition for the vendor, so they can set their own pricing.
“It’s a cut that is very rare and hard to find,” she added.
Two-stone rings, like the one Emily Ratajkowski has, will also be huge this year.
Two-stone rings, also known as “Toi et Moi” rings, are a trend that Gottlieb and Landau both agreed will be everywhere this year.
Gottlieb said that a two-stone engagement ring allows clients to have fun with what diamonds they want to work with.
Landau said she thinks three-stone rings with bigger side stones such as trapezoids and epaulettes will also be big in 2022.
Ring Concierge founder Nicole Wegman told Insider that pear-shaped engagement rings are on the rise because they appear larger.
Wegman said pear-shaped diamonds look bigger than their carat weight because of the elongated shape, just like marquise and ovals.
When it comes to buying the diamond, she said that while you don’t need to splurge, you don’t want to go too low in color because it can be easily seen in the tips.
“Where you can drop down is clarity. Pears hide inclusions extremely well, so you can comfortably be in the SI range and still find eye-clean options,” she said.
Overall, the Ring Concierge founder said that the biggest mistake people make when buying any diamond engagement ring is focusing too much on color and clarity.
“Everyone thinks they need a colorless and flawless diamond, but in reality, it’s very difficult to see the difference between different color and clarity grades,” she said.
Source: myJoy
