Just as wedding dress trends change with fashion, so do jewellery styles. Although you need an engagement ring to be timeless (after all, you plan on wearing it for the rest of your life), you always want something that’s stylish and chic.
Tens of thousands of proposals now take place every year, and Instagram gives newly #engaged couples the chance to share their big news with the world. In fact, Instagram is now even the go-to place for celebrity announcements, and Miranda Kerr, Kim Kardashian, Lady Gaga and Eva Longoria have all taken to Instagram over the past few years to announce their engagements.
So, to help find the hottest engagement trends for 2020, we analysed 1,000 Instagram posts that included the hashtag #engaged to discover the biggest trends for the year ahead.
According to The Diamond Insight Report, Instagram and Snapchat are the two most popular channels with Gen-Z audience. The report revealed that nearly half (47%) of Gen Z would definitely look at social media for inspiration when it comes to choosing an engagement ring, and 8/10 members of Gen Z have Instagram. This made the platform the perfect base for our research.
Our Research: The Results
The results of the research suggested that a simple and timeless ring is still by far the most popular style of engagement ring. Typically, these rings are made from white gold or platinum (69%), set with a classic solitaire diamond, and sized between 0.5 - 1.00 carats (58%).
A diamond is still the most popular choice (86%). But, although coloured stones are less traditional, they are still popular. This trend has likely been inspired by celebrities such as Katy Perry and Kate Middleton, wearing a ruby and the latter a sapphire. The latest marriage data published by the Office for National Statistics showed that there were 249,793 marriages in England and Wales in 2016. Based on this number, an estimated 35,000 couples will have chosen the quirkier option in their engagement ring of choice.
When it comes to the shape of the stone, round is still the most popular choice, but cluster and oval shapes are both common choices. Both cluster and oval shapes were the second-most popular settings in our research, followed by princess and trilogy rings. Our research also revealed that size doesn’t matter. Of the posts analysed, only 2% opted to splash the cash by choosing a stone size of 1.5 carats or more.
Commenting on the results, Nick Withington, spokesperson for William May said:
“When people are looking to buy the ‘perfect’ ring, it can be a huge pressure for buyers to dare to choose a ring that leans away from a timeless choice. The analysis we conducted revealed that a large percentage of people still keep to a tight budget based on the carat size and overall design of the ring. We would always advise to go with your heart when making the choice and perhaps even take note of the other jewellery items your partner wears for inspiration”.
Real Life Stories
But, choosing an engagement ring is a deeply personal choice. So, to help us understand the data a little more, we also spoke to a few people who recently became engaged.
Jack and Nathan
“I kept it simple with the ring - from Thomas Sabo as it's one of my fiancé’s favourite jewellery brands - but I required a lot of help from my future sister-in-law. I picked a range of different designs from the brand, all sterling silver as, again, it’s one of his favourites. Some had quirky designs but my future sister-in-law immediately discounted them as ‘not his style’. Instead, I chose a simple sterling silver design with the Thomas Sabo brand name on the rim. Simple and elegant.”
Vicky and David
“He actually proposed with a Claddagh ring (he’s Irish) which was the one thing I said I hated! But it was a placeholder and so we chose this one together. I always wanted something different. I didn’t want a single diamond (boring) or a row of diamonds. I had always said to him if I was marrying an Irishman I wanted an emerald. We spent a while looking and found this 1920s ring which was originally all diamonds. We asked the jeweller to swap in an emerald for the central diamond and hey presto, I got the unique ring I wanted! I see very few people with square settings and even fewer with baguette diamonds (the long ones round the edge).”
Zak and Jaz
“I already had the diamond (solitaire cut), and asked her best friend to come with me to help choose the setting. I actually went against what the jeweller said - he said the setting I went for (crown setting) wasn’t very ‘in’ at the time but I felt it was the best choice, so I went with it anyway!”
From the data and the case studies, it’s clear that a simple, timeless ring remains the most popular engagement ring style for 2020.
If you’re thinking of popping the question in 2020, then take a look at our new and second-hand engagement rings. They’re ideally selected to provide you with the perfect symbols of love and affection, so you can really make a statement.
