The Evolution of Bespoke Ring Trends

The rule of three months’ salary, the diamond as the obvious choice, white as the colour of commitment: all of this dates back to the post-war period, and to the campaign of a single mining group.

This is not a criticism of the diamond, which remains a magnificent stone and the hardest of all. It is a useful reminder when making a choice: the apparent obviousness of the white solitaire is a commercial construct, not a legacy. Feeling obliged to conform to it means obeying an advertisement that is three generations old.

The movement has reversed over the past ten years, driven by two forces. The first is the search for individuality : in a generation that documents everything, a ring no one else wears holds more value than a ring that conforms perfectly. The second is the arrival of laboratory-grown diamonds, chemically identical to natural diamonds and far less expensive, which has shifted the question — if white becomes accessible, rarity must be sought elsewhere.

If there were a moment to date the shift, this would be it. A colour we did not know how to name became, within a few years, the most sought-after family in our workshop.

Teal lies between blue and green, without truly belonging to either, and its appearance changes with the lighting: bluer in a display case, greener by a window. That is precisely what appeals — a ring that cannot be summed up in one word.

Its success also stems from an economic reality few people know: at comparable quality and size, a teal sapphire engagement ring costs around 43% less per carat than a blue sapphire. It is not a less durable or more common stone — it is simply a less contested colour.

After teal come pinks and oranges. This is the clearest trend of the past two years, and it comes in two very different tiers.

Median €2,850/ct

Padparadscha

Equal parts pink and orange, and the only sapphire whose designation is controlled by a laboratory. A padparadscha sapphire engagement ring is valued first and foremost for its documented rarity. Floral setting — 8 880 €.

Median €1,500/ct

Pink

The same chromophore as ruby, simply less concentrated. A pink sapphire engagement ring offers a warm hue and a hardness of 9 for a fraction of the price of a red stone. 2.55 ct rectangle, platinum — 18 000 €.

What this contrast shows, and what rather neatly sums up the times: trend does not follow price. Pink is significantly more accessible per carat than padparadscha, yet both are advancing together. What is sought after is the warmth of the hue — not its label.

Blue has not disappeared — it has changed form. It is the most interesting phenomenon of the past five years, and it is visible in the cuts.

For decades, blue sapphires were set in oval or round cuts, often surrounded by diamonds, in white gold. Today, a blue sapphire engagement ring is increasingly commissioned in step cut — rectangular, square, elongated cushion — and in yellow gold.

The change is not merely aesthetic. The long step facets produce a mirror effect rather than sparkle, unfolding colour in broad planes. In other words: this cut enhances the hue, where brilliant cut enhances the light. In return, it requires impeccable transparency, as nothing can be hidden within it.

This is perhaps the most profound, and least spectacular, evolution: inclusions are no longer a flaw to be concealed.

Twenty years ago, one sold an emerald while almost apologising for its garden. Today, this garden is presented for what it is: the norm for the species and proof of a natural origin. Emeralds form under turbulent geological conditions that almost always trap something — the most beautiful in the world have them.

This reversal has a practical consequence when buying. An emerald engagement ring is no longer judged by the cleanliness of its stone, but by the vibrancy of its green and the way its setting protects its edges. And a perfectly clean emerald at a low price has become, for the discerning eye, a warning sign rather than a bargain.

Beyond colours, four developments shape the commissions we receive.

The return ofyellow gold deserves a mention, because it has a practical justification in addition to its aesthetic appeal: unlike white gold, it requires no rhodium plating to be redone every two or three years. A yellow gold ring ages without any surface maintenance.

One final remark, and it runs counter to the purpose of an article on trends: an engagement ring is probably the worst object to choose according to fashion.

The reason is mechanical. Settings go out of fashion—and can be reworked: we regularly take back rings from twenty or thirty years ago to redesign their setting around the original stone. The stone, on the other hand, does not change. It is therefore the stone that must be chosen without compromise, and the design that must adapt.

The only advice we have seen endure through the decades can be summed up in one sentence: with a given budget, choose colour over weight. A one-and-a-half-carat stone with a lively tone makes a far more beautiful ring than two dull carats—the difference in surface area is measured in tenths of a millimetre, while the difference in colour can be seen from three metres away.