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Though engagement rings are timeless, the most popular styles change from decade to decade. From 1920s art deco to minimal 1990s looks, flip through to see every engagement ring trend of the last century.
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1920s: Art Deco
In the 1920s, clean Emerald and Asscher cut diamonds rose in popularity, set in white metals like platinum and white gold. The result was a cleaner and more modern look.
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1930s: Simple Settings
Simple settings and singular stones were popularized in the 1930s due to limited resources and funds during the Great Depression.
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1940s: Intricate Settings
During WWII, platinum was limited, so rose and yellow gold became more popular metals to use when setting engagement rings. Intricate designs were also popularized to make use of less material.
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1950s: Classic Set Round Cuts and Eternity Bands
In 1948, DeBeers launched their “A Diamond Is Forever” campaign popularizing round cut stones set with diamond baguettes on either side. Additionally, thanks to celebs like Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, eternity bands began to rise.
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1960s: Three-Stone Rings
With a lower profile, three-stone rings were a huge trend that rose in the 1960s. It offered more sparkle with a versatile setting that felt less fragile than others.
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1970s: Abstract
Much like the rest of the decade’s trends, abstract designs and asymmetric settings rose in popularity during the 1970s. It was all about the shape and design of both the setting as well as the stone.
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1980s: Colored Stones & Halo Settings
In 1981, Princess Diana debuted her Ceylon sapphire engagement ring with 14 round-cut diamonds surrounding the center stone. As a result, engagement rings with halo settings of all sizes, as well as a multitude of colored stones came back into favor nearly immediately.
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1990s: Minimalism
All trends of the 1990s surrounded the concept of minimalism, and engagement rings were certainly not exempt from the idea. As a result, there was a growing popularity for single stone rings that featured a round solitaire diamond as well as some Marquise cut stones due to Victoria Beckham’s ring during that decade.
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2000s: Princess Cut, Pavé Bands, and Halo Settings
During the 2000s, the motto was the more bling the better, giving rise to not only Princess cut stones, but also pavé diamond bands and halo settings.
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2010s: Colored Stones
Colored stones, especially sapphires, rose again during the 2010s after Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his late mother, Princess Diana’s Ceylon sapphire engagement ring.
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Today: Vintage
Not only does vintage allow for more interesting and one-of-a-kind settings, but there has been huge growth towards more sustainability in the industry. And shopping vintage, estate, or antique jewelry is much friendlier to the environment.
