By Prue Bell

Engagement rings and jewellery; What is trending for 2022?

04 March 2022

What is trending this year?

We are asked this question continually, every year. Perhaps some people feel a little out of touch with fashions and trends after spending long periods in lockdowns and isolation in the previous two years?

Has the pandemic significantly influenced the direction of jewellery design? It would be difficult to define such a phenomenon. Although it is clear that in 2022 people are looking for fun, fresh and frivolous styles; perhaps an antidote to the drudgery of the decade to date. It’s our job and our pleasure to stay up-to-the-minute around all developments in the diamond business and the jewellery industry.

Join us as we discuss below engagement rings and jewellery; what’s trending for the years 2022 and 2023.

Engagement rings

Accents

Look out for engagement rings featuring unique diamond accents in 2022. These could be epic productions starring brilliant rounds including cameo roles from fancy marquise, oval and pear-shaped diamonds. Watch out for classics like the three-diamond ring re-imagined in a contemporary guise. Get ready for a stunning surprise when you come across rings with hidden engravings and halos. Imagine exquisite tiny sparkling details around a ring’s basket, or pavé pinpoints lining its prongs. Accents with attitude.

Stacks

We’re seeing increased demand for beautiful, clever bridal sets; where wedding bands marry in with engagement rings on the wearer’s finger more snugly than you thought was possible. Bands are created with extra curves or contours in order for seamless spooning with larger and more elaborate engagement rings. Elegant bands in unexpected shapes layer together to form intricate arrangements. These daring combinations sing in unison; sparkling together charismatically.

Colours

People crave colour in 2022 after the dreariness of the last two years. Expect to see more coloured diamonds and sapphires, rubies and emeralds. Although they can feature fantastically in traditional settings, we anticipate coloured stones will appear in striking contemporary designs more frequently. Rich colours but also the paler, more understated hues of precious gems are trending currently and demand is escalating.

Men's and Unisex

There is currently very significant growth in the market for men’s and gender-neutral engagement rings. This is evolving exponentially into a very important area of the jewellery industry, so a lot of great design is flowing this way. There’s an array of engagement rings now available for men wedding women and also for same sex marriages. The designs are not exclusive to either. Also non-exclusive are engagement and wedding rings designed to be worn by women or men. Eternity bands featuring diamonds are very popular within this category, as is stacking. You’ll hear a lot more about it this year and going forward.

80’s Flashback

Fashion is very often cyclical and right now the 1980’s is having a comeback. Our younger customers won’t remember the 80’s but some of us do: chunky yellow gold rings with huge stones, rings which twist and twirl, costume jewellery and cocktail rings, split-shank bands. Vintage style was always cool and the current retro infatuation is for that decade of glamorous excess. If you remember the era, expect to have a few flashback moments glimpsing eighties styling around the streets of your town in 2022.

Unconventional

Engagement rings which buck tradition are trending hard this year. Think rings not just featuring the more unusual shaped diamonds, but with stunningly idiosyncratic designs. For instance, the toi et moi (you and me) ring; these have been really popular lately. Other quirky items like signet rings are also fashionable. Zany is the zeitgeist. Industry expert, American jewellery designer Logan Hollowell says that,

“We’re living in a cultural moment that values distinctiveness and artistic expression, and the Toi et Moi rings exude individuality.”

Colourful jewellery

As mentioned already, coloured stones are in this year, and so is jewellery fashioned using colourful materials such as enamels. Keep an eye out for earrings, bracelets and rings featuring vivid pink, blue and white enamel brightly contrasting with gold and supporting dazzling diamonds. Birthstone jewellery is also popular again. You’re loving aquamarines, peridots and London Blue topazes. Unlike 2020 and 2021, birthstone jewellery is joyful, light-hearted and it ‘pops’ – in 2022!

Personalise it

This year is seeing a surge in the popularity of personalised jewellery, such as charm bracelets and necklaces, lockets and the engraving of personal messages, dates or symbols. Personalised items go that extra step to render a special gift totally unique. These most meaningful jewellery pieces will one day become gorgeous, treasured heirlooms.

Silver

Word is that silver is making a comeback in 2022. Yellow gold has been on trend in the last few years, but the cool tones of the argentite precious metal are beckoning just now. Silver is more affordable too, so this is welcome news for young people starting out on their jewellery collecting journey.

The Paul Bram Experience

At Paul Bram, we are looking forward to meeting with our customers old and new this year. When it comes to engagement rings and jewellery in general, we like to talk about what’s trending and what’s timeless as well. We can’t wait to see you in store.

FAQs

Are bright colours back in vogue in 2022?

Yes, that is definitely what we’re seeing. Joyful, fresh colours with precious stones and colourways incorporated into jewellery design are definitely trending.

Is the tennis bracelet fashionable again?

It is indeed. Only this time around, there are a lot more versions of this classic to choose from, some designs with a fabulous 2022 twist.

Is there really a 1980s revival going on?

Definitely. You can see it’s been happening with clothing and apparel; now with jewellery designs as well. This trend is a lot of fun for those of us who remember the 80s.