The engagement ring is a bold statement. Even though the ring is a public symbol of a couple’s intention to make a lifelong promise to one another, there’s nothing quite so personal as a piece of jewelry intended to be worn for a lifetime.
If you’re planning to get engaged, you may be thinking about a custom engagement ring. Even though 75% of US brides continue to prefer the classic yellow-gold ring, many couples want something more personalized. Globally, the solitaire engagement ring is still favored by 70% of couples. But if you’re thinking about going the custom route, technological advances like AI and 3D printing bring you new ways to express yourself!
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Sustainability, Front and Center
Sustainability has established itself as a fashion impulse, with major fashion houses like Gucci and Chanel stepping up for the planet. And the jewelry sector is no exception. Couples hunting for the perfect custom engagement ring are demanding sustainable alternatives.
This market reality has led to a surging consumer adoption of lab-grown diamonds in recent years but has also led to the growth of earth-friendly alternatives like moissonite. Sustainability is no longer a trend but an imperative in the jewelry sector, with the market driving change. Lab-grown diamonds and alternatives like moissonite are tapped to continue growing in popularity in 2024.
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The Technology-Driven Custom Engagement Ring
AI is on everyone’s mind right now as humanity considers the implications of this burgeoning technology. For engagement rings, AI is changing the way couples formulate design elements when they’re customizing, shopping, and discussing details.
Coupled with the possibilities for jewelry design offered by AI, 3D printing promises to revolutionize the options for customization and the jewelry sector as a whole. Add to that the advent of “smart” jewelry and the future of engagement rings — especially customized rings — is an adventure into a whole new world!
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Vintage and Heirloom
Next year, in tandem with the advance of technology in the jewelry space, expect the past to be present in vintage and heirloom custom engagement rings. A favored style in this blooming trend is the Art Deco ring, with its angular, nostalgic charm. But vintage and heirloom can mean a lot of things.
An heirloom ring might be one once worn by a parent, grandparent, or a more distant ancestor. Or, you might take that heirloom piece and add to it, binding the past and present together in the service of your future marriage. If your heirloom piece features a cushion-cut center stone, you’re well on-trend as this gem cut is enjoying a renaissance. Vintage and heirloom engagement rings represent one of the hottest trends and that trend will continue into 2024.
In 2024, Technology Meets Nostalgia
The coming year promises to be an exciting one for the traditional engagement ring. With technology’s presence being felt in the jewelry sector, engaged couples will be supported by new ways of obtaining the symbol of eternal love they envision. At the same time, the vintage and heirloom trend is a nostalgic note, perhaps indicating an unstated public desire for a return to kinder, gentler times.