When you’re looking at a piece of jewelry that you want to wear daily for the rest of your life, you might find yourself being pulled between current trends and classic looks. How do you choose between of-the-moment and test-of-time? What’s the right answer?
At Sparkles, we like to emphasize that the answer really varies for everyone! With engagement rings and wedding bands alike, we’re drawn to different things for different reasons, and all of those reasons are equally valuable and legitimate!
Working in jewelry with marrying couples has given us the opportunity many times over to witness that sweet moment when a person sees a ring and knows it’s The One. It’s that sense of recognition, sometimes surprising, sometimes not at all, that signals the end of the search, whether you’ve looked at hundreds of designs or only one. This may sound corny, but it’s similar in nature to knowing you’ve found the right person – it’s a feeling. It’s a fit.
All that being said, it’s useful (and fun!) to look at popular styles that are frequenting the pages of magazines and the fingers of your favorite celebs and are flowing from the hands (and jeweler’s benches!) of designers around the world. The more styles you see, the more you can assess what suits you, then decide for yourself what you want.
So what are we seeing lots of this wedding season?
ROSE GOLD REIGNS
As we generally find in fashion, what’s old is new again. Rose gold originally had its heyday in the Victorian era (when the rosy, pink tone was meant to symbolize love!) and returned in the Retro period. Lately rose gold has been looking fresh again, and for good reason. An alternative to traditional white or yellow metals that livens up yet still complements the existing precious metal palette, it looks gorgeous and glowing on all skin tones. It’s also a beautiful way to set off sparkling stones and detailed metalwork.
VIBRANT VINTAGE
Speaking of vintage revival, antique and vintage jewelry looks just keep getting hotter. True estate pieces or simply vintage-inspired styles feel both unique and one-of-a-kind while also imparting the nostalgia and romance of eras past.
STACKS ON STACKS
Can’t choose? Don’t! We’re seeing more and more brides choose to partner their engagement ring with multiple bands. Mix and match for a fun jumble of aesthetics, a self-curated collection you can wear on your hand. Wear one under and over your solitaire, or show off a stack on the next finger or opposite hand. With this fashion, you can add a new ring on noteworthy occasions like anniversaries, births, career milestones, and other achievements.
RAW EMOTION
Love diamonds and gemstones but crave a more natural look? Raw stones and rough cuts are taking their place among their more symmetric and polished counterparts. These unprocessed, non-refined beauties lend their quirky appeal towards a very unique and uncommon style. If you want an earthy and alternative look reflecting the individuality of your relationship, go rough.
EVERY WHICH WAY
Another way to showcase your love of going off the beaten path is to feature non-traditional stone shapes non-traditional stone shapes set horizontally or asymmetrically in a mounting. Baguettes, pears, and marquise diamonds are perking up bands in east-west (horizontal) settings as opposed to the standard north-south (or vertical.) We love the zany scattering of baguettes in the band pictured above. Clusters of non-matching stones are also looking especially gorgeous and can be customized to your exact wishes.
LIVING COLOR
And why stick to white? Colored gemstones are giving us life! Tsavorites (pictured above), sapphires, and rubies are especially vivid choices that are still sufficiently durable for everyday, long-term wear.
However! PLEASE BE AWARE that stone like opals, emeralds, moonstones, turquoise and pearls are NOT a suitable choice for engagement rings or wedding bands if you plan on wearing it daily and you want it to last! The Moh’s Scale of Hardness was invented for a reason, and that’s to prevent jewelers from advising or allowing their clients to wear a delicate stone without informing them the best ways to care for their piece and to keep it lovely for as long as possible. Opals, pearls (and others) are simply too soft and too averse to natural conditions like skin oils, sunlight, and temperature change to wear safely as a substitute for a diamond. We know the internet and beauty mags are raving especially about opals and pearls as THE new wedding jewelry trend, but we have the expertise and education to let you know that as gorgeous as they look, it is very likely they will not survive daily wear for long.
MULTI METAL
Another look we’re seeing that’s reminiscent of earlier eras is mixed metals; for example, rose, white, and yellow gold all in one ring (like Sparkles Jen’s custom engagement ring!) Multiple tone pieces look wonderful for women and men alike. Pictured here are a couple striking examples of men’s bands featuring a mix of metals, like the black zirconium and rose gold band and the two-tone yellow and white gold band above.
PAPA’S GOT A BRAND NEW BAG
Lest you think we’re leaving out the guys – let’s talk about men’s bands!
If you’ve seen our selection at Sparkles, you know how many options there are for men these days. While it used to be simply a choice between yellow gold or white, in beveled edge or flat, now there’s an abundance from which to choose.
Plenty of men still love the classic look and the classic metals, which is understandable! They’ve stood the test of time for a reason. Precious metals have that inimitable combination of rarity, beauty, durability, and versatility, and then are endowed with the symbolism of romance and endurance to boot!
But more choice is basically always a good thing, especially when it comes to personal expression. We’re seeing new design options from the dramatic (lots of stones or engraved detail) to the subtle (an interesting finish like matte or sandblast, or a non-standard profile.) There are also a variety of materials to choose from that are both conceptually exciting and visually captivating, like meteorite (yes, from outer space!), hardwood, stripy damascus steel, and stunning mokume gane. Come in and we’ll be happy to show you all of the above and more!
Our main rule at Sparkles, and your takeaway should be, when looking for your wedding bands, keep it fun! Don’t feel overwhelmed by the options. We’re happy (and well-practiced) at helping you have an enjoyable and productive search, guiding you in making the choices that are perfect for you, aesthetically and practically and everything in between.
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