How Celebrities Can Affect Engagement Ring Trends

If you’ve been paying attention to the news lately, you know that American actress Meghan Markle was recently wed to Prince Harry of England. Although there was a lot of news about the affair, one element that caught our attention was how much people were infatuated with Meghan’s engagement ring. In fact, it seems that whenever a celebrity gets engaged, the public takes notice. At Mark’s Diamonds, we’ve been paying attention to engagement ring trends over the years, and it’s obvious that many people get inspired when their favorite public figure ties the knot.

Today we wanted to look at how celebrity culture influences this industry, as well as discuss some past examples of trendsetters in the news.

Why Engagement Rings?

When a celebrity couple announces that they are getting married, there is a lot to celebrate about the occasion. However, why is it that many people choose to focus on the ring? In fact, it’s become so commonplace that many modern celebrities are showing off their rocks on social media as a way of promoting their engagement.

Although there isn’t a lot of research out there about this particular subject, we have our own thoughts on why rings can be such a point of interest.

A Taste of Hollywood (or Royalty)

For many people, the only way that they will get to walk a red carpet is when they accidentally spill juice or red wine on it. Similarly, the vast majority of the population will never get a chance to become the Duchess of Sussex like Meghan Markle.

Buying an engagement ring that’s similar (or identical) to one worn by a celebrity is a means of experiencing a small part of that lifestyle. Just because you won’t become a household name doesn’t mean that you can’t feel like a star. Brides are the stars of their weddings, so why shouldn’t they get to enjoy the celebrity treatment?

Examples of Celebrity Influences

You may not be able to envision any celebrity engagement rings right off the top of your head. They’re subtle, but the influence for engagement ring trends are ever present. To give you an idea of how the engagement rings of the rich and famous can impact the real world, let’s go over some specific examples.

Rose Gold Engagement Rings – Lauren Conrad

These days, it seems like rose gold is everywhere. You can find it on rings, necklaces, and even phone cases. However, this color wasn’t always in vogue. It wasn’t until The Hills star Lauren Conrad flashed her rose gold engagement ring to the world in 2013. These days, itís seven times more popular than it was before. So, if you were wondering who to thank for rose gold everything, now you know.

Cushion Cut Diamonds – Kim Kardashian

For many years, cushion cut diamonds were the standard in engagement rings. The name derives from the fact that the stone is square with rounded edges, much like a cushion or a pillow. However, in recent years, the cut has become less appealing thanks to consumers seeking out new and exciting options.

However, when Kanye West proposed to reality star Kim Kardashian with a traditional cushion cut diamond, they came back into fashion. Vintage stones are never going out of style, especially when worn by mega-celebrities.

Sapphire Engagement Rings – Kate Middleton

Although the recent royal wedding captured everyone’s imagination, the first one in 2011 between Kate Middleton and Prince William started a trend of having sapphires in the ring. Yes, diamonds are traditional, but the Prince showed that you don’t have to follow in everyone else’s footsteps. Because it was unique and gorgeous, many brides wanted extra color in their rings.

More Extravagance

Celebrities are always trying to stand out from the crowd, which is why so many of them try to outdo one another with a bigger, better ring. Over the last decade or so, spending on engagement rings among celebrities has increased substantially.

Social media is probably partly to blame because it’s now so easy to show off your ring to the world. Before, the only place people could see it was in a magazine, but now they can browse their Instagram feed and see as many engagement rings as they want.

As a result, more and more couples are choosing opulent and elegant cuts and styles. With proposals becoming more public these days, it’s only natural to want to show off as much as possible. Couples are now sharing their proposals online, which means that the rock has to be extravagant – otherwise, what’s the point?

Customize Your Engagement Experience

At Mark’s Diamonds, we specialize in not only noticing engagement ring trends, but also specialize in making your design come to fruition. Check out all of our landmark collections or the “create your own” ring feature on our website! For those of you who want the full experience, schedule an appointment with us today!