“Some clients choose one stone, some clients choose three,” Neale Winston tells TZR. The flush mount setting, a signature of Brent Neale in chunky 18k gold, also allows different sizes of stones to be set together, says the designer. Noting, “Sapphire and ruby can be acceptable, but it comes down to lifestyle and how someone treats their jewelry.” “I’d always have a quick conversation with your jeweler about durability and lifestyle,” Stone says. This versatility extends to colored gemstones however, she cautions against them or a ring setting without a top or bottom if worn as an everyday piece as they’re more susceptible to chips and cracks. “ ideal for one to three stones and can vary in scale and weight, so it’s pretty versatile,” the Retrouvai designer explains. “While diamonds may be the most durable of all stones, they are still natural gemstones, and protecting them with a thicker bezel is just one way to have a sense of considering a heavier gold setting, there are historical styles that clients are using as a baseline for inspiration,” says Stone, like a flush mount setting. “Prongs allow for a lot of exposure, and stones tend to chip over time,” she explains. Likewise, Neale Winston says the fragility of prong settings is another cause for the shift in demand. “But we have clients coming to us for pieces that are more androgynous and just heavier in general,” she says.Īdditionally, Stone points out how wider bands offer more visual impact in a range of budgets which isn’t always the case with solitaire diamonds, thus increasing their appeal.
Meanwhile, Stone notes, “Common feedback we hear from clients is that a thicker band setting feels more aligned with their personal style.” Still Stone feels that think daintier settings do still have their place. “The number one reason is for comfort and durability for everyday wear,” says Neale Winston. Kirsty Stone, founder and designer of Retrouvai, and Brent Neale Winston, founder and designer of Brent Neale, both note an uptick in thicker band requests among their clients as an alternative to solitaire and prong-set engagement rings, namely for practicality’s sake. Adding, “Now the pendulum swings, as thicker engagement rings are nothing new they actually predate the more delicate solitaire settings.” “Super delicate bands were a justified reaction to the heavier classic solitaire settings that were popular for years starting in the ’80s and ’90s,” Mandler says. “Engagement rings are following suit,” she explains, citing the cyclical nature of jewelry trends. In general, the LA-based jeweler says, dainty pieces have taken a backseat to heavier layered chains and stacks of rings and are no longer exclusive to special occasions but worn every day casually. “People are beginning to feel less precious about fine jewelry,” says designer Lizzie Mandler.
In place of ultra-dainty designs featuring prong settings and whisper-thin bands, chunky engagement rings are gaining momentum, including wider bands and more sturdy bezel and signet settings. Though engagement ring trends evolve at a much slower pace than most other fashion and accessory moments, a clear shift is happening in the fine jewelry category of late.
0 kommentar(er)
