If your other half told you they'd like an art deco cluster engagement ring, would you know what you're looking for? What about a princess cut halo? Or a contemporary geometric-style setting? Engagement ring shopping can be daunting enough (after all, it's a lot of cash and a lot of pressure!) without adding a whole glossary of terminology in the mix. You may have swotted up on your 4Cs (if not, and you're buying a diamond, you should!), and the jewellery shop staff will guide you through most of the tricky stuff, but there is one thing you need to be armed with before you start shopping (aside from your debit card!); what style of engagement ring you're looking for.
Style is the first question you'll be asked when you walk into the shop, it will dictate the kind of stores you should look in, and it may even contribute to how much you're likely to spend. While you might have an idea of what kind of ring you think your partner would like (maybe they've pointed out a few in shop windows or on Instagram? Or you've taken in the style of jewellery they already owns), you might not be able to articulate it. So that's what we're helping you with here. We're arming you with as many engagement ring styles we could think of, so you'll know what you're looking for - and what to ask for - when the time comes to make your all-important purchase.
Classic Ring Styles
These engagement ring styles are the ones you'll find in almost any jewellery shop you walk into. Classic in this context doesn't mean boring or basic, these ring styles are versatile, timeless and work with a variety of different gemstones, shapes of stone, and metals, and may overlap into more unusual vintage or contemporary ring settings.
Three Stone Engagement Ring
Three, four or five stone rings are all really popular settings. With a three-stone setting the centre stone can be a little larger flanked by two accent gems, or all three stones will be similarly sized.
Solitaire Engagement Ring
The ultimate classic, and with good reason. A solitaire ring is a single stone ring (sometimes with an embellished band). These rings are all about the rock, so investing in a quality gemstone is key. Look out for the prongs too - how the stone is held in the ring, whether it's six-prong (as above) or four or three - this tends to be a distinguishing feature when you're deciding between two solitaire settings.
Halo Engagement Ring
A halo engagement ring, is a ring with a centre stone that has a ring of diamonds or gemstones around it. Great for adding sparkle to a coloured gemstone or to make a smaller stone look larger.
Double Halo Engagement Ring
Like a halo but double the diamonds! A double halo is a great option for brides who like to wear big, statement jewels.
Cluster Engagement Ring
Cluster rings come in a plethora of different styles, sometimes they feature a central stone, or other times every stone in the ring is similarly-sized.
Twist Engagement Ring
Twist engagement ring bands have become increasingly popular in recent years and are a nice way to give a solitaire setting a contemporary update.
Bezel Engagement Ring
A bezel setting is when the stones sit into the metal rather than being held in with prongs.
Pavé Engagement Ring
A pavé engagement ring is when the band is encrusted with stones - definitely one for brides who love a little glamour.
Coloured Stone Engagement Ring
Coloured stone engagement rings cover a wealth of ring styles that don't feature white diamonds. Look to classics like rubies, emeralds and sapphires, as well as more trendy stones like tanzanite, morganite or grey diamonds.
Bombe Engagement Ring
A bombe engagement ring has a raised dome, embellished with gemstones - this one is for the lady who loves a little luxury.
Vintage & Vintage-Inspired Ring Styles
If you know your other half loves vintage style, appreciates gifts with a story behind them, or has a kinship about a certain era, it's likely she might have her eye on an antique or vintage engagement ring (or a new ring that's inspired by vintage design). For antique engagement rings, places like Powerscourt Townhouse in Dublin or Grays in London are great places to start, as they're a veritable treasure trove of vintage jewels. Here's some specific vintage styles to look out for...
Art Deco Engagement Ring
The Art Deco period covers the late 20s and 30s, and this era of opulence inspired some great style and gorgeous jewellery (think Great Gatsby). For an Art Deco engagement ring (or Art Deco-inspired like the one above), look for baguette cut stones, fanned motifs, geometric shapes and sometimes, a touch of colour.
Victorian Engagement Ring
Victorian jewellery comes from the latter half of the 19th century, its signature elements are heavy, ornate metalwork, and statement stones. Flower-shaped clusters, and three and five-stone settings are particularly popular in Victorian engagement rings.
Edwardian Engagement Ring
Edwardian jewellery spans just nine years, from 1901-1910, the rings from these era feature lots of oval-shaped settings, bombe settings, floral clusters, ruby and blue sapphire stones, and embellished metals, with curls and beading.
Art Nouveau Engagement Ring
Art Nouveau jewellery is, next to Art Deco, the most stylised and identifiable vintage jewellery style. Dating from 1890 to 1900, Art Nouveau was a celebration of the creative arts, so its jewellery often looks hand-scripted, featuring lots of swirls, pastel colours, and influences from flowers, birds and butterflies. For an engagement ring look for something delicate, with petal-shaped side stones, swirled embellishment and beading.
Retro/Mid-Century (1940s, 50s, 60s, or 70s) Engagement Rings
Retro jewellery covers a lot of different styles over a long period of time, but it's basically modern vintage (think your mum or your granny's rings). These decades produced lots of gorgeous jewellery, with both designs that were contemporary at the time, and settings that were inspired by the past.
Baroque Engagement Rings
An authentic baroque engagement ring will be pretty hard to come by, but there are lots of makers creating beautiful baroque-inspired pieces. These rings will be gold-heavy, with uneven stones, and lots of ornate gothic-style detailing.
Acrostic Engagement Rings
An acrostic engagement ring is such a romantic idea. Acrostic rings tend to be more like eternity rings in style (a band with stones set into it), but the chosen stones spell out a word. A is for amethyst, D is for diamond, etc - the ring above spells out 'Dearest', how sweet is that! These rings date back to the Napoleonic era, but are having a bit of a moment once again.
Modern & Alternative Styles
As with anything alternative, the sky really is the limit when it comes to modern engagement rings, there are exciting designers throughout Ireland and around the world, making beautiful, and innovative designs. These are just some examples of the most popular contemporary engagement ring styles, but this style really lends itself to a custom made ring, so look to places like Natasha Sherling or Stonechat Jewellers for something bespoke.
Some of these designs can be tricky to pair up with wedding rings, so look out for bridal sets (where the engagement ring and wedding band are designed to fit together) when you're shopping.
Molten engagement rings are hugely popular at the moment. These rings that use a textured, 'imperfect' cast to create a modern piece that still has a slightly old and craggy feel to it. These rings are often inspired by nature and feature unusual coloured gemstones.
Minimal Engagement Rings
A minimal ring is pretty much what it says on the tin, a thin band, a delicate setting, small understated stones - these rings sometimes have a geometric element to them too.
Geometric Engagement Rings
The trend for all things geometric is really popular throughout weddings, and engagement rings are no different. Think triangle settings, angular shaped bands (see below) and unusual geometric cut diamonds and gemstones.
Confetti Engagement Rings
Popularised by designers like Polly Wales, who make beautiful things from the less perfectly cut stones, these rings see stones of contrasting hues set into the band. These rings sometimes have a molten look to them too.
Suspended Stone Engagement Rings
Suspended stones or tension rings can play on the geometric trend, but they can also be a great way to show off a spectacular stone - be sure to check out different wedding ring pairings with these, as the wrong band could throw this style off.
Enamel Engagement Rings
While enamel isn't as durable as diamonds or sapphires, it has been becoming increasingly sought-after for engagement rings - if you do go for it, just make sure you invest in some rubber gloves too, for doing the dishes.
Etched Engagement Rings
Etching is a feature across all jewellery, and is as common in vintage engagement rings as it is in modern, but if your partner is looking for an alternative engagement ring, etching is a nice way to add a little interest to a band.
Shaped Band Engagement Rings
Shaped bands were created initially as wedding bands to sit around unusually-shaped engagement rings, but now with the trend for stacking ring, they're becoming a stylish engagement ring option too.
Cosmos-Inspired Engagement Rings
Cosmic-inspiration is a theme running through lots of modern jewellery, so it's worth including as a style of its own. Constellation rings are extremely popular, as are moon-shapes, glistening opals and moonstones and spaced out stones along the band.
Granulated Engagement Ring
Granulated beading is starting to appear in lots of contemporary jewellery, and is a follow-on from the trend for molten rings. Nice for someone who likes detailing, but not too much sparkle.
Side Stone Ring
This beautiful setting works wonderfully as a proposal or promise ring as the open band symbolises two individuals eventually coming together to become one. Choose two diamonds, or perhaps both of your birthstones. These also work very well when stacked with other rings.
Minimal Engagement Rings
Small stones, unfussy settings, or simple bands, minimal engagement rings can be different things to different people, so if you know your other half wants a 'minimal' engagement ring, get a good idea of what exactly that means to them.
Modern Cluster Engagement Ring
Unique and unusual clusters are the perfect way of including lots of colour or different gemstones in a ring - you can base them around a colour palette or go all out with contrasting hues in unsymmetrical settings.
You & Me Ring
Two uniquely shaped stones side by side on one band symbolises the two of you coming together. Square and pear-shaped stones are popular together for the engagement ring, with a diamond solitaire for a wedding band that sits between the two.
More helpful advice for engagement ring shopping:
- How much you should spend on an engagement ring?
- Why you should consider a token engagement ring
- How to work out someone's ring size
- Where to buy an engagement ring in Ireland
- How to design your own engagement ring
- Why you should think twice about proposing with an inherited ring
- What to do if you don't love your engagement ring
- Engagement rings for men
