These engagement ring trends will be huge in 2026

In the early 2000s and 2010s, the engagement ring slipped into aesthetic autopilot, with bright-white round brilliants, sugary micro-pavé bands, halo settings, and princess cuts dominating the landscape. In 2025, we have a new version of diamond-ring ubiquity: the so-called “90210 ring,” a massive oval solitaire that was replicated endlessly on TikTok until it became its own algorithm. The result is a bridal monoculture where everything feels faintly interchangeable. At the other extreme are celebrity mega-rings that are enormous yet rarely distinctive. This trend points down to 2026 being the year brides finally push back.

Classic silhouettes still prevail. The six-prong Tiffany & Co. setting introduced in 1886 continues to define the textbook image of a solitaire, and the emerald-cut diamond—worn by everyone from Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly to Beyoncé and Amal Clooney—remains iconic. Four-prong settings have emerged as the more modern option, offering a minimalist look with less visible metal and therefore more attention on the stone. But how do you escape the churn of the traditional solitaire and choose something more personal?

A new mood is forming. It is warmer and more tactile, shaped by a desire for rings that feel designed rather than AI-generated. “People are trying to align with designers whose work actually resonates with them,” says New York-based jeweler Sarah Dyne, who sees clients gravitating toward labor-intensive, crafted settings rather than polished uniformity. Frank Everett, senior vice president of jewelry at Sotheby’s, notes the same shift. “People’s preference for rings is turning towards individuality, particularly favoring antique cuts for a long time.”

While the 2000s celebrated pristine brilliance, the next wave embraces personality. Remember when Carrie Bradshaw recoiled at a pear-shaped diamond on a yellow gold band? Today, that exact softened silhouette and warm tone are not only acceptable but also aspirational. The eclectic, personal aesthetic dominating fashion and interiors has filtered into bridal jewelry. Antique textiles, artisan-made ceramics, Bode-style patchwork jackets, and the broader return to craft have shaped a generation that values irregularity over flawlessness.

Zendaya’s east-west engagement ring is rumored to be the work of Jessica McCormack.

Zendaya’s east-west engagement ring is rumored to be the work of Jessica McCormack.

Photo: Getty Images

Antique stones and vintage cuts

The rise of antique diamonds—Old Mines, Old Europeans, and elongated antique cushions—shows no sign of slowing down. These stones offer softness, warmth, and a candlelit sparkle that comes from irregularity and hand-cut proportions. Their natural asymmetry and scarcity are exactly what modern clients are searching for.