Now that’s a Sparkler: Diamond Rings in the Forefront of Spring Fashion

Spring is the ultimate “new beginning.” After all the marshmallow snow melts, we are left with a magical season of sunshine, blossoming buds, and fresh starts--a perfectly romantic time to become engaged. And who does “perfect romance” better than a celebrity couple? Recent tabloids and magazines have been bursting with images of engagements; full page spreads answering the who, what, why, when, where questions, but mainly focused on the big, diamond ROCKS!

Judging by the success of magazines and tabloids alone it is safe to assume that the status quo of America is “I’ll have what he/she is having.” With tons of endorsement deals and promotions for products by celebrities, it is plain to see how much of an influence celebrity lifestyle has on the America public. So, let’s zone in on how celebrity culture is impacting the diamond industry this season.

The most recent high-profile celeb engagement announcement has been between reality television superstar Kim Kardashian and New Jersey Nets basketball player Kris Humphries. The ring presented to the future Mrs. Humphries is a 16.5-carat emerald-cut center stone flanked by two 2-carat trapezoids. Now, we could take the “emerald” cut style as a personal preference of Kardashian or we could look deeper into the trend. What other mega celebrity and recently engaged movie star received an emerald cut sparkler? None other than Kate Hudson. Proposed to by rocker beau Matthew Bellamy, Hudson proudly displayed her emerald-cut diamond, flanked by two sparkling baguettes, to the entire nation on the Today Show.

Kate Hudson

Kim Kardashian

A major trend? Yes, given the star power of Kardashian and Hudson, it would seem so. So, how can a jeweler or designer capitalize on this bridal trend? A seeming downside is that the broad, open facets of the emerald-cut diamond means that any inclusion or discoloration will be particularly obvious, and most individuals do not have hundreds of thousands of dollars to spend for a flawless stone. However—carat for carat—an emerald cut stone is less expensive for a customer to buy and the extensive publicity about celeb emerald-cut diamonds, customers may be willing to increase their planned budget (the upside!).

So, this spring, brush up on this beautiful diamond cut to prepare for celeb-obsessed brides-to-be who will be inquiring about emerald cut diamond engagement rings. One beautiful example: this socially responsible and eco-friendly ring crafted by AnaKatarina Eco Gioielli.

AnaKatarina Eco Gioielli