Once you’ve found the one, it’s time to find the ring. Buying an engagement ring can be overwhelming and emotional. From insight into what’s trending right now, to tips for picking out the best one for you, we talked to area experts. Here’s what we found. Top Trends Diamonds may be forever, but popular styles come and go. Celebrities can spark interest—toi et moi rings saw a major resurgence when Megan Fox shared a picture of her diamond-and-emerald engagement ring from then-fiance Machine Gun Kelly in 2022; marquise diamonds saw a spike thanks to Selena Gomez; and more recently, Taylor Swift’s vintage styles sparked a major interest in vintage.  In the DC area, vintage rings are especially popular among shoppers looking for a ring with history, or for something eco-friendly, says Rachel Pfeffer of Rachel Pfeffer Designs, though she notes vintage rings also don’t have to mean the entire ring is vintage—often pieces from an older ring can be used to create a totally different, fresh design. Engagement rings, top row, by Shelter. Bottom row by Hitched. And sometimes, the desired style only has to look vintage. Colin Shah at Shah Shah Distinctive Jewelers has been seeing a rise in warmer, more antique-colored diamonds—specifically diamonds within the K-M color range, with a faint yellow tint to them.  As far as diamond shapes go, Tiny Jewel Box owner Matthew Rosenheim and Boone Sons Jewelers’ Erik Boone both say elongated cuts are also trending—another trend that harkens to Swift’s ring, which experts have suggested may be an elongated cushion or “old mine” cut. Vintage or otherwise, Shelter founder Mallory Sweetbaum says she’s noticed that some customers are choosing thicker rings, with “heft” to them—turning away from the super delicate rings we’ve seen in the past. Kiersten Weed, from the new Georgetown jewelry shop Hitched, agrees, citing the current popularity of thick “cigar” bands—in addition to a growing demand for east-west settings, in which the stone is set horizontally along the band, perpendicular to the length of the finger. (Hint: Zendaya’s engagement ring features an east-west diamond!) Also on trend: “less decorative, more streamlined, clean, and contemporary” styles, says Rosenheim. Engagement rings, top row, by Boone Sons. Bottom row (left, photograph by Laura Metzler Photography) by Shelter. Locally, while Rosenheim says his DC clients tend to show “restraint” in their jewelry choices due to the city’s professional sphere, many Washingtonians do opt for the unexpected. Shah says that he finds Washingtonians have a taste for jewelry that’s funkier than their clothing choices would suggest. “I find that people are willing to be a little bit more adventurous and creative in their jewelry than they are even in their clothes. And in most places, it’s the opposite.” Colorful gemstones have long served as a somewhat unexpected alternative to diamonds in engagement rings—Princess Diana’s sapphire (now worn by Kate Middleton) among the most famous. In many cases the gemstones are more in keeping with the wearer’s personal style, but they can also be more economical.  Engagement rings, top row by Shelter; photographs by Laura Metzler Photography. Bottom left ring by Rachel Pfeffer Designs. Bottom right ring by Shelter. “Diamonds can be so expensive,” says Pfeffer. “If you’re just going for a giant  diamond, you could get a giant, other-color stone, that would be not as much, and look maybe cooler or prettier than that [white diamond],” she says. Dark blue sapphires are among the most sought after at Shelter and at Hitched, where Weed says actually rubies and alexandrites—which can range from blue to green to purple or a combination thereof—are not far behind.  Custom Jewels Having a ring designed specifically for you can be a dream—particularly if you have an heirloom stone you want to incorporate, says Sweetbaum. Likewise, it can be a great option if you’ve fallen in love with two rings with features you want to combine. The caveat, cautions Rosenheim, is that it can cause decision fatigue or overwhelm if you’re less sure of what you’re looking for.  Lab-Grown Buzz Today, customers can choose between a natural diamond and a lab-grown diamond, and there is a great divide amongst jewelers about which to choose.  Shah, who works only with natural diamonds, advises against lab-grown diamonds, citing environmental concerns, and disruptions to the local economies that are built around diamond mining, among other concerns. “It’s basically costume jewelry, but you’re paying for it in a precious metal.” Historically, he says, engagement rings were meant to show value to a woman. “So to me, this whole idea of seeking out the biggest and least expensive is contradictory to the spirit of jewelry—to me, that’s really where it goes wrong,” he says. On the other hand, Brilliant Earth, which expanded its brand with a storefront in Georgetown in 2017 and offers natural diamonds in addition to lab-grown versions, argues that its lab-grown gems have a smaller carbon footprint and less environmental disruption than mined diamonds. Sweetbaum recommends clients look at both. “Lab diamonds are a much more accessible price point than natural diamonds,” she says. “And that’s appealing to people.” How to Decide on the Right Ring To find the right engagement ring for you, Sweetbaum suggests taking time to “really explore styles you genuinely like, versus things that might feel trendy right now.” If you find a piece of jewelry you love, she suggests, look at the artist’s previous work. “If you like one thing about their work, you’ll probably like how they approach an engagement ring.” And: be realistic about your lifestyle and how an engagement ring would fit into it, adds Sweetbaum. A ceramicist working with their hands all day in clay, for example, should consider that practice when searching for the right ring. And, don’t forget about the wedding band! Boone says that it’s important to remember when shopping for an engagement ring that the engagement ring will be paired with your wedding ring. Trying on wedding ring styles during the engagement ring search, he says, is beneficial to the overall process.   The post Shopping for an Engagement Ring? Local Jewelers Talk Trends, Options, and Tips first appeared on Washingtonian. ...read more read less