Written by JENNIFER DZIEDZIC

Choosing the perfect engagement ring is a difficult challenge, especially if you’re attempting to surprise your partner on a sleigh ride while tucked away in a cozy, snow-covered mountain town during the holidays.

Blame the Hallmark channel for making us think we have to live up to those standards.

Luckily, according to Brides.com, 62% of couples now shop together for engagement rings. Doing so eliminates the need of getting her ring size from a friend as choosing the right size and style comes down to trying on rings in person.

As trends go, there’s been a shift back to the classics, according to Amy Harrelson, master jeweler at Morgan’s Jewelers in downtown Newnan. With nearly 20 years of experience working alongside other master jewelers, she brings a wealth of knowledge back to the community where she grew up.

Harrelson has created numerous double haloes and kite-set, princess-cut-style rings, which are proving popular these days. Since joining the Morgan’s team in September, she says she’s noticed solitaire engagement ring designs making a comeback as well as a few unusual center stone cut choices like the oval. She’s sold a few with marquise, which are an elegant stone cut that elongates the fingers.

Substantial cast rings with delicate side stones in pave settings require a lot of maintenance, according to Harrelson, who says a ring that offers easy day-to-day wear and care will last longer.

Fitting the ring to the bride is important, and the master jeweler has done a lot of peghead changes that lower a setting when the main stone is set too high.

“Maybe she’s a nurse and has to put on 20 gloves a day that are always catching, so we’ll try to lower the stone,” says Harrelson, noting that medical gloves are notorious for plucking pavé stones off settings. “Thinking of one’s lifestyle while shopping for a ring is helpful.”

While diamonds are still the most popular choice for engagement rings, Harrelson says she’s seen a few other colored stones incorporated in engagement ring settings, including sapphires and emeralds. Sapphires in engagement settings stand for faithfulness and sincerity and offer a more affordable option for a center stone while remaining elegant, according to the master jeweler. Emeralds represent self-acceptance and self-love as well as love for others.

As for engagement ring metal types, brides are opting more for yellow gold and rose gold than she’s ever seen, says Harrelson, noting that the popular rose gold complements warm and cooler skin tones.

Custom ring design is an option for brides who want the perfect ring that no one else will be wearing. Harrelson enjoys talking with couples about designing their rings, getting into their minds to determine the ideal design for their lifestyle and what they would be comfortable wearing.

Trends with men’s engagement rings are going vintage to “plain bands, plain yellow gold and also the hand-carved look,” says Harrelson. “They mainly stick to white and platinum and yellow gold. It was about a decade ago that titanium and all that was a big thing, but people’s finger sizes change, and you can’t size those.”

For 2021, Harrelson predicts that one engagement ring design to make a splash will be the sunburst style. The revival of this unique design features a main center stone fanned by baguettes, recalling the Art Deco style from a century earlier. To truly complement the look of this ring, a bride could incorporate a family heirloom diamond for an authentic antique cut stone in a design to match.

Bottom line, weddings rings symbolize eternal love, so choosing the right one is worth the effort you put into the hunt

NCM