The Australian Engagement Ring Trends to Watch in 2026

Engagement ring styles shift as time goes by, with new styles and design elements bringing a freshness to designs. Unlike fashion which moves at a fleeting pace, engagement ring trends are more thoughtfully curated. The key is designing new elements into a piece, while also creating a timeless design that will feel as beautiful on your hand now as it will in decades’ time.

Here are 3 emerging trends I’m seeing at our Australian jewellery studio, to inspire your very own modern-yet-timeless engagement ring design in 2026.

1. Solitaire Engagement Rings with Unique Design Elements

Solitaire engagement rings have long been a favourite for custom diamond ring designs in various ways. While round diamonds are a traditional choice, we’re seeing more and more clients choosing a unique design elements for their solitaire engagement rings.

Even with a simple concept of one single stone in an engagement ring, it’s the detail of these elements that allow a piece to be made personal. Clients are increasingly customising their designs with alternative diamond shapes, band textures, and setting orientations to bring modern elements to their designs. Incorporated into a classic single stone design, it becomes a beautiful blend of modern design alongside timeless simplicity.

2. Engagement Rings with Local Australian Gemstones

Diamonds have been a loved choice of gemstone for an engagement ring for many decades, though Australian couples are increasingly looking for alternatives for their custom ring designs. We’ve seen a particular interest in locally sourced gems, and take great joy in incorporating Australian gemstones into beautiful handmade ring designs.

Australia is home to stunning gemstones, many of which can be incorporate into an engagement ring design that will be worn every day. We’re seeing a growing interest in Australian coloured diamonds in neutral shades, as well as Sapphires in shades of classic blue and unique green. Creating an engagement ring with Australian gemstones is a wonderful way of supporting our local industries, while also capturing an element of your engagement story in your design.

3. Trilogy Engagement Rings with Unique Shapes and Colour

Trilogy engagement rings have a long history, with their three gemstones thought to represent a couple’s past, present and future as they embark on their next chapter of life together. Traditionally, trilogy rings are made with three round white diamonds, though the three-stone framework creates so many opportunities to customise a design.

We’re seeing a growing creativity in shaking up the design elements of a trilogy ring in unique ways. Alternative diamond shapes, coloured gemstones, bezel settings, and gemstone proportions have all been incorporated into custom engagement ring designs to change the style and personality of a ring. Each of these combinations creates a personal design while also maintaining the classic essence of a trilogy engagement ring.

These trends have brought a fresh new shift to the custom engagement ring design realm, while keeping the timeless essence of a ring that’s going to be worn for many years. Whether you’ve found some inspiration for your own ring, or have sparked a new idea for a unique design, creating a ring that’s uniquely yours is a beautiful way to celebrate your engagement story.

To begin a conversation with a jewellery maker and bring your unique vision to life, book your complimentary appointment for our Canberra studio or virtual appointment.

6 Vintage Inspired Engagement Ring Designs

Lovers of vintage style jewellery have a treasure trove of inspiration for their engagement ring design. From intricate metalwork, unique setting styles, and iconic layouts, there are so many beautiful design elements throughout the history of ring making to weave into a modern engagement ring.

Here are 6 vintage inspired engagement rings custom made at our studio, that bring the beauty of decades past to modern engagement stories.

1. Peach Gemstone Engagement Ring with Vintage Style Halo

The subtlest of details have a powerful impact on the look and feel of an engagement ring. Here, a modern halo engagement ring is given a vintage inspired touch with its elegantly shaped outline, reminiscent of a bygone era. The peachy pink of the centre oval gem (which can be found in Tourmaline, Morganite, or Sapphire) works beautifully with the rose gold band, alongside the bright white platinum and diamond halo.

2. Filigree Diamond Engagement Ring

A true vintage ring is a stunning treasure, though often presents with structural issues stemming from decades of wear. Here, a vintage heirloom was re-created, allowing the new wearer to keep all the incredible history and style of their family’s ring, while ensuring it’s strength for another generation of wear. Hand shaped filigree and milgrain-edged elements are the replicated in the new ring, true to its original design, with a custom designed wedding ring to perfectly match.

3. Art Deco Inspired Sapphire Engagement Ring

Few design periods throughout history are as instantly recognisable as the Art Deco era, with its signature bold geometric elements. Here, the gemstone selections, structural arrangements and finishing details bring a distinctly Art Deco inspired feel to a timelessly modern sapphire engagement ring design.

4. Illusion Set Diamond and Ruby Engagement Ring

Originally created to give the illusion of a diamond appearing bigger than it is, illusion settings evolved into a beautiful design element in their own right. Stunning shaping and carvings create light reflections in the ring itself and give a distinctly vintage style.

5. Floral Milgrain Halo Engagement Ring

Milgrain edging is the tiny raised metal beads applied to the edges of a ring element, which rose to popularity over a century ago. It’s a seemingly small detail, yet has a powerful impact on the texture and style of a ring. Here, it’s applied around the small round diamonds of the engagement ring halo, giving it a fancy, vintage inspired style.

6. Swirling Vintage Style Halo Engagement Ring

Before the rise of digital design tools and manufacturing methods, all jewellery was made entirely by hand, making the intricate designs and structures of vintage style engagement rings all the more impressive. This ring captures that fully, not just in style, but in how it was created. Entirely handmade, its vintage inspired swirls, details, and structure are a nod to the beautiful style and skilful metalwork methods of generations past.

These 6 vintage inspired engagement ring designs are beautiful ways to bring the designs of a bygone era to a modern engagement ring story. See our custom jewellery gallery for more designs, or book an appointment to begin designing your very own custom piece.

The Australian Engagement Ring Trends to Watch in 2025

Like all things we wear, jewellery has trends that come and go with the times. While engagement rings are more resistant to the fashions of clothing (after all, they’re an item we wear for a very long time, not just one season), there are still shifts in styles that flow through engagement ring designs as times and generations change.

While you don’t want to choose an engagement ring based solely on a “trend”, new designs and styles are great inspiration for finding fresh ideas you haven’t thought of, to find something that is uniquely yours to love for many years to come. Here are the 4 engagement ring trends I’ve seen emerge in Australia, to keep your eye on if you’re designing your ring this year.

1. Asymmetrical Engagement Rings

While engagement rings are typically thought of as a straight band with a centre gemstone in the middle, there are so many ways to design an engagement ring that challenge classic profiles.

Fluid shapes in gemstones and band shapes have shaken up what has historically been thought of as an engagement ring in a way that’s fresh, elegant, yet still timeless and wearable. Asymmetrical designs are growing in popularity with freeform gemstone cuts, angled settings, and flowing wraparound bands, to create engagement ring designs that feel very different to those of generations past.

2. East-West Set Engagement Rings

Traditionally, engagement rings with longer diamond shapes are set with the gemstone vertically, with their longest side angled up-to-down on the band. Recent years have seen more and more gemstones set horizontally, or east-to-west, on the band.

This style is particularly great for oval cut diamonds and emerald cut diamonds, and allows you to have the simplicity and practicality of a solitaire engagement ring, with a profile that feels modern too.

3. Engagement Rings with Patterns and Colours in the Band

Most trends for engagement rings revolve around the centre gemstone, or shape as a whole, though there’s growing attention to bringing a unique spin to engagement ring designs through the detail in the band, or the wedding ring alongside it. Smaller gemstones seem like a minor detail, though have a powerful impact on the style and uniqueness of a ring.

Traditionally, engagement ring bands have either been entirely plain, or had all diamonds along the band. There’s a growing interest in fresh takes on these two options for band designs, by playing with diamond arrangements, patterning, and colour, which opens up endless options. This is a beautiful way to draw in meaning and personality to your design, for example by incorporating birthstones, favourite colours, or reminders of important moments together for your unique engagement ring.

4. Solitaire Engagement Rings

It feels like cheating to include a ‘classic’ engagement ring design in a ‘trend’ round up. However the interest in solitaire engagement rings has been so strong lately, it had to make my list. Many couples are opting for a single, beautiful gemstone for their engagement ring, in a classic solitaire setting to celebrate their engagement.

With such a classic design, the gemstone becomes the all important detail. Choosing your solitaire ring brings the focus to choosing just one wonderful gemstone that you love. While the classic round brilliant cut diamond is always a favourite for engagement rings, they’re not the only shape being sought for solitaire ring designs. Brilliant cut diamonds of all shapes, sizes, and proportions are making their mark as a subtle but beautiful way to make solitaire engagement rings unique.

There’s an art to bringing these trends to an engagement ring design that feels modern, timeless, and perfectly suited to the person who wears it. Looking at these 4 trends is a great starting point to finding your perfect design.

For help designing an engagement ring that’s both fresh, and uniquely yours, book your complimentary appointment to chat directly with a jeweller.

4 Coloured Gemstones for Engagement Rings

While white diamonds have been the dominant choice of gemstones for engagement rings for many years, there are many more gemstone options out there if you’re looking for an engagement ring with colour.

Engagement rings are often a piece of jewellery that’s worn every day, so it makes sense to choose a gemstone variety that’s durable. Luckily, there are durable gemstone varieties that are found in a stunningly diverse range of colours. Here are my 4 go-to coloured gemstone varieties for including in an engagement ring design.

1. Coloured Diamond Engagement Rings

White diamonds are the most well known of all diamonds, but they aren’t the only colour that diamonds can be. Coloured diamonds are just as strong and durable as their white counterparts, so are an excellent choice for a coloured engagement ring.

The range of colours, and the subtle variations within them make each coloured diamond stunningly unique. We often reach for Pink Diamonds and Yellow Diamonds as both feature gemstones, or secondary accents in engagement ring designs. Blue diamonds make for beautiful icy blue additions, and there are even diamond colours so unique that they defy conversational colour descriptions.

Coloured Diamonds also allow a choice of local Australian mined gemstones, with Pink, Cognac, and Champagne diamonds found locally.

2. Sapphire Engagement Rings

One of the most famous blue coloured gemstones for very good reason, Sapphires make for beautiful features in engagement rings. They’re one of the strongest coloured gemstone varieties, making them a sensible and stunning choice for an engagement ring that will be worn every day.

Blue Sapphires are found all around the world, including Australia, Sri Lanka, Montana, and Madagascar. They’re found in shades from deep rich blues, right through to pastels, and are faceted into a wide variety of shapes, giving you endless options for a unique feature gemstone in your engagement ring. Small blue sapphires are also beautiful bright additions as accents to a diamond engagement ring.

3. Fancy Sapphire Engagement Rings

While Blue Sapphires are by far the most famous, ‘Fancy Sapphire’ is the term used to describe all other colours Sapphire can be found in - and that spectrum of colour is huge. From bright yellows, to deep greens, to rare peachy pink Padparadscha sapphires, and even Parti Sapphires that feature multiple colours in one gems, there’s a colour for every taste in this magnificent gemstone family.

If you’re looking for a statement gemstone in an engagement ring, in a very specific colour, or one so unique that no one else will have, Fancy Sapphire is an excellent rabbit hole to explore for your perfect coloured gemstone.

4. Spinel Engagement Rings

If you haven’t heard of Spinel (pronounced spi-NEL), get ready to be in awe. It’s a lesser known, yet exquisite gemstone that’s perfect for a unique engagement ring.

Spinels are especially beautiful in big bold colours that make an incredible statement in a coloured engagement ring. Our favourite spinel colours include neon pink, rich red, peachy tones, and bright cobalt blues, though they are also found in a huge range of other colours.

There’s something about the way Spinels play with colour and light that makes them intriguing from the second you see one in real life. Plus, their relative obscurity in common gemstone knowledge makes them an excellent conversation starter every day that engagement ring is on your finger.

Looking to bring to life your very own coloured gemstone engagement ring? Book your complimentary appointment to begin exploring your ideas and the wonderful world of gemstones with our colour-loving jeweller.

Engagement Rings Without Claws

Claw style settings are the most common style of setting gems for engagement rings. However, claws settings aren’t for everyone, for a range of reasons. Some people simply don’t like claw settings. Others have an active lifestyle or hands-on work environment (such as a nurse or doctor) that makes a ring with claws impractical.

If this is you, here are 4 clawless engagement ring styles to inspire your design.

1. Bezel Set Engagement Rings

A bezel setting completely surrounds a gem to hold it in place. The metal of the setting encircles the gem right around, up over its girdle (or edge) creating a secure case for it. Bezels create a sleek, modern look to an engagement ring design.

Bezel settings are great for people who need a secure, claw free setting for practical reasons in their day to day life. A single round gemstone in a solitaire bezel set design is the ultimate in practicality. These settings can also be used in engagement ring designs that include multiple gemstones, for a more creative design that’s also practical to wear.

2. Half Bezel Engagement Rings

A half bezel setting (or semi bezel setting) partially encloses a gemstone, leaving some of the girdle (or edge) open. Half bezels can be used as a direct swap for claw settings in traditional design profiles, or they can be incorporated into curved wraparound bands for more unique engagement ring designs.

3. Inset Engagement Rings

For a style where the gems and the band are flush with each other, engagement rings with inset gemstones work beautifully with all precious metal and gemstone colours. This style of clawless engagement ring is best with gemstones in smaller sizes so that the band thickness can accommodate the depth of the gemstone (for larger gems, a bezel set design is a better design option).

Inset rings are delightfully practical to wear, with no raised settings in the piece. This style of clawless engagement ring is one you’ll enjoy wearing day in and day out for many years.

4. Illusion Set Engagement Rings

While technically a claw setting, an illusion setting wears more like a clawless design. An illusion setting surrounds a centre diamond with a patterned ring of metal. Beautiful bright cut patterns in the setting add dimension and interest in the piece.

Illusion settings are reminiscent of vintage engagement ring styles, with an elegant old world feel about them. They’re also excellent at making small diamonds appear larger than they really are, which makes them an appealing choice when incorporating small heirloom diamonds into a new engagement ring piece.

Design Your Own Engagement Ring Without Claws

These four beautiful gemstone setting styles can be used to create a custom engagement ring without using claws. If you’re ready to design your own clawless ring, meet directly with our jeweller maker in Canberra or online to get all the advice you need.

You may also like:

4 Solitaire Engagement Ring Styles

Solitaire diamond rings are a timeless and versatile choice for engagement rings, particularly when made with a round brilliant cut diamond. They’re perfect for those who don’t ordinarily wear a lot of jewellery, as well as those who have a large jewellery collection because they’ll match seamlessly with any style, every day.

There are many solitaire styles you can opt for when designing your own engagement ring. Here are 4 solitaire designs with a round brilliant cut diamond to inspire your ring design.

1. Classic 6-claw Solitaire Engagement Rings

Classic designs are classics for very good reason. When it comes to solitaire engagement rings, the classic 6-claw setting has long been a true classic, and will likely continue to be for generations to come. Six claw settings work beautifully with a round brilliant cut diamond shape, and allow for so many options on when you’re choosing a wedding ring and eternity ring to match with it.

2. Modern 4-claw Solitaire Engagement Rings

The 4-claw setting is as versatile as a 6-claw setting, with a modern style. It’s an excellent choice of engagement ring for wearers who take a minimalist approach to jewellery, and it makes the diamond the star of the piece. Four claw settings are an excellent choice for smaller gemstones because they ensure the metal doesn’t overwhelm the stone.

3. Bezel Set Solitaire Engagement Rings

While claw settings are common in engagement rings, they’re not the only option for setting styles. Clawless engagement rings are possible. Bezel settings offer a sleek, modern appeal and look amazing with round brilliant cut diamonds. They’re perfectly suited to wearers who need a secure, safe style to wear to work or day to day life, and are a popular choice among healthcare workers, and mums with active young children.

4. Half Bezel Solitaire Engagement Rings

For those wanting just one single diamond in their engagement ring, but also a unique engagement ring design, half bezel settings allow you to have both. With settings that cover half but not all of the diamond, half bezels allow for more unique shapes in an engagement ring structure. A wrap around engagement ring design like the one below hugs the feature diamond, creating an elegant and bold style. A matching fitted wedding ring to wear alongside it when you say “I do” further adds to the uniqueness of this ring style.

Design your own solitaire engagement ring with an Australian jeweller

These four solitaire engagement rings are just the beginning when it comes to creating a timeless yet personal design. Subtle changes to setting styles, band types, claw shapes can change the whole look of an engagement ring, while maintaining a versatile appeal. Find more design inspiration here: What is a solitaire engagement ring?.

If you’re ready to design your own solitaire engagement ring, book an appointment directly with our jewellery maker, to get all the advice you need for your design.

You may also like

6 Unique Diamond Shapes for Engagement Rings

When it comes to engagement rings, round brilliant cut diamonds have been the most popular choice of diamond shape for decades. However, diamonds are cut into a wide range of different shapes. Some are familiar, though there are many diamond shapes that very few people know about. If you’re looking for a unique diamond shape for your engagement ring, here are 6 beautiful alternatives to the round brilliant cut diamond.

1. Oval Shaped Diamond Engagement Rings

A shape that is almost round, but not quite, oval shaped diamonds have been an increasingly popular diamond shape for engagement ring designs throughout the 2020s. They’re elegant, flattering on the finger, and work beautifully alongside small brilliant cut diamonds if you want to add extra sparkle. While they’ve been popular, each oval diamond has unique variations in the proportions and curving of their specific oval shape, making each one unique. This makes an oval shape diamond a beautiful choice that is both on trend and uniquely personal in one.

2. Asscher Cut Diamond Engagement Rings

A style that has been around long before the round brilliant cut diamond soared into popularity, the Asscher cut diamond makes for a beautifully unique engagement ring. Step cut faceting in these diamonds creates a ‘hall of mirrors’ effect in the stone. Asscher cut diamonds have a beautiful vintage style feel to them, yet can also be designed into modern engagement ring designs like the bezel set signet-inspired ring below.

3. Radiant Cut Diamond Engagement Rings

The radiant cut is so rarely used in white diamond engagement rings, that we’ve only had a few of these made into rings at our studio. Here’s why almost no one knows about them.

Radiant cuts are common for coloured diamonds, because the way the faceting reflects light within the stone enhances the colour within it. For a coloured gemstone, this is an excellent property, enhancing the colour in the stone. However, apply this logic to white diamonds where a lack of colour is the goal, and you can see why radiant cuts pose a problem. Jewellery makers who use anything below the very highest of white colour grades avoid them because they’ll enhance any yellow/brown/grey shades within the stone, even if they’re subtle. With the highest colour grades in a D-F diamond though, like the ones we use in our jewellery studio, radiant cut faceting showcases a colourless diamond beautifully, and creating incredible white light reflections in the stone. To me, it’s one of the very best hidden-in-plain-sight secrets of the fine diamond jewellery world.

4. Emerald Cut Diamond Engagement Rings

The emerald cut diamond is one that brings an elegant old world style to an engagement ring design. They’ve been around for hundreds of years, but soared to popularity in the art deco era, when design was dominated by geometric, streamlined shapes. Due to its smaller number of facets than a brilliant cut - many of which are long and rectangular - be sure to look for excellent clarity and colour to get the most out of this beautiful shape.

5. Cushion Cut Diamond Engagement Rings

Before modern diamond faceting advanced, cushion shaped profiles known as ‘old mine cuts’ were one of the few shapes of diamond around. The modern cushion cut diamond takes this shape and applies modern brilliant cut faceting techniques, to create a sparkly beautiful blend of modern and traditional styles. Cushion cut diamonds work marvellously in a wide variety of engagement ring designs, giving you the flexibility to get creative with your piece. They’re available in square or more elongated cushion shapes, which both make for beautiful engagement rings.

6. Kite Shape Diamond Engagement Rings

I'll finish my list with a diamond shape that’s so unique, it doesn’t even have a consistent agreed upon name among jewellers and gemmologists. This last diamond shape on my list can be called a ‘kite cut diamond’, ‘shield cut diamond’ or ‘pentagon diamond’, depending on who is naming it. Though whatever you decide to call it, it’s a unique and beautiful diamond shape for an engagement ring that almost no one knows about. Each diamond faceted in this way has significant differences in its shape and proportions. So if you’re looking for a kite shape diamond, be prepared to find diamonds that look quite different from one to the next, and enjoy the process of choosing the one you like best.

Design your own unique diamond engagement ring with a jewellery maker

These 6 diamond shapes are a few of many available alternatives to the popular round brilliant cut diamond. If you’re looking for a unique ring, there are many options around to incorporate into your engagement ring design. To begin exploring the shapes you love, book an appointment directly with our jewellery maker to get personal advice and support with designing a beautifully unique piece.

You may also like: