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When Halle Berry arrived at the London premiere of her new film “Crime 101” in January, red carpet watchers praised the 59-year-old Oscar winner’s bejeweled skirt and plunging V-neck bodysuit, worn with a striking silver pendant. But few noted the stunning vintage sparkler she had on her ring finger.
It wasn’t until Berry appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” in February that fans realized that the funky Deco-style bauble she had been sporting for the past month was actually an engagement ring.
The confusion was understandable. The ring — which dates back to the late 1940s to early 1950s — does not look like your typical engagement ring. Given by Berry’s longtime beau, musician Van Hunt, it features a round center diamond surrounded by a geometric grid of square-cut sapphires, set in yellow gold.
It was like a fashion-forward work of art. Which makes it both unique and, ironically, right on trend.
According to Sam Broekema, editor-in-chief of Only Natural Diamonds at the Natural Diamond Council, today’s brides are increasingly “drawn to engagement rings that are not engagement rings.”
“It’s not about a wham-in-your-face enormous diamond solitaire,” he says. “The symbolism of it is in the finger you wear it on, as opposed to the style [of the ring].”
An engagement ring, he adds, should “express you, express your union and your relationship — and we’re none of us cookie-cutter.”
Scott Udell, vice president of London Jewelers, has also witnessed this shift. His clients are requesting vintage cuts, sculptural designs and, especially, wide yellow gold bands, like Berry’s.
“Ten years ago, the engagement ring world was so white gold and platinum heavy,” he says. “Now, you’re seeing yellow and thicker bands, cigar-like bands. We’re making a ton of yellow gold rings.
“It’s a completely different look than what we were building a decade ago,” he adds.
Berry is just one of a myriad of celebrities saying “yes” to yellow gold. English pop star Dua Lipa, who confirmed her engagement to 36-year-old actor Callum Turner last summer, has a ring with a round, brilliant-cut diamond that sits very low, nearly flush with its fat yellow gold cigar band. It’s a modern pick that aligns with the 30-year-old singer’s bold fashion sense.
Miley Cyrus, 33, also opted for audacious yellow gold to commemorate her engagement to 27-year-old singer Maxx Morando. Her accessory — like Zendaya’s from last year — features an east-west (instead of vertical) bezel-set diamond, which was popular during the daring Art Deco era and, according to Udell, is beginning to trend again.
“It’s an interesting way to show personality,” says Broekema about both artists’ gold bands. “These diamond engagement rings have more presence and more oomph. Both Dua Lipa and Miley Cyrus have strong presences — they can have strong engagement rings, too.”
Taylor Swift’s fiancé, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, 36, also went for the gold to propose marriage — but with a more romantic vibe. Swift’s ring features engravings on the side and a big, antique, old mine diamond, a cut that was popular in the Victorian era.
It speaks to the 36-year-old musician’s vintage-inflected style and poetic lyrics.
“Diamond cutting has obviously grown more and more advanced and become more precise — you can have all sorts of fancy cuts,” Broekema notes. “But going back to the beginning, with an old mine cut, when diamonds were always cut by hand in this way, feels very romantic, like tying yourself to a love story like Catherine and Heathcliff.”
Indeed, Broekema predicts that Emerald Fennell’s recent “Wuthering Heights” movie will continue to influence engagement ring trends, too. He points to “Nouvelle Vague” actor Zoey Deutch’s large solitaire ring that — while not yellow gold — has a “soft cut” that, despite its antique roots, feels “very modern.”
“Old diamonds that have a sort of softer fire really resonate with people,” he says. Whether it’s an actual vintage ring (like Berry’s), an antique stone (like Swift’s) or just an old-timey cut (like Deutch’s), what’s old not only feels new, but sentimental as well.
“This idea of tying your commitment to a rich history feels really powerful right now,” Broekema notes. “It feels really special, and it’s really confident as well.”
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All available at London Jewelers, 2046 Northern Blvd., Manhasset, LI
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