Four Engagement Ring Trends to Avoid

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An engagement ring symbolizes a personal decision about a long-term commitment. So you don’t want to let other people’s opinions bully you into a momentary trend.  

On the other hand, an engagement ring can also represent a public signal about a once-in-a-lifetime occasion, so you are likely working under a lot of pressure with limited experience. You want something that’s unique, but there’s a reason that jewelers are full-time professionals. That uranium ring might stand out from the crowd, but that’s because the crowd is correctly avoiding a radioactive hazard. What if you don’t know your partner’s preference?  What if your own taste in jewelry shifts as suddenly as your fickle taste buds? Tomatoes used to make you queasy but now they are your favorite food, just like your mom annoyingly predicted.

It’s only natural to look at trends and seek advice, but how do you customize that input for something that is a lifelong fit for your personality and relationship? Here’s a practical guide on trends to avoid when shopping for a ring.  

1. Overspending Just to Prove Something

Not gonna lie, a lot of people get caught up in this. But when it comes to getting burned by trends, just picking the highest price tag is a pretty surefire way to flame out. If you spend money you don’t have on something that’s going to be discounted next week, what’s the advantage there? Unless you plan on leaving the price tag on (and there are certainly some people who would love to do that), there are better ways of making a splash or investing in your marriage. Some studies have even suggested that overspending on engagement rings has an inverse relationship on the durability of the marriage. But it’s unquestionably true that the more you think through what aspects of the ring are the most important to you, the more affordable engagement ring options come into view. 

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2. Suffering Unnecessary Discomfort

Is everybody you know going for a vintage look? Great! But maybe that ring in your grandma’s attic has been sitting where it is because it turns the wearer’s finger green. Or irritates a nickel allergy. Consider something in a style that has stood the test of time, but makes use of modern technology that can guarantee hypoallergenic materials.

3. Taking Your Skin Out of the Game

You know when it’s time to give a trend a miss – when it looks bad from the jump. Thick bands and thin bands might come in and out of fashion, but thick bands will still look better on some types of fingers than others. Metallic shades will fall in and out of favor, but skin undertones are a constant current. So spend less time figuring out what is hot right now, and focus on what’s warm or cool for the ring wearer.

4. Losing Confidence in Yourself

Don’t be afraid of your instincts here. You are about to make a lasting commitment to another wonderfully complicated human being, so let that be the context. If you’ve got a taste of “When you know, you know” sensation, let that be your guiding compass. Your tastes may change, but that doesn’t mean you abandon what you used to like. So if the section of the catalog containing unique oval engagement rings is calling your name, don’t hang up. If that eternity band captures some of the sparkle of your partner’s smile, don’t be afraid to smile back.

Featured: The Victoria

Ring shoppers have more information and more options than they ever did before. They don’t have to rely on the seasonal stock of a nearby jeweler or availability of family heirlooms. And if that wasn’t enough, Modern Gents can also offer the assurance of our jewelry’s ethical origins and back the quality of our craftsmanship with a lifetime guarantee. And if someone steers you the wrong way on an initial purchase, we also provide hassle-free exchanges.