The round brilliant diamond is by far the most popular cut for engagement rings available today. In fact, the round brilliant accounts for more than 70 percent of diamonds sold. This timeless, simple diamond shape looks great with just about any ring, from a classic four prong solitaire to a pavé encrusted bezel setting. However, when a round diamond meets a vintage-style setting, you end up with a ring that is truly breathtaking.
But what is it that makes a round cut engagement ring so popular? It could be the what this stone, tried and true over the ages, represents–an everlasting, old-fashioned love.
A Love For All Eternity
The wedding ring has long been a symbol of the eternal nature of a marriage. The way the ring encircles the finger, without a beginning or an end, is representative of the love and the bond between the newly wed bride and groom. Well, round engagement rings take this metaphor up to eleven; not only does the circular band symbolize everlasting love, the stone itself embodies that symbolic meaning.
This is precisely why the round cut diamond plays a big role in films such as My Best Friend’s Wedding or Sex and the City 2. In these films, the love is meant to last, and the round cut rings make it known.
Timeless, Classic Beauty
One of the reason vintage settings are so popular is because of their timeless beauty–the type of chic look for which round diamond rings are perfect. These rings have a look that screams “Age is just a number,” which is why it’s no surprise that classy, old soul women often sport vintage round engagement rings.
The classic look of a vintage round engagement ring has attracted the eye of many a poised and classy woman. Such beauties include Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman, whose round cut engagement ring features a halo of pavé diamonds, and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, whose ring was a vintage piece when she received it in 1947 (the diamonds used had once been part of her mother-in-law Princess Alice’s tiara).
A Gorgeous, Modern Twist
But while the round cut diamond is a classic, chic look, it is also an easy diamond to spice up with an astonishing setting. Songstress Fergie’s engagement ring features a beautiful round cut diamond with something a little different: a thick, gold band surrounded by stones of various colors. The thick band is an homage to vintage design, but the colorful stones in a star pattern bring in a modern edge, taking the timeless beauty of a round cut diamond and cranking up the sparkle. It’s perfect for a regular diva.
With a vintage setting, the round engagement ring goes from sweet to sensational. Extra diamonds (like the halo and other details in this ring inspired by the Art Deco look of the 1920s and 30s) can give even a modest-sized ring the sparkle it needs to impress, and the filigree work commonly found in vintage designs will add dimension and dynamics to the simple (yet beautiful) round cut, too.
Really, no matter how you decide to style it, a vintage round cut engagement ring will be an incredible looking ring that she will adore for years to come.
