In the wake of the rush on celebrity engagements in 2010, it seems that certain square cut diamond engagement rings dominated the scene. While Round cut diamonds are traditionally classy, there are several square shaped cuts that are considered more hip and trendy, which would explain their appearance in Hollywood over the past year; the most popular being Asscher, Cushion, and Princess cut diamonds.
Princess for a Disney Princess: Hilary Duff and Mike Comrie
In February of 2010, actress Hilary Duff confirmed her engagement to NHL Hockey player Mike Comrie and was spotted wearing a Princess cut diamond engagement ring around town. Not that it was hard to spot, at 14 carats, it was definitely one of the larger engagement rings of the year, and reportedly cost $1 million.
The Princess cut is considered the second most popular diamond cut, right behind the Round, because of the amount of facets that are cut into the diamond, allowing for almost as much light reflection as a Round. The trendy cut is at once modern but classic, and the perfect cut for Duff; the once reigning Princess of the Disney Channel who has grown into an elegant beauty.
Much like Duff’s ring, the Insignia 7034 features a Princess cut solitaire center, set onto a shank adorned with smaller Round cut diamonds and produces plenty of sparkle, even for those of us who aren’t planning on 14 carats.
A Sure Shot with a Cushion Cut: Maria Sharapova and Sasha Vujacic
Although it can be mistaken for an oval from afar, the Cushion cut, which has been around for almost a century, it is actually a square or rectangular shape that is cut with rounded corners and larger facets to increase brilliance. Many celebrities have worn them over the years, including Britney Spears during her infamous marriage to dancer Kevin Federline.
And when LA Laker Sasha Vujacic decided to propose to girlfriend and international tennis superstar this past October, Maria Sharapova, he made sure the ring lived up to her reputation. The cushion cut diamond ring that she can be seen wearing now is estimated to be anywhere from 7 to 8 carats set onto a thick, split shank and worth an estimated $250,000.
Same Design, Different Cut: Nick Lachey and Vanessa Mannillo
When Nick Lachey was married to Jessica Simpson the engagement ring she sported was much talked about, and with a three stone Pear shaped design it is no wonder. But when he proposed to longtime girlfriend Vanessa Mannillo this time around he stuck with the three stone design, but this time he updated the look with an Asscher cut.
Once popular in the Art Deco era of engagement rings, the Asscher cut was first created by brothers of the same name in Holland around 1902, and has made a comeback in recent years. Celebrities like Ashley Simpson and Zooey Deschenel.
The fashionable cut, which was also featured in an episode of Sex and The City, is considered a step cut because of the hall of mirror look it produces, and also features rounded corners. And because all of Verragio’s rings are made to order, this cut can also be fit into a Classico 0207, which features a three stone design set onto a clean shank, but thanks to Verragio’s Lumino setting, this design has a unique modern look to it.
So with each passing year there is always a new style or revival of an old trend, bringing to mind the phrase “everything old is new again.” And while there is another cliché that tells people to “think outside the box,” sometimes it is perfectly hip to be square, especially when it comes to these diamond engagement ring styles.