They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. But that doesn’t mean a bride can’t get herself acquainted with sapphires, emeralds and rubies, too. In fact, today’s most coveted wedding jewelry is as likely to feature futuristic-sounding metals as it is the classic marriage of gold and diamonds.

Modern Metals, Treasured Gems
While standard diamond solitaires and pristine bands are the wedding rings of choice for many brides-to-be, more and more brides are eager to don rings that are a unique expression of their individual style and personality.

In both engagement rings and wedding bands, the biggest trend over the past decade has been the move toward platinum as the preferred choice of brides and grooms across the country. Why? Because platinum is an ideal material for jewelry pieces that you likely will wear almost every day for your entire life.

Not only does platinum’s natural whiteness enhance the sparkle of diamonds, but “Platinum’s durability makes it the perfect metal because it will not wear down like other jewelry metals when worn over time,” says Michael O’Connor, celebrity jewelry and style expert.

One of the biggest trends that Thomas Markle Jewelers marketing manager Holly Olson is tracking is the demand for matching sets, where the engagement ring and the bride’s and groom’s wedding bands all are a coordinated ensemble.

“The matching wedding set really symbolizes the unity between the couple,” Olson says. She further notes “a big swing” toward simple engagement bands. “Many designers, such as Jeff Cooper and Scott Kay, have really stuck to a simple and classic design, in 18K white gold, palladium and platinum. The introduction of more pliable white metals such as palladium is really giving couples options other than platinum.”

Olson notes that men’s bands are becoming more stylized and moving beyond traditionally popular metals. “Tungsten, titanium carbide and cobalt are really allowing men the freedom to find the engagement band that defines their personality,” she says.

While gold, platinum and diamonds are still, as they have been for years, the core elements of today’s wedding jewelry, more and more couples are incorporating color into their wedding adornments, too.

“Color is huge—from colored diamonds to beautiful colored gemstones,” O’Connor says. “The most popular is blue—usually sapphire—but other colors such as pinks are also catching on.”

Fine Design
According to O’Connor, the hottest design elements in wedding rings include micro-pavé, where the ring’s band is encrusted with the smallest possible diamonds to create a uniform, intricate look (as featured in the designs of Erica Courtney), and ornamentation across the entire ring from front to back to sides (a signature of pieces by Beaudry and Tacori).

The halo setting, where a set of smaller diamonds surrounds the center stone, is also very popular. “Couples are choosing a cleaner setting with bigger-size diamonds where they don’t see any metal, just stones,” says Yehouda Saketkhou, designer at award-winning Yael Designs in San Francisco. “It’s a very clean, modern look.”

Saketkhou says couples tend to go for straight bands where the bride has the option to wear the band with or without her engagement ring. “The straight band isn’t shaped around the ring,” Saketkhou says. “It goes right under the engagement ring.”

A tip to brides: If choosing 18K white gold, ask the jeweler what the gold is alloyed with. “All gold is yellow, so in order to create white gold, the yellow gold must be alloyed with a white metal,” Olson says. “Traditionally, the yellow gold is alloyed with nickel. But due to increased allergic reactions to nickel, many designers are beginning to alloy yellow gold with palladium. Not only does this create a hypoallergenic ring, but it also creates … a whiter gold than gold that is alloyed with nickel.”

“Ten to 15 years ago, couples didn’t care as much about quality, they just wanted a big look—it was more about the ‘bling’ and not about elegance,” Saketkhou adds. “But now people really want quality. They’re more conscious about the whole ring design and the mounting they’re buying, not only the center stone. Bridal couples don’t want just a lot of diamonds, they want a unique look. I think the fashion culture has changed so that people don’t like to show off as much—they look more for elegance and quality.”

Money Matters

For couples working with a strict budget, O’Connor recommends considering which elements of the wedding will last the longest and/or have the largest impact, and spending their money accordingly.

“For me, the expenditure of a large amount of money on an invite that nobody will keep, or flowers that will be thrown out is vastly outweighed by expenditures on wedding bands that will be worn every day for life and wedding photography that will be kept and referred to for years,” O’Connor says. “Therefore, I suggest making a budget, then prioritizing the elements of most importance. Work the budget down from the most meaningful long-lasting items to the least meaningful and momentary purchases.”

Olson recommends that couples focus on palladium or white gold as their metal, and really pay attention to the diamond they choose. “Everyone has heard of the 4Cs: cut, color, clarity and carat,” she says. “The most important of these four is the cut! What many don’t realize is that diamond cutters cut for weight. By cutting too deep or too shallow, they can give the diamond more weight (and overall, a higher price). But sadly, this can actually make a diamond look smaller than a lower-carat-weight diamond cut to perfect standards. So all in all, don’t overlook the smaller diamonds just because of carat weight—you will be surprised.”

Remember, jewelry is all about illusion. “You can create a very nice ring without using big, expensive diamonds,” Saketkhou says. “For example, instead of choosing a ring with a one-carat diamond center, you can go with a smaller carat diamond in the center, but by adding a halo around it, you complement the diamond and create a ring that looks like much more than it costs.”

Most importantly, O’Connor cautions: Don’t overspend on other elements of your wedding, and find yourself having to make hasty jewelry choices. “Wedding bands should be purchased at least six months prior to the wedding to ensure that the most appropriate symbols of the greatest commitment you will make are within grasp.”