Wedding Rings & Engagement Rings Through the Decades

Key Takeaways

• Popular wedding rings through the decades are influenced by fashion, the economy, and social trends.
• 1900s & 1910s engagement rings were inspired by the Edwardian and Art Nouveau periods, using ornate designs and nature-inspired elements.
• 1920s & 1930s engagement rings incorporated geometrical lines from the Art Deco movement, followed by simple, solitaire rings during the Great Depression.
• 1940s engagement rings used more gold and palladium instead of platinum, due to wartime scarcity, but platinum and white gold were brought back by the 1950s for a white-on-white aesthetic. 
• 1960s & 1970s engagement rings were fueled by originality, following more bohemian, colorful, and chunkier designs.
• 1980s engagement rings were extravagant, with some using colored gemstones, giving way to more sleek, thin, minimalist engagement rings in the 1990s.
• 2000s & 2010 engagement rings followed the bling, with other trends like rose gold and halo settings becoming popular.
• 2020s engagement rings are largely bespoke and personalized, with more exotic materials used.

Ring styles through the decades have reflected each era’s distinct fashion trends, economic conditions, social cultures, and overall prevailing culture. 

The underlying symbolism behind engagement and wedding rings has remained consistent, but the styles have evolved to tell unique stories and hold a mirror up to days gone by.

Engagement and Wedding Ring Trends by Decade

Join us as we explore the most popular engagement rings through the decades, from the turn of the century to the present day.

1900s & 1910s: Edwardian Extravagance Meets Art Nouveau Artistry

During this era, rings were heavily influenced by two prominent movements: Edwardian and Art Nouveau.

Edwardian Extravagance

The Edwardian era was defined by the lavish tastes of King Edward VII, Queen Alexandra, and aristocrats as a whole.

• The opulent rings often had delicate, feminine, ornate designs reminiscent of embroidery or fine lace.

• Symmetry was very popular.

• Common motifs included bows, ribbons, wreaths, and garlands.

• Many rings featured diamonds, particularly with the Old European cut, as well as colorful accent stones, like emeralds, rubies, and sapphires.

• White-on-white platinum rings with diamonds and/or pearls were also prevalent.

Art Nouveau Artistry

When analyzing wedding rings and engagement rings through the decades, it’s important to remember that trends often varied widely based on societal and economic class. 

Art Nouveau rejected the stuffy, overly formal, ritzy movements, instead emphasizing the value of artistry over aristocracy. 

• Art Nouveau pieces prioritized an emotional connection with the piece over lavish ornamentation.

• The rings often had designs and motifs inspired by elements of nature, such as flowers, foliage, insects, birds, and other flora and fauna.

• In contrast to the high-end stones in Edwardian pieces, Art Nouveau rings often had semi-precious stones and enamel.

• Shapes were more fluid and curvy, and asymmetry was more common.

As you learn about engagement rings through the decades, keep in mind that there’s often an overlap in styles. For example, many rings incorporated aspects of both Edwardian and Art Nouveau designs.

1920s & 1930s: Art Deco Glamour Contrasted by Great Depression Simplicity

Ring styles through the decades often reflect other cultural design trends, including architecture, art, and fashion. This phenomenon is clearly shown when considering the heavy influence of Art Deco design in wedding and engagement rings that emerged throughout the Roaring Twenties.

Art Deco Glamour

• The rings featured geometry heavily, including clean lines and shapes like squares, rectangles, triangles, and circles, as well as octagons and zigzags.

• Like other engagement rings through the decades, symmetry was common, but balance was especially emphasized in this era.

• Emerald-, asscher-, and baguette-cut diamonds and stones were prevalent.

• The brilliance of platinum and white gold was popular, although there were also yellow gold pieces.

• Small diamonds and colorful gemstones were often arranged closely together in mosaic patterns.

As mentioned, popular wedding rings through the decades are often rooted in economic conditions. This is especially true during the Great Depression (1929-1939). As you can imagine, financial struggles heavily influenced spending habits, and the ring designs and materials of the era followed.

Great Depression Simplicity

• While many engagement rings through the decades prior featured lavish ornamentation and high-end materials, rings became more simplified and subtle.

• Although the Art Deco influence remained, the designs were typically less flamboyant and bold.

• Elegant solitaire diamond engagement rings rose in popularity because they offered a luxurious aesthetic at a better price point.

1940s & 1950s: Wartime Scarcity Followed by Post-War Prosperity

Ring styles through the decades are often influenced by global events, so it’s no surprise that World War II played a significant role in the shifting ring styles throughout these decades.

A key factor during the war was the U.S. government’s restriction of platinum from being used to make jewelry, as it was considered a valuable metal for military applications. Engagement rings through the decades before the war featured platinum heavily, so this was a significant shift.

Wartime Scarcity

• Non-platinum precious metals, like palladium and gold, became more prevalent. Yellow gold, white gold, and rose gold engagement rings became very popular, a trend that never faded.

• Diamonds and gemstones were also scarce, so many rings featured synthetic or repurposed stones.

• Many rings had “retro” designs that were similar to Art Deco designs, but more dramatic and three-dimensional.

• Rings often featured patriotic motifs, like stars and stripes, and romantic motifs, like hearts and flowers.

• Wedding rings through the decades prior were typically worn by women, but many men started wearing them as a way to stay connected with their spouses while at war.

After the war ended, the economy was booming. The rings naturally reflected that, returning to the luxurious designs of engagement rings through the decades prior. The lavish designs were also heavily influenced by the lifestyles of emerging Hollywood stars.

Post-War Prosperity

• Platinum and white gold became the most popular precious metals, returning to the white-on-white aesthetic of ring styles through the decades before.

• Diamonds became the quintessential stone for engagement and wedding rings, largely due to De Beers’ influential “A Diamond Is Forever” marketing campaign.

• While marquise- and emerald-cut diamonds were common, the solitaire round engagement ring became the iconic style of the era, a trend that remains today.

1960s and 1970s: A Break From Tradition & A Shift to Originality

When exploring engagement and wedding ring trends by decade, the ‘60s and ‘70s stand out significantly due to the drastic shift in culture as a whole. 

While the engagement rings through the decades before were bound by tradition, the counter-culture revolution during these decades encouraged people to pursue originality and embrace their personal preferences. 

The rings of these eras strongly reflected both the consumers’ changing preferences and the designers’ willingness to explore new avenues.

Hippie & Bohemian Influence on ‘60s Styles

• With the rise of the hippies and other alternative subcultures, rings often had statement designs, including striking, colorful gemstones, and some Art Deco-inspired geometry.

• Some rings also leaned into a more organic, earthy style with nature-inspired elements, as well as abstract designs associated with bohemian subcultures.

• Unique diamond cuts become popular, with oval-cut rings, princess-cut rings, and pear-cut rings all emerging as highly desirable choices.

Originality and Self-Expression in the ‘70s

The wedding and engagement rings through the decades before the cultural shift in the ‘60s were very traditional and often passed down for generations. In the ‘70s, people really embraced styles that reflected their individual personalities on a much deeper level.

• Yellow gold made a major comeback as couples sought bolder accessories.

• Rings were often large and chunky.

• Unique diamond cuts were very popular, with oval-, princess-, and pear-cut diamonds remaining trendy while radiant and marquise cuts also became prevalent.

• Couples often wore unique rings instead of matching sets.

1980s and 1990s: Lavish Luxury Fades Into Modern Minimalism

The juxtaposition between popular styles of engagement rings through the decades might be most vividly displayed when analyzing the abrupt change in trends from the ‘80s to the ‘90s.

During the ‘80s, “more is more” was the mantra. People embraced excess and extravagance, seeking pieces that had an air of royalty and sparkled in the nightclubs.

In stark contrast, the pendulum swung back sharply in the ‘90s when the grunge movement and overall cultural shift to more tasteful designs led to understated ring styles.

The Dancing ‘80s

• There was a strong influence from over-the-top ring styles through the decades of the past, including the Art Deco movement.

• Colorful gemstones rose in popularity, largely in response to Princess Diana’s iconic sapphire ring.

• While solitaire engagement rings remained popular, many had thicker bands and/or elaborate settings to give the rings a bolder aesthetic.

• ‘80s rings were a mish-mash of other engagement rings through the decades, borrowing many different design elements of the past.

The Understated ‘90s

• As neon made way for flannel, ring trends also became less flashy. 

• Like the wedding rings through the decades before, the solitaire design remained popular. However, the bands became thinner and daintier, and the settings less complex.

• Metals with cooler tones, like platinum, white gold, and even silver, became more common. Yellow gold rings were typically smaller and thinner.

• Although round-cut diamonds were still in fashion, the princess-cut became trendy among couples seeking a modern yet traditional alternative.

2000s & 2010s: Futuristic Bling & Celebrity-Inspired Glamour

During this next turn of the century, the pendulum swung back to more glamorous styles, largely due to social media emerging as a driving force behind cultural trends.

While engagement rings through the decades have always been influenced by tastemakers, social media made the lives of influential people more public, so it’s no surprise that many couples wanted to wear similar rings to the elite.

When analyzing engagement and wedding ring trends by decade, it’s safe to say that the rings designed in the 2000s had some of the most over-the-top and larger-than-life styles, as couples sought to add a pop of “bling” to their looks. 

In the 2010s, once the initial bling fever started wearing off, couples returned to styles that leaned more on the tasteful side.

However, unlike wedding rings and engagement rings through the decades prior, social media was now in a position to heavily influence consumer behavior. Many of this era’s styles were popularized due to a celebrity’s wedding photos. People wanted to show the world their own glamorous love stories!

The Bling of the 2000s

• Platinum and white gold were popular because of their sleek, futuristic sheen.

• Diamonds completed the modern white-on-white look. 

• Pavé and channel settings were often used to maximize the ring’s sparkle.

• Princess-cut diamonds rose in popularity for their brilliance and clean silhouette.

The Nostalgia-Inspired 2010s

• The halo setting exploded in the 2010s, largely due to Kate Middleton's diamond and sapphire halo ring.

• Cushion-cut diamonds became popular for their vintage charm.

• Although rose gold engagement rings had their fans through the decades, rose gold really hit the mainstream in the 2010s as people loved its combination of traditional romance and contemporary uniqueness.

• Thinner, daintier bands became popular as a way to provide visual drama by letting the stone be the main focus.

2020s: Couples Demand Bespoke Options

Ring styles through the decades have been fairly easy to pinpoint on a large scale, but in the present day, trends are more segmented. These days, couples have access to an endless variety of options due to smartphones, online stores, and high competition. 

Furthermore, there are many more niche subcultures rather than widespread movements. This phenomenon is largely due to social media making it possible for everyone to find their niche communities.

In contrast to wedding rings and engagement rings through the decades behind us, today’s consumers expect to have options. From exotic materials to personalized engravings, shoppers aren’t as focused on specific design elements. Instead, they’re seeking out pieces that fit their individual idea of perfection.

Simply put, modern rings and vintage-inspired rings are both in fashion. It all depends on who you ask!

Find Your Perfect Ring at Madera Band

We hope this overview of engagement and wedding ring trends by decade provides some food for thought as you choose your forever rings! Explore our women’s wedding rings and diamond engagement rings, and be sure to shop unique men’s rings, too.