Elegant Engagement Rings: Top 10 Styles | VRAI (2024)

An elegant engagement ring is the result of the optimal balance between diamond(s) and setting, something that you can wear every day and that can effortlessly withstand the test of time and passing trends.

Explore this guide featuring rings with VRAI created diamonds, and choose the setting that best suits your taste, style, and lifestyle altogether.

Book an appointment to see how different diamond shapes can transform a setting, while still maintaining elegance and sophistication.

What Makes an Engagement Ring Elegant?

The definition of an elegant engagement ring varies from person to person.“I think elegance is often used synonymously with “understated” which would indicate a ring that is simple or low set, perhaps,” says Grace Taylor, VRAI’s Senior Director of Sales and Customer Experience. “...But a large flashy diamond or side stones won’t necessarily keep a ring from being elegant as long as it looks at home on your finger and goes with your overall style and aesthetic! I suppose to an extent elegant can also run along the same lines as timeless.”
An elegant engagement ring is an engagement ring whose style transcends current trends in favor of timeless, streamlined designs.

Hallmarks of an elegant style may include (but are by no means limited to) a simple band and simple prongs, which can be oriented in a number of ways, from the classic four-prong setting to cardinal (or compass) set. “The main purpose of that setting would be to emphasize and focus on the center diamond,” explains Queena Chang, VRAI’s chief diamond expert and a GIA graduate gemologist.

Are All Engagement Rings Sleek?

Sleek designs can make an engagement ring elegant, but not all elegant engagement rings are marked by minimalism and simplicity. An emphasis on symmetry and balance or a clever play with negative space and asymmetry can all contribute to the design of an elegant engagement ring. For example, most Art Deco inspired engagement rings, which feature abstract and geometric patterns that can also be quite intricate, remain a symbol of elegance. Just consider VRAI’s Five Stone Heirloom Engagement Ring where four baguettes flank the center diamonds, emphasizing craftsmanship and scintillation.

What is the best carat weight for an elegant ER?

Any carat weight can be the foundational block of an elegant engagement ring. The idea that anything over 3 carat is costume-jewelry-like is outdated. In particular, elongated shapes at a higher carat weights like Ovals, Emeralds, Pears, and Marquises elegantly showcase the elaborate faceting, cut by expert craftsmen. In fact, celebrating the artistry and the craft behind a gemstone is another hallmark of elegance. Just make sure the setting offers enough support. “I highly recommend my customers to consider settings with more support, such as our Classic Hidden Halo, which has a rim of metal underneath the girdle of the diamond to support the prongs,” says Queena Chang, VRAI’s Chief Diamond Expert and a GIA graduate.

Other ideal settings are the Signature or Signature 6 Prong. “Both of these settings provide support and a lowered setting to accommodate the deeper pavilions,” continued Chang.

Is One Metal Color More Elegant Than Others?

All metal colors are equally elegant, provided you treat your engagement ring with the proper care. Gold’s luster and sheen flawlessly complements the brilliance of any diamond, whether it’s the dynamic scintillation of brilliant cuts or the streamlined hall of mirrors effect of step cuts.

With that being said, different metal colors highlight different styles, even in the presence of the same setting.

White gold and platinum, with their cool-toned, white cast, highlight the brightness and the fire of diamonds, for a sleek, contemporary or Art Deco-inspired style.

Gold is a timeless classic choice that is both bold and delicate, and also complements J-L diamonds and their warmer undertone.

Rose gold is both vintage-inspired and romantic, and given its neutral undertone, it suits all skin tones and all diamond colors. It was trendy ten years ago, but it’s now a timeless color and a foundational block of any jewelry stack.

What Are The Most Elegant Wedding Rings?

Wedding rings tend to be more understated than engagement rings, and their elegance fully emerges in the metalwork. An unexpected detail can mark the difference between elegance and pure simplicity. Wedding rings can also double as the foundation of a ring stack, so their elegance can also fully emerge when they’re stacked together. The Inlay band, for example, balances substance with daintiness thanks to the presence of 0.10 carat diamond. The Devotion band has a row of Round or Baguette diamonds secured inside a channel-set band. The Chevron band features gently curved contours, which bring out the metal’s signature luster.