[ed. note: Welcome to the first in our (hopefully) ongoing series “Jewelry Roundtable” where we get together some of our jewelry friends and discuss the latest trends in jewelry. Enjoy the inaugural entry, this time about engagement rings! Happy Readings — Heather]

In September of this year, Mean Girls and Mamma Mia! star Amanda Seyfried made waves for the simple and diamond-less, gold engagement ring she was spotted wearing. Simply a single gold band, Seyfried’s subtle ring seemed to bother some on the internet, including some who considered the piece “disappointing”, or going so far as to say that Seyfried would, “get a nicer one next time ‘round”.

Certainly compared to celebrity brides like, Blac Chyna, Pippa Middleton, or Ciara, Amanda Seyfried’s engagement ring is virtually non-existent. But is bigger always better?

To get to the bottom of this question, we’ve gathered a few of our favorite engagement ring sellers, jewelry bloggers, and all-around jewelry enthusiasts to share their two cents on the simple vs. flashy debate.

Who’s Who?

Madhu Bhagwant – Jewelry Retailer.

Favorite Jewelry Designers: Tacori, Henri Daussi.

Selena MaNeil – Contributor to LuxuriousJT.com.

Favorite Jewelry Designers: CrownRing, Simon G.

Darcy Gray – Owner and Operator of AHumboldtHeart.com.

Favorite Jewelry Designers: A. Jaffe, Michael M., Carlex.

Jesse Gray: So tell me, what do you guys think about Amanda Seyfried’s engagement ring?

SM: I love it! I think it’s great that she—or her fiancé, I guess—wasn’t afraid to take a chance and get type of ring that we don’t usually see. I can’t tell here, but the ring either has no diamond, or a very small diamond. Either way, I love how this design puts the metal of the band on display. And in this case, the gold does not disappoint.

MB: See, I have to disagree with Selena. I mean it’s defiantly a cute ring, but it seems like more like a wedding band than an engagement ring. Call me old fashioned, but I think that an engagement ring should be bright, and sparkly, and should stand out in a crowd.

Take mine for example. It was a part of the “Bridal Mount” collection by Noam Carver. The diamond is pear shape, the ring is halo-style, has little diamonds half-way down the band. I love the
responses I get when I where this bad boy out and about. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

DG: What I’ve learned in my time, is that it really doesn’t matter what anyone thinks of a bride’s ring except for the bride. My philosophy is, if the bride is happy then I’m happy.

JG: Are you three finding that lately more brides are choosing less-traditional engagement rings like this?

DG: Yes and no, while we are starting to see slightly more individuals that are looking for rings more alternative engagement rings, for the most part people are still wanting rings that are, as Madhu put, “big and bright”. I think that even though fashion is always changing, diamonds are always going to be around.

MB: I agree with Darcy, for every Seyfreid there’s a dozen Pippa Middletons. Even Lady Gaga, who’s known for being outrageous, had a fairly “normal” engagement ring.

SM: Yeah, I’ve noticed that some brides-to-be will pick an a-typical ring, usually handmade, many don’t. I think that brides that are looking for something unique still have tons of choices for big rings. Especially with designers like Zeghani, Simon G., Claude Thibaudeau, Tacori, and others, are all making great big rings that still have a little bit of an edge. Heck, even Rony Tenenbaum’s man-gagement rings are brighter than Seyfried’s band.

JG: Thank you so much for your time. Just one last question, what engagement ring trends do you see being the next big thing this upcoming year?

MB: That’s a good question. What I’ve been seeing a lot of is a rings that are more nature-inspired. Lots that look like flowers, birds’ nests, and other wilderness-type looking things. Also lately, people have been really into fashion rings, as well as wedding bands and engagement rings, that can stack. These rings are fun, subtle, and make a bold statement.

SM: I mean, other than Seyfried’s ring, I feel like engagement rings are just getting larger and larger, and are becoming covered with more and more diamonds. I think we’re going to be seeing more three-stone style rings, more emerald and square shaped diamonds, and much more gold bands probably.

DG: I’ve also been seeing more gold bands and three-stone rings, but I think that brides these days are also starting to pick more jewelry for their actual wedding that really matches their ring. A lot of people come into our store looking for necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, that are identical (or close to identical) to their engagement ring, not only for themselves but also for their bridesmaids.