The evolution of fashion trends and jewelry throughout history has been nothing but fascinating. The same way art, music, and literature are able to truly capture the spirit of the times, so do the very items we adorn in our everyday lives, and modern wedding rings are no exception. You’d be surprised to know how much can be said by the style and material of a wedding ring aside from its romantic symbolism, and it's only normal that you would want a ring that exhibits the nuances of a marriage in the 21st century. You’re not quite sure what those distinctions are and what they mean exactly, but one thing is for certain: you have the urge to break tradition of the classic wedding band and embrace modernity. With this quick guide, you're going to want to ditch the simple band and go for a more modern look with modern wedding rings.

Gone are the days where precious metals were pretty much everyone’s go-to ring settings, and while they are still quite the beauty to behold, many other newer, more durable metals have emerged and have been gaining popularity for their sheer durability and affordability all while effortlessly boasting a stunning polish and brilliance. A solid gold band is definitely more of a traditional wedding band, however, gold wedding bands have changed over the years to fit more of this modern theme. There’s nothing more modern than innovation, and the plethora of newer metals and gold bands proves this exactly.

The emergence of new wedding ring materials is certainly not the only thing that has taken place throughout the evolution of jewelry, but so have their styles. There is no denying that many modern designs have taken inspiration from a good number of older trends and have added to it our own contemporary spirit, bringing new life to these vintage vibes.

Pave bands have come and gone quite a few times throughout history, first making its appearance way back during the Georgian era, then a second time during the 1920s thanks to the influence of Art Deco. The pave diamond bands have returned once again, this time in a more simpler fashion. Modern rings that feature this design are undoubtedly still flashy and bright despite their considerably more maximalist predecessors, and seems like they will be here to stay for quite a long time.

Similar to pave bands, the birth of halo rings is traced also from the Georgian and Victorian era and have also made a comeback within the past century, again with the influence of Art Deco. However, due to contemporary minimalist ideals, the halo ring too has returned in a sleeker form that still very much retains the very essence and purpose of its design--to make the center gemstone larger.

Making use of colored gemstones in wedding rings were all the rage prior to the sudden popularity of the diamond ring, and it took quite a while for colored gemstones to emerge once again. It wasn’t until the 1980s where Princess Diana sported the iconic blue sapphire engagement ring that colored gemstones immediately gained fame again. Colorful gemstones have increasingly been making its way back to popularity especially with millennials due to the current times’ compulsion to express one’s individuality while also being romantically substantial.

The idea of stacking your rings is not unheard of at all. Prior to the 20th century, stackable rings were used to symbolize the interlocking love between couples. Many notable personalities have brought stackable rings back to popularity, first by none other than our classic style icon Audrey Hepburn in the 50s, Elizabeth Taylor in the 60s, and now fairly recently, Meghan Markle. Stackable rings may have stylistically remained similar, however have since developed into a style that uses eternity bands to beautifully commemorate milestones in marriage.

Wedding ring engravings have been a practice that dates even far beyond the medieval times. Many have chosen to add a personal touch to their wedding rings, and it has continued to be a charming trend up to this day. While ring engravings have been a common practice for wedding rings, its contents and little messages have developed since then. From bible quotes to little pieces of poetry, ring engraving nowadays can range from quotes, to movie or song references, to even inside jokes. To give you an idea as to what kind of unique engravings would fit your wedding ring, head over to our article on wedding ring engravings!

Many aspects of wedding jewelry today exhibit nothing but contemporary ideals. Sure, many styles that have been present throughout the ages have made comebacks, but it is the subtleties of its design and cultural circumstance that truly exemplifies modernity; and while many new competent jewelry metals have surfaced and have justifiably been gaining popularity, many more have yet to be discovered or brought to light once again.