ASK THE EXPERT: Diamond Series – Shine Bright Like a Diamond

Exploring the latest diamond trends

By Heather Wuelpern

Welcome to the final edition of this six-part series with local diamond expert, Birko Roland, co-owner of The Diamond Store. Today, you will learn about some diamond trends as well as how to turn a legacy piece into a modern creation you adore. Head over to the Arizona Daily Star’s Facebook page to enter for a chance to win diamond stud earrings (valued at $2500!). Simply comment about what your favorite part of this six-part series was and why. A winner will be selected based on the best answer. Good luck! 

Local diamond expert Birko Roland attributes the power of social media to many of the trends today. Because of this, some customers enter The Diamond Store knowing exactly what they want and show a photo from Instagram or Pinterest. Trends change faster than ever before because of how accessible these images are. It is important to keep in mind that the size and skin tone of the model’s hand may make a ring appear differently than how it will look on yours. It is the equivalent of going to a salon for a haircut when the model’s hair texture is quite different than yours. 

Roland noted how he thinks recent trends are actually going back to more traditional settings, meaning customers are choosing a Tiffany-style diamond with a simple band. Roland recommends putting more money into the diamond instead of the setting so the diamond gets the attention it deserves. A classic look like this goes well with a plain gold, platinum, or diamond wedding band. Rose gold also complements certain skin tones beautifully. 

Customers sometimes want to create a one-of-a-kind piece to reflect their individual style. Often customers bring in images of two rings where they want elements combined to create a treasured piece. The Diamond Store can design such pieces in-house and will provide a 3D, 360-degree rendering of the design so it is easy to make any changes before the creation begins. This gives the customer confidence that they will get exactly what they want without any risk. 

In addition to creating a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry from scratch, oftentimes people want to modernize a legacy diamond setting or update an existing piece of jewelry. For example, someone may have loved yellow gold 25 years ago when they got married, but now they prefer platinum. The experts at The Diamond Store embrace guiding their customers through the process by offering design suggestions and ensuring that the integrity and beauty of the original diamond are preserved while infusing a fresh and more up-to-date design.

There are several ways to make updates. Simply changing the setting to a more contemporary design is common. The metal colors can be mixed and matched as well where rose gold can be combined with platinum, white or yellow gold, for example. Adding accent stones around an existing stone increases its bling factor. Enhancing an existing stone with colored diamonds makes a great look as well. For example, flanking a round clear diamond with yellow trillion-cut diamonds adds elegance. Another option is to pair a vintage-inspired filigree setting with a modern diamond shape such as a pear to merge historic and modern together.

The Diamond Store customers also feel confident knowing that in the event that a non-custom purchase doesn’t perfectly suit its receiver, the buyer can take the intact piece back to the store to change the setting to something that does.

Regardless of your style, budget, or occasion, the celebration starts at The Diamond Store. Cheers!

Thank you for reading this six-part series showcasing the local experts at The Diamond Store. We hope that after learning about sourcing, the dos and don’ts of purchasing, lab-grown diamonds, ideas beyond engagement rings, economics, and trends, you feel like a diamond expert yourself!