From Zendaya to Selena: How celebrity engagements drive ring trends

In an age when carefully staged social media posts announcing engagements are the norm, Zendaya has stolen the Golden Globes limelight by debuting what appeared to be an engagement ring from her partner, fellow actor Tom Holland.

The ring, reportedly designed by New Zealand-born jeweller to the stars Jessica McCormack, is thought to be a five-carat, cushion-cut diamond in a yellow gold band.

While neither McCormack, Zendaya nor Holland has confirmed the engagement, internet sleuths discovered that the Challengers star had liked an Instagram post on the London-based jeweller’s account nearly three years ago featuring an almost-identical ring.

So, what does Zendaya’s apparent choice of a cushion-cut diamond, as well as a spate of recent celebrity engagements say about trends more widely?

Are brides returning to round-cut diamonds after Dua Lipa, who is reportedly engaged to Callum Turner, was spotted wearing one? Or is it about more unconventional shapes, a la Selena Gomez, who has been flaunting a marquise diamond ring following her engagement to musician Benny Blanco in early December? And what about lab diamonds, and other gemstones – are they still on the rise?

Why December?

By reportedly getting engaged in December, Zendaya and Selena Gomez join a long line of celebrities to have been bitten by the holiday season love bug, from Matthew McConaughey to Serena Williams.

For mere mortals, the festive season is just as popular for engagements. A global survey from The Knot found December was the most popular month to propose, as did an Australian report from Easy Weddings.

Wendy El-Khoury, founder of industry group Wedded Wonderland, says December is a popular time because of Christmas and New Year, when couples tend to have more intimate time together. It’s a “sentimental period” for some, while others are keen to “leverage” New Year’s Eve fireworks or a stunning holiday backdrop for proposal pictures, she says.

The cuts and settings on trend

Michael Hill’s chief marketing officer, Jo Feeney, expects “fancy cut” shapes, especially the elongated cushion, to remain popular in 2025, spurred in part by the recent celebrity engagements. “It’s perfect for brides seeking something unique but classic,” she says. “Other trends to watch are white gold making a comeback, the bezel setting and east-west facing stones.”

Rebecca Klodinsky, co-founder of the Prestwick Place, an Australian jeweller specialising in lab-grown diamonds, has seen huge demand for oval shapes. She believes this was propelled by model Hailey Bieber, who was given an oval diamond rumoured to be worth $US1.5 million by her now husband, Justin Bieber, last year.

“[Ring trends] have a lot to do with social media and pop culture, as well as the stone itself, because an oval is very slimming to the hands, so it’s flattering on everyone,” she says.

Wendy El-Khoury, founder of industry group Wedded Wonderland, agrees that oval cuts remain the most popular cut, influenced by celebrities like Blake Lively and Emily Ratajkowski.

Celebrity rings to inspire, not imitate

Cushla Whiting, co-founder of the eponymous Melbourne-based jewellery brand, believes Gomez and Zendaya will continue to influence diamond trends that were already in train.

Over the past year, Whiting says, the company has had higher demand for emerald cuts, marquise cuts and elongated cushion cuts set horizontally. “And also an increase in the demand for genuine antique diamond cuts such as Old Mine cuts [in a cushion shape] and Old European cuts due to their one-of-a-kind nature.”

However, not every bride who wants what Zendaya has can necessarily get it. “Nice elongated cushions are really hard to find on the diamond market, so we actually had to create our own signature elongated cushion cut to fill this need,” Whiting says.

Jewellery designer Lucy Folk adds that for her clients, celebrity rings are a source of inspiration, but she discourages copycat designs. “A high-profile ring might ignite curiosity about a particular cut or style, but there’s an ever-growing desire to move beyond imitation,” she says. “Our clients come to us not for replicas, but for something that feels uniquely theirs.”

And while, traditionally, choosing a ring was the sole task of the groom, Klodinsky says it’s become a more collaborative process. “The girl will do the choosing, and then the guy will bring it together. So it eliminates room for error.”

Because of this, Khoury says, more effort is being put into the proposal.

“We get contacted by grooms saying, ‘OK, she knows the ring is coming, but I still want the proposal to be special ... let me surprise her.’”

The lab debate

Over the past decade, lab-grown diamonds – stones which have the same chemical and physical properties as mined diamonds – have grown in popularity among budget and environmentally conscious consumers.

The Duchess of Sussex, Bindi Irwin and Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown are among the celebrities who have opted for synthetic engagement rings.

Michael Hill’s Jo Feeney says lab-grown ring sales are up 50 per cent on last year as a proportion of total engagement orders.

Whiting says many couples wanting something individual but who are not keen on lab diamonds are opting for sapphires “as they are all one of a kind, and this has become increasingly important”.

Feeney agrees, saying coloured stones account for about 5 per cent of engagement purchases.

So if you’re thinking of proposing next Christmas, just don’t leave it to the last minute – experts recommend having everything finalised by August.

Make the most of your health, relationships, fitness and nutrition with our Live Well newsletter. Get it in your inbox every Monday.