Diamonds are the ultimate forever-style for your jewellery wardrobe, and increasingly, the modern way to wear them is styled for every day. No longer reserved for your left hand or opulent pieces that are only pulled out for special occasions, current diamond trends lean towards self-expression, minimalism, and everyday luxury.
We spoke to our Design Director at Michael Hill, Maria Then, about all things diamonds, sustainability, and styling advice – plus, her personal favourite pieces of the moment. If you’re considering investing in a special new diamond piece, read on for Maria’s insights into the modern diamond styles that you’ll love and wear forever (and to shop her picks).
What are your top three favourite diamond pieces at the moment?
I love our recently launched range of diamond helix studs.
The fancy cut eternity bands in laboratory-grown diamonds are on my wishlist.
And I’m obsessed with the graduated tennis story. Such a great, modern update to a timeless classic that can be worn in so many ways forever.
What are the biggest trends in diamonds now and coming up?
Diamond tennis is a major trend, including necklaces and bracelets. This is also a trend that’s not going anywhere, as these pieces are so timeless and can be found in a range of carat weights from fine, everyday styles to bold statements.
The stacked ‘ear party’ continues to trend, with people stacking diamond studs in a mix of shapes, or hoops, and studs, or even mismatched styles between both ears.
Many jewellery lovers are leaning towards reinvented classics. These are timeless, simple styles such as solitaire studs or fine necklaces, with a unique modern update such as fancy cut stones.
Statement eternity rings are another timeless trend that’s gaining popularity, whether worn as part of a bridal stack or as a modern approach to the ‘right hand ring’.
How are you factoring the growing interest for sustainable options into new jewellery designs?
Sustainability is more than a ‘trend’, it’s a major shift in the public mind set. People’s values in this space are largely contributing to their purchasing decisions. One of the major trends stemming from this is laboratory-grown diamonds, with Michael Hill offering certified sustainable and climate neutral laboratory-grown diamonds.
How are you seeing people respond to laboratory-grown diamonds? Do you see interest continuing to grow?
The love for laboratory-grown diamonds is only continuing to grow, for two main reasons: one being sustainability, and one being the desire for larger or more premium stones, which laboratory-grown diamonds can make more accessible. No longer just an alternative choice for engagement rings, laboratory-grown diamonds are being embraced more and more for fashion jewellery.
Many people think diamonds are only for special occasions, how can people style them each day to make the most of their special pieces?
You can layer diamonds with more causal pieces like chains for a more relaxed look. We also have several more subtle and minimalist diamond accent pieces, such as in our Serendipity Collection.
What are some of the ways Michael Hill ensures the best quality for our diamond jewellery?
We always want to offer our customers the best range of choices and quality at Michael Hill, so whether they are shopping for their own collection or for a gift, they can choose something that will be treasured for many years to come. We’re consistently elevating and innovating new collections.
Our goal is to always use the best material for the piece at the best value to our customers. A solitaire diamond ring requires a different quality level than a diamond accent chain, for example.
Where do you find inspiration for new designs and collections at Michael Hill?
We find a lot of inspiration in how people dress and live. We look at how fashion trends are shifting, and aim to offer solves for how to accessorise with those trends.
Another great inspiration is thinking back to the moments that matter and how we’d want to celebrate those. What is the ultimate anniversary gift? How would we want to memorise a great vacation trip?
The amazing thing with jewellery is that the beauty of the materials is an inspiration on its own. Sometimes our job is to let the material shine in the most elegant presentation we can craft. Finally, we’re all obsessing about our own jewellery boxes and are always on the hunt for ‘the next’ layering piece to update a bracelet stack or an earring mix. New textures that can be applied to metals, new shades of colour gems etc.
