The market for men's jewellery has exploded in recent years and there has recently been a sharp increase in interest for men's engagement rings. This new trend shows how the jewellery trend has changed considerably in the last decade alone.
Men's engagement rings are becoming more and more popular and this is certainly something created for and by the new generation. Not so many years ago men wouldn't even wear wedding rings let alone consider opting to wear an engagement ring. This shows how much things have changed and how different perceptions of jewellery are now.
The recent generation of men are much more used to wearing jewellery and it would be considered strange if rings were not exchanged by both people at the wedding. The idea behind rings is to show mutual love and commitment between the couple. The wanting to symbolise this through the exchange of engagement rings earlier on (before actually being married) into the relationship has proven to be a popular trend in recent times.
The idea of engagement rings for both men and women can be looked at as showing equality between the sexes. Stepping away from the old symbolisation of the rings as being a representation that the woman had been 'reserved' by the man, both partners wearing rings makes the partnership seem more level.
The men's engagement rings themselves are typically platinum, titanium and sometimes set with diamonds on a thicker band. The finish of the rings tends to be not as immaculate as the women's rings are.
Being involved with designing the ring is something more and more couples are getting involved in. Often the rings are personalised and matched with the ring of the wife to be.
The media document heavily on how celebrities like David Beckham are interested in jewellery and this has possibly caused the surge of interest in men's jewellery. Lots of designer's now create lines purely for men.