Celebrity Engagement Rings: The Hottest Trends of 2010

In many ways, the general public has for generations based modern style on what celebrities are wearing. It’s no surprise, considering they have access to the latest and greatest offerings from highbrow designers. Even if there are times when we shake our heads and ask, “What were they thinking?!” by and large they manage to wow us with their clever coifs, modern makeup, daring dresses, and most of all, their giant leaps in jewelry trends. So if you’re on track to get the one-knee treatment any day, you may be interested to know about some of the latest trends the celebs are sporting on a particularly significant finger of the left hand.

1. Carat. You might think that bigger is better, and celebs certainly have the money to go ginormous when it comes to blinging out the engagement ring. But recent trends have tended towards smaller rocks. Just check out the modest 1.5-carat ring that Keith Britton slipped on the finger of long-time girlfriend Zoe Saldana. Simple and small (if you compare it to some of the stunners from the previous few years), it is nonetheless classic, chic, and totally legit (with a price-tag estimated in the $15,000-$20,000 range).

2. Cut. When it comes to cut, celebrities have been bucking the trend in recent years with a plethora of pear, emerald, and other cuts. But 2010 has taken celebs back to basics with the traditional round cut that best displays a diamond’s brilliance. Celebs like Kelly Pickler and America Ferrera (among others) have been seen flashing this cut.

3. Color. Canaries and pinks have been a particular fave for the central stone in many modern celebrity engagement rings. But this year it seems to be colorless stones all the way, with both central and surrounding stones supporting the trend. If you don’t believe it, just look up the rings worn by every girl listed in this article!

4. Embellishment. Pavé settings with a circlet of diamonds surrounding the central stone (as well as a row on the band) seem to be in vogue this year. Supermodel Miranda Kerr received a stunning example from boyfriend Orlando Bloom, as did Niecy Nash, who recently said yes to Jay Tucker’s “very important question”.

5. Setting. Pavé settings and platinum bands seem to be all the rage. Just take a gander at the $60,000, 2-carat stunner that Brian Austin Green gave ex-fiancé Meghan Fox to re-seal the deal (after their split last year). Also of note, this gorgeous ring was a vintage 1930s piece, so if you were wondering about rumors of a retro resurgence, you can rest assured that it is well underway.