Surge In Promise Rings – Covid 19 Might Be In The Air But So Is Love According To Goxip Data

It’s a ring thing….

Over the last 6 months, fashion and beauty search platform Goxip has been monitoring the effects of the coronavirus on shopping behaviour. In our new research report, we reveal a particular, rather sentimental piece that has caused waves in our data across the jewellery category in recent months. 

According to the searches, sales and active page views of customers worldwide, demand for promise rings has surged. We’ve experienced an influx of interest for rings, including a rise in searches for heart, knot and infinity pieces. So whilst we may not know what lies ahead Covid 19 wise, our data is certainly telling us what the future might hold for many couples. 

The Statistics

  • A poll by fine jewellery brand, Fenton, revealed that couples have been waiting for lockdown restrictions to ease before getting officially engaged.
  • In the study, 76% of 1,000 couples polled said they had grown closer during lockdown, but only 12% would have been happy with an engagement during this time, with the rest revealing they have been waiting for restrictions to ease further before buying a ring and getting down on one knee. Many even said that they would like to get engaged soon after lockdown is lifted.
  • Searches for ‘promise rings’, have increased 79% in the last 3 months, with the search term increasing 9% week on week. 
SUZANNE KALAN ’18k Diamond Gold Baguette Ring’
  • Customers are choosing less expensive pieces or opting for stones that are not diamonds, or rings with diamonds but of cheaper value, such as diamond cluster rings instead of solitaire rings. (Customer’s on average have spent 45% less on a ring containing diamonds compared to this time last year). That’s almost halved!
MY STORY ‘The Julia Birthstone Ring’
  • Despite a rise in more affordable rings than the real deal, the most in demand pieces are still of excellent quality, with durable materials. The most sought after stones and gems include amethyst & blue topaz which are extremely hard-wearing.
EF COLLECTION ’14K White Diamond Topaz Heart Ring’
  • Rings with motifs including hearts, double hearts, heart shaped gemstones and infinity symbols are extremely sought after by customers worldwide. Search words ‘heart’ and ‘infinity’ alongside ‘rings’ have increased 108% over the last 3 months. 
  • Demand for promise rings is highest in the women’s category, making up 87% of sales, however throughout the pandemic, the sentimental jewellery piece has been popular across the men’s category too, with infinity symbols and plain bands the most sought after styles. 

“On Goxip, rings are a consistent accessory purchase but it’s fashion that usually drives the sales, with particular spikes in demand for certain styles at different times. In the past we’ve had increases in demand for everything from pearl and stackable rings, to signet and resin rings but this is the first time in Goxip’s history that the platform has encountered such high demand for a very special type of ring, carrying a beautiful message- a promise of love and commitment”. – Goxip’s Global PR Manager Yasmine Bachir

The Top 7 Most Wanted Love Declaration Rings Of 2020

COLOURED GEMS  
SUZANNE KALAN ’18K Rose Gold Halfway Princess Cut Diamond Dark Pink Sapphire Ring’
  • We’ve seen customers opting for colourful heart shaped gems as well as multi-stone bands, with celebrity approved Suzanne Kalan leading the demand.
INFINITY  
ASTLEY CLARKE ‘Biography Infinity Ring’
  • Compared to just last month, searches for ‘infinity rings’ have grown 55%. 
  • Contrary to gold statement jewellery trending over the last 3 months, silver is currently outselling gold in infinity rings.
  • The most popular brands are Georg Jensen, Thomas Sabo and Astley Clarke.
KNOT
SACHA ‘Monsieur Ring’
  • Searches for knot rings have increased 41% compared to this time last year, with the highest interest in the month of June. 
  • In the last week, searches specifically for ‘infinity knot ring’ increased 102%, causing a significant spike in our data. 
  • Celtic knot rings are the third most searched type of knot ring, following ‘knot ring’ and ‘infinity knot ring’. 
HEART
  • Heart rings are one of the most obvious symbols for love and the rings are popular in a variety of features including coloured gems, diamonds shaped as hearts and simple silver and gold items.
  • The most wanted brands are EF Collection, Shay and Jennifer Mayer. 
POSY
  • Searches for ‘posy rings’ which have short inscriptions on the surface have been searched more than 11,000 times in the last 3 months. These include a variety of spellings; posie, posey, poesy and posy.  
  • Despite having searches for posy rings from a range of countries, from France and Sweden to America, the style has been most frequently searched for from the UK. 
ETERNITY
  • Eternity rings consisting of a continuous line of identically cut gemstones are 5 times more sought after than single gem solitaire rings. 
  • Last month demand peaked where searches for eternity rings were 400% higher than solitaire rings. 
  • The most viewed brand is Adina Reyter, as worn by Meghan Markle. 
DIAMOND CLUSTER
  • In the last 3 months, diamond cluster rings have been more popular than larger single diamond solitaire rings which are more popularly purchased for engagements. 
  • Searches for diamond cluster rings are up 21% compared to last month. 
  • Despite clear diamonds being a popular choice for cluster rings, the My Story diamond cluster rings with middle coloured birthstone is the most viewed cluster ring on Goxip. 

Throughout a global pandemic, as well as throughout the biggest recession in years, Goxip can confirm that what’s tested us in some ways has also grown us closer in other ways, with love, very much at the heart (pun intended) of jewellery purchases this year.