Our annual trends review explores how the diamond industry can win attention in an age of distraction and retail noise.
Introduction
As we move into 2026, society is undergoing a major recalibration. Old structures are being challenged as consumers push for change - in how we shape communities, build industries, and care for our planet.
New technologies, new behaviors, and new creative expressions are driving this shift, forcing brands to evolve or risk irrelevance. For the jewelry industry, this transformation is already underway. Technology is radically reshaping diamond industry transparency and how jewelry is imagined, created, and sold.
Consumers today are overwhelmed by brand noise - AI content, deepfakes, endless feeds, and bots. 2026 marks a new phase: a shift from innovation for efficiency to innovation for competing for what matters.
#1 Brand Communities: Why Consumers Want More Than Products?
Consumers no longer buy objects. They buy worlds, stories, and belonging. Brands must construct immersive universes that consumers can participate in, develop emotional attachments to, and buy their own piece of when they make a purchase. Beyond offering escape, brands can tap into people's desire for connection and gathering around shared interests.
The brands leading today's cultural momentum succeed because they offer escape, provide identity, build aspiration, and invite participation. These aren't just marketing strategies - they're emotional ecosystems. Source: BoF
Digital communities, fandoms, and niche subcultures remix and reinterpret brand narratives, sometimes building their own lore, rituals, and shared language around products. Jewelry brands that emphasize an authentic world, rather than just a catalog, win.
For jewelry brands, this means: The shift is from presenting collections to building worlds consumers want to inhabit. When someone chooses your brand, they should feel they're joining something bigger - a narrative, an aesthetic movement, a set of values they can participate in and make their own.
#2 Consumer Emotional Ecosystems: What Drives Purchasing?
Purchasing in 2026 will be driven by three emotional goals. First, feeling included - belonging to a cultural narrative, movement, or community. Second, feeling serene - seeking calm, clarity, and escape from digital chaos. And third, feeling inspired - a desire to imagine, dream, and explore "what if?"
This goes hand-in-hand with concepts like "Strategic Joy," "Pleasure Activism," and "Kid Intelligence (KI)" - a return to creativity, curiosity, and a softer approach to life. These emotional goals will set the tone for future creative work that is as strategic as it is joyful. By 2027, this emerges as a demonstration of self-care that will lead consumers to be more curious and loving.
Some TikTokers have already started leaning into this sentiment via Billy Joel's 1977 song "Vienna," which has become a viral Gen Z anthem thanks to its lyrics about self-acceptance and slowing down. Propelling us forward will be aspirations of becoming carefree, feeling curious, and embracing love - both for ourselves and for those around us. Source: WGSN 2025
What this signals for the industry: Jewelry brands that understand this emotional landscape - that design for inclusion, serenity, and inspiration - will build deeper relationships than those still selling on specifications alone. The purchase decision isn't rational; it's emotional. Your brand needs to speak to these three core desires.
#3 Advertising's Future: Human-First Social
The numbers tell a stark story. Nearly 50% of global internet traffic now comes from bots. Meanwhile, 61% of social media users are posting less because platforms feel inauthentic. Among 18–34-year-olds, 47% view their online activities as more disruptive than beneficial to their wellbeing.
As AI comes to dominate and increasingly define the inauthentic social media experience, humans will once more be key to driving trust online - for brands, creators, influencers, and consumers. Authenticity, trust, and data transparency will become the new standard, providing a way to bring the "Deadnet" back to life.
What consumers want is clear: human voices, verified information, transparent data, real communities, and meaningful brand engagement. This is why "Human-First Social" is becoming the new standard. Brands that thrive are those that collaborate long-term with creators, not chase one-off influencer posts. Source: Third Special Report of Session 2024–26
For jewelry brands, this means: Show the humans behind your craft. Share verified provenance and transparent sourcing. Tell stories that feel personal, not packaged. As authenticity becomes rare in digital spaces, it becomes valuable. The brands earning trust are those willing to show the real process - not just the final product.
#4 Color of the Year. Which one speaks to you?
Transformative Teal and Cloud Dancer embody the spirit driving 2026. Transformative Teal represents eco-accountability, resilience, regenerative thinking, a planet-first mindset, and the blend of natural and post-natural worlds. Cloud Dance represents softness and lightness , elegance and serenity, like floating lightly through the sky. Source: WGSN | Coloro
Why this matters for jewelry: Color trends reflect emotional needs, not just aesthetic preferences. Both colors speak to consumers seeking serenity, sustainability, and connection to nature. Brands emphasizing responsible sourcing, origin stories, and designs inspired by the natural world will find this resonates with where consumer values are heading.
#5 Spend Z: The Generation That Changes Everything
Gen Z has never known a life without immediate, open access to information through technology, which makes it the first truly "digitally native" consumer cohort. This generation will see the fastest growth in spending power in the next 10 years. Gen Z is expected to add almost $9 trillion in spending globally by 2034 - more than any other generation.
Here's an important fact: Gen Z is the least Western generation. Only 10% are from North America or Europe. Today the youngest Gen Z is 12 years old. By 2029, Gen Z will overtake Boomer spending.
For them, the creator economy is the economy, and 65% already identify as creators. Authenticity is a top value for Gen Z. This shows up in their idea of celebrity—they're more interested in authentic relationships with social media influencers than in traditional Hollywood celebrities. In fact, "Being true to yourself" is the No. 1 ranked description of success for Gen Z globally. Even in retail, 67% of Gen Z feels private label products are just as good as established brands.
Securing Lifelong Brand Loyalty: What Fuels Gen Z Purchase Behaviors?
Personalize. Consumption is a form of personal expression for Gen Z, and personalization is something they've grown to expect. Gen Ze's want custom experiences and products that fit their needs at their specific life stage. The growth of retail media networks and apps in recent years means it's easier than ever for brands to target and personalize recommendations for Gen Z.
Create experiences. Embrace emerging technologies (augmented and virtual reality) to provide fun and immersive shopping experiences that speak to Gen Z. Virtual shopping with friends is another area of expected growth. A recent study found that almost one-third of Gen Z shoppers are currently interested in virtual shopping with friends. In the next five years, shopping in virtual stores is expected to grow by 229%, while virtual shopping with friends may rise by 141%.
Sustainability – Bridging the 'say-do' gap. Products with multiple (two or more) sustainability attributes, like "carbon zero," "recyclable," "zero-waste" saw a 2.5 times higher sales lift than products that carried only a single sustainability claim. Source: Nielsen IQ – Spend Z
What this signals for jewelry brands: Transparency isn't optional with Gen Z - it's the price of entry. Origin stories, verifiable sourcing, and documented sustainability practices matter deeply. But it's not enough to say you're sustainable; you need to prove it with multiple, verifiable commitments. Generic offerings won't resonate. Gen Z expects personalization, immersive experiences, and authenticity that goes beyond marketing language.
#6 Jewelry Industry: Technology as Creative Liberation
Technology is no longer just a tool, it's becoming an artistic partner. CAD/CAM, 3D imaging, and digital manufacturing offer limitless design possibilities, speed and efficiency, precision and consistency, easy customization, and enhanced storytelling capabilities. Traditional craftsmanship isn't disappearing. It's being augmented, expanded, and elevated. Source: Dreams to Reality: CAD/CAM & Emerging Tech – Jeweller Magazine
The jewelry takeaway: The best designers are pairing centuries-old techniques with cutting-edge tools, creating jewelry that honors heritage while pushing into new territory. Technology matters most when it enhances human creativity and expertise rather than replacing it. This is where innovation serves meaning, not just efficiency.
#7 Diamond Engagement Ring Trends?
Major trends are shaping the engagement ring market in 2026:
Chunky gold takes center stage. Bold, sculptural gold settings lead engagement ring trends for 2026. With gold at record highs, substantial gold paired with a natural diamond signals true luxury. Thicker, sculpted bands feel modern yet timeless and offer durability, presence, and heirloom appeal.
Elongated diamond cuts dominate. Marquise, oval, and hybrid "moval" shapes are set to be the most requested in 2026. Their elongated silhouettes flatter the hand and create the illusion of size. Variations in proportions and faceting give each stone a distinctly individual look.
Antique-inspired cuts return. As modern diamonds become increasingly uniform, buyers are drawn to antique-inspired cuts with character. Broader facets and softer light performance bring warmth, romance, and a sense of history—appealing to those who value soul over perfection.
Less-is-more settings. Minimalist designs are gaining momentum. Clean, architectural settings highlight a single exceptional diamond, creating a refined, sculptural look that feels both modern and timeless.
The rise of off-white diamonds. Warm, off-white diamonds with subtle yellow or brown tones are redefining beauty. Valued for their romantic glow, individuality, and accessibility, they move beyond the long-standing focus on icy colorless stones. Source: Grant Mobley: 5 Stylish Engagement Ring Trends for 2026: The Expert Guide
What these trends reveal: Each reflects the broader cultural movement toward authenticity, individuality, and meaning over convention. Consumers are choosing character over perfection, warmth over technical specifications, and designs that feel personal rather than mass-produced.
2026 Main Takeaway: A Year of Being More Human, Creative & Transparent
If you step back and look at every trend we've covered - from world-building to emotional consumerism, from digital authenticity to Gen Z spending power, from sustainability to technology as creative partner – there’s a single thread that runs through all of it.
People want meaning, not noise. They want trust, not bots. They want identity, not transactions.
Yes, technology is powerful, but only when it enhances human experience rather than replacing it. Yes, innovation matters, but only when it serves deeper connection rather than just efficiency.
At Sarine, this is the question we keep coming back to: How do we create experiences with longevity, value, and emotional resonance that cut through the endless stream of innovation?
For us, the answer lives in the work we've always done - just understood through a new lens. Traceability, verified provenance, authentic storytelling, grading data transparency. These aren't just technological achievements. They're a promise of trust. They're a foundation for brands building worlds instead of just selling products. They're how jewelry moves from transaction to meaning.
2026 may well be the year the industry redirects its energy toward deeper relationships, stronger communities, and more authentic connections. A year when attention becomes the most valuable currency, and the brands that earn it will be those willing to offer something real.
That's the future we're helping to build. Here’s to a meaningful 2026.🍾
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