This fall, diamond jewelry trends show bold, edgy, androgynous designs —and perfectly in tune with the buoyant mood we’re all expecting as vaccine rollout helps propel us into a post-pandemic world.

Consumers are feeling “a new sense of freedom and optimism,” Kristina Buckley Kayel, managing director of NDC North America, said during a recent presentation. And this shows throughout the diamond jewelry trends for this fall.

Heavy Metal Chains

The light, layered, barely-there looks that have dominated the past year are about to give way to some serious hardware. The season’s new must-have accessories, according to the NDC, are dramatic chain-link styles that elevate any look, from T-shirts to the heavy knits on deck for fall.

These are the new chains. Heavy chains often conjure images of the ’90s and of bold rappers wearing chains paved with diamonds. What’s new for fall and holiday: big bold chains that are a little more feminine and tactile, with a touch of diamonds.

Diamonds And Pearls

Pearls are in vogue like never before, in no small part due to the huge amount of celebrity love they have received of late (thanks, Kamala Harris!). But the classic pairing is made fresh this year because designers are amping up the contrast between the two by combining the seaborne gems with edgy diamond styles, including black diamonds.

It really started with lots of people in fashion, from Marc Jacobs to the Jonas Brothers, tossing on an old-fashioned pearl necklace, but it’s been elevated in numerous ways, and pearls make a magical combination that shows so much versatility and light. It’s the luster, sparkle, and scintillation.

The New Hoop

Hoop earrings were worn by the ancients—literally. The style owes its longevity and unflagging relevance to the myriad ways in which designers can approach the hoop, making it a jewelry staple that works equally well on a work Zoom call as on a night out with friends.

Poet Amanda Gorman’s chose hoop earrings (by Greek designer Nikos Koulis) for her reading at the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris in January: “Hoops are something you wear on an occasion,” she said.

Gender-Free

Diamonds are gender agnostic—increasingly, so are the jewels they are set in. The rise of “gender-free” jewelry will be evident this fall, as more designers create unisex styles that can be worn and loved by anyone.

The styles that fit this category tend to be more comfortable and more discreet. Think smaller diamonds, cleaner lines, and minimalist looks that speak to both masculine and feminine tastes circa the 21st century.

Marquise-Cut Diamonds

The marquise cut has cycled in and out of fashion for decades, but this year the shape’s versatility has made it attractive to scores of jewelry newcomers.

“It elongates the finger when you put it on vertically, and when you flip it on its side, east-west, it almost looks like the evil eye.”

Rings featuring marquise-cut diamonds tend to be a little lower set, allowing for a more active lifestyle—good news for the soon-to-wed cohort.

Brides say they want something different, and they really mean it. Fancy-cut diamonds have had a surge, and the marquise is ready to offer all these different looks.

Which of these diamond jewelry trends do you like most?