There’s something quietly magical about the moment someone walks into a jewellery studio and says, with this mix of nerves and excitement, “I think I’ve found the one.” They’re usually talking about their partner, of course, but every now and then it’s the ring that steals the show first. And more often than you’d think, the design that gets that sort of instant, heart-skipping reaction is a three stone engagement ring.
I’ve been a jeweller for almost two decades, and while trends come and go with the seasons, this particular style has this uncanny ability to stay relevant without ever feeling dated. You might know it by another name: the trilogy ring. Past, present, future. Three stones sitting together, each one holding a piece of the story. Even after all these years, I still catch myself smiling when someone sees one for the first time and whispers something like, “It just feels meaningful.”
Meaning is a funny thing in jewellery. Some people want subtle symbolism; others want bold sparkle; some don’t know what they want at all until their eyes meet the right ring. And honestly, three stone engagement rings have this way of ticking boxes people didn’t even realise they had.
Well, if you’ve ever wondered why this design keeps turning heads or whether it might be the right fit for you or your partner, let me take you through what I’ve learned from both the bench and the people who’ve trusted me with some pretty big moments.
The Emotional Pull of the Trilogy Design
Most people assume the appeal is purely aesthetic at first. Three sparkling stones, perfect symmetry, a bit more wow factor than a solitaire. And yes, visually it’s a showstopper. But what surprises couples is how personal this design can feel.
That symbolism of past, present and future sounds like something marketers made up once upon a time, but believe me, it’s real for the people who choose it. I’ve met couples who picked it while celebrating a second chance at love, others who wanted something that reflected how far they’ve come together, and plenty who just loved the idea of carrying their shared story on their hand.
There was a woman who came into the workshop last year, someone who had just finished her PhD after seven incredibly tough years. Her partner wanted a ring that captured both the journey they’d been through and the future they were building. When she slipped on a classic three-stone design, she teared up almost instantly. “It feels like us,” she said. And that was that.
That’s the thing with trilogy rings. They’re romantic without being overly sentimental, symbolic without being cliché.
A Design That Balances Classic and Contemporary
One of the challenges with engagement rings these days is avoiding anything that’ll feel “so 2020s” in a decade or two. Trends are fun, sure, but most people want something they’ll still love when they’re 70.
Three stone engagement rings sit in this sweet spot. Completely timeless, but with enough design flexibility that you can make them feel modern or vintage or somewhere in between.
You can play with stone shapes. Round centre with pear sides if you want something soft and feminine. Emerald cut trio for a clean, architectural look. Oval centre with round brilliants gives a sort of “old-money elegance,” if you’re into that vibe. I’ve even made a version with a marquise centre and two baguettes that looked like something straight out of a Hollywood set from the 1950s.
And the size ratios let you tweak the personality, too. A bold, larger centre stone tends to look more traditional. More evenly sized stones feel sleek and deliberate. Honestly, there’s no wrong choice. It depends on whether you want your ring to feel like a quiet, confident whisper or a full-blown declaration.
The Rise of Sustainable Sparkle
If you’d told me 15 years ago that one of the biggest shifts in my industry would be the rise of lab grown stones, I probably would’ve laughed. Back then the technology was still finding its feet, and customers barely knew it existed.
Now? Some days half the people who walk through my door are specifically looking for lab created diamonds. Not because they’re cheap knockoffs (that’s one of the biggest misconceptions that refuses to die), but because they’re chemically identical to mined diamonds, physically identical and, honestly, often more stunning because there’s no compromise in quality.
Another reason is ethics. Plenty of couples today care deeply about where their jewellery comes from. They want traceability, confidence and transparency. And lab grown options offer exactly that without sacrificing sparkle.
If you’re curious about how these choices fit into modern ring styling, or how to pair them with other pieces, a really practical place to start is this little guide that explains how lab created diamonds can complement your wedding band style options in a fresh, modern way: lab created diamonds.
The best part? Trilogy rings are actually one of the designs where lab grown stones shine (pun only slightly intended). Because you can go a little bigger without blowing the budget, it opens up a world of design possibilities that used to be out of reach for a lot of people.
Craftsmanship Matters More Than People Realise
Every jeweller has their soapbox topic, and this is mine: the quality of the setting on a three stone ring matters almost more than the stones themselves.
With a solitaire, you can get away with a bit more. There’s only one hero stone. The structure is simpler. But with three stones, it’s like composing music. Everything has to balance. The proportions, the angles, the prong placements. If one stone sits even slightly too high or too wide, the whole thing looks off.
I’ve seen mass-produced versions where the side stones almost compete with the centre because they weren’t angled properly. I’ve seen some where the setting is so bulky that the stones look smaller than they are. And occasionally there are pieces where the metal work is fine but soulless, which sounds strange but you’d know what I mean if you saw them.
A well-crafted trilogy ring has a sense of flow to it. Your eye moves naturally from one stone to the next. There’s room for light to enter from every angle. The whole design feels lifted, refined, graceful.
That’s why, when people ask me what to look for in a three stone engagement ring, I point them toward sources that truly understand the structure and artistry behind these designs. For example, this collection provides a really clean, modern take on the look and explains the differences in styling better than most places I’ve seen: three stone engagement rings.
A good trilogy ring should make you feel something. If it doesn’t, don’t settle.
Choosing the Right Stones: Not Just a “Bigger Is Better” Game
Here’s something you might not know: in many three stone rings, the sparkle actually comes from the side stones more than the centre stone. Not because they’re necessarily better stones, but because of how the angles catch light.
That’s why matching matters. Side stones need to complement the centre stone, not outshine it or disappear next to it. Most jewellers rely on calibrated stones to achieve this, but I prefer hand-selecting them. It’s like matching siblings. They don’t have to be identical twins, but they should look like they belong in the same family.
As for diamond shape, the centre stone usually drives the whole design. Round brilliants are the crowd favourite, but I’ve noticed a real rise in emerald cut centres over the past three years. There’s something about the way the step-cut facets give that elegant hall-of-mirrors effect that really works between two tapered baguettes or half-moon stones.
And yes, lab grown options remain incredibly popular here, especially for people wanting a high-clarity, high-colour stone without the price spike.
Lifestyle Factors You Shouldn’t Ignore
People sometimes forget that a ring has to exist in real life, not just on Instagram. Trilogy rings have three exposed stones, so they can sit a little wider on the finger than solitaires. If you work a lot with your hands, if you wear gloves daily, or if you’re a bit prone to knocking your jewellery on things (which, honestly, is most of us), it’s worth thinking about how high or low you want the setting to sit.
The good news is most designs are highly customisable. Lower settings are brilliant for busy, active lifestyles. Higher settings offer more dramatic sparkle. And if you’re worried about the ring catching on fabric, a bezel or partial-bezel design can be a lifesaver, though they’re less common.
I often tell customers this: you shouldn’t have to change your life to suit your ring. Your ring should suit your life.
The Unexpected Joy of Designing Something Personal
One of my favourite parts of crafting a three stone ring is watching people realise how personal it can become. Some choose birthstones as side stones. Some choose a centre diamond from a family heirloom. Others design the whole piece around a memory or milestone.
There was a couple who brought in a tiny sapphire the woman had owned since she was twelve. It wasn’t valuable in the traditional sense, but the meaning was priceless. We used it as one of the side stones. When she saw the finished ring, she laughed and said, “It feels like my whole life is in here.”
That’s the beauty of a trilogy design. It gives you room to tell a story without needing to say a word.
Why This Style Isn’t Going Anywhere
Every time a new trend rolls in, someone inevitably asks me whether trilogy rings are “still in.” And my answer is always the same: they were never out.
Styles that survive this long do so because they evolve without losing themselves. Today’s three stone engagement rings look different from the ones your grandmother might’ve worn, but the sentiment behind them is unchanged. Love with depth. Love with history. Love with a future worth dreaming about.
And honestly, in a world where everything moves at lightning speed, there’s something incredibly grounding about a design that invites you to pause and appreciate the journey.
A Final Thought
If you’re choosing an engagement ring right now, whether for yourself or someone you adore, try not to get swept up in pressure or trends or what looks good in a ten-second video. Hold the ring in your hand. Sit with it. Consider what makes your love story yours.
Three stone engagement rings won’t shout for your attention. They don’t need to. They simply reflect who you are, where you’ve been and where you’re going. If that resonates with you on any level, you might just have found the one.
