2,269 West Michigan locals just told us exactly what they want in an engagement ring. We found some clear local trends, and honestly, a few things that genuinely surprised us.
In the spring of 2026 we surveyed people from across West Michigan. Grand Rapids, Hudsonville, Holland, Grandville, Byron Center, Zeeland, Allendale, Grand Haven, and Muskegon. We asked about everything from their favorite ring style to what they think is a reasonable budget. Not all of them are currently shopping. Some are dreaming, some are just jewelry people, and some are shopping for someone else. But all of them had opinions. And 2,269 opinions add up to something worth paying attention to.
Here’s what the data told us and what it didn’t.
What We Found
- Favorite ring: Bezel Set Emerald Cut Solitaire, with the Oval Three-Stone right on its heels two years running — see the full breakdown
- Favorite diamond shape: Oval, and it isn’t particularly close — see the full breakdown
- Favorite metal: Yellow gold, and it isn’t particularly close either — see the full breakdown
- Reasonable budget: $2,500 to $5,000, agreed on by about 50% of the area — see the full breakdown
- How your city voted: Favorite rings, diamonds, metals, and budgets across all 9 West Michigan communities — see the city breakdown
- What the data doesn’t tell you: The ring that looks perfect on a screen doesn’t always feel perfect on your hand — read more
West Michigan Engagement Ring Trends: The One Clear Winner, and a Few Surprises
The ten rings in this survey were handpicked by our team. Styles we were seeing trend on Instagram, rings customers kept coming in to try on, and a few that kept showing up in our DMs. We put them to a vote. After 2,269 responses, here’s how they ranked.
The Bezel Set Emerald Cut Solitaire took first place overall at about 18% of all votes. A very similar style came in second last year too. It’s clean, modern, fully secures the diamond, and it absolutely dominates on Instagram. There’s also an interesting story behind its popularity that we’ll get to a little later.
The rivalry nobody saw coming
Close behind were the Oval Three-Stone and the Oval Hidden Halo. Think of it like the Michigan vs. Michigan State of engagement rings. The Oval Three-Stone won last year, came close again this year, and actually took the top spot in Grandville and Byron Center. West Michigan isn’t a one ring kind of place.
The lakeshore surprise
One ring that caught us off guard was the Floral Marquise. Middle of the pack overall, but in Allendale and Grand Haven it earned nearly double the votes of most other cities. Maybe it’s the organic shape, the vintage feel, or just something in the water out there.
West Michigan’s Trending Diamond Shapes: Oval Wins, But Not Everywhere
After years of working with West Michigan couples, we see diamond shape trends shift before they show up anywhere else. Round was everything. Then Princess had its moment. Now oval has taken over, and unique shapes like movals and Duchess cuts are starting to enter the conversation.
The most popular shape to me is that there is no popular shape. Every customer wants their own unique ring, and choosing their center stone shape helps them achieve that.” — Mitch, Jensen Jewelers
A few things in this data stood out to us.
Oval won everywhere, but not by the same margin
In Hudsonville oval won by 11 points, pulling 35.6% of the vote compared to round’s 24.6%. Head to Byron Center and it was essentially a coin flip at 31.1% oval vs. 30.6% round. If you’re torn between the two you’re in very good company.
Marquise is a west side thing
Marquise was the shape that showed the clearest geographic split. Grand Haven came in at 19.7% and Allendale at 18.3%, nearly double what most inland cities showed. Something about the lakeshore just gravitates toward it.
Princess cut then and now
Princess cut has quietly stepped back from where it was ten or fifteen years ago, when it was one of the most popular shapes we sold. It still has its fans and it’s a beautiful cut. It just isn’t commanding the room the way it once did.
West Michigan Engagement Ring Metals: Yellow Gold Is Officially Back
One of the best parts of being in the jewelry industry is watching styles change over the years. When Jensen Jewelers started carrying more yellow gold options, white gold was essentially the only conversation. Somewhere around 2019 or 2020 the shift started, and now yellow gold has taken over in a way that doesn’t feel like a trend anymore.
A few things stood out when we looked at the numbers.
Yellow gold hit 50% locally — more than white gold, platinum, and rose gold combined
Yellow gold hit 50% locally. That means more people chose yellow gold than white gold, platinum, and rose gold combined. Grand Rapids led the way at 55.6%.
The closest split was in Grandville and Byron Center, where white gold stayed within a few percentage points. Worth knowing if you’re in those areas and want to see both side by side.
I saw the shift start around 2018. Around 2022 it was about 60/40 white to yellow. Today it has completely flipped.” — Mitch, Jensen Jewelers
West Michigan Engagement Ring Budgets: What “Reasonable” Actually Means Here
First things first: there are no rules here. The three-month salary guideline is made-up nonsense and we’ve never believed in it. Some people prioritize spending less now and upgrading later. Some people are jewelry people through and through and want to go all in from the start. Both are completely valid.
About half of West Michigan landed in the $2,500 to $5,000 range when asked what feels reasonable. That lines up closely with what we see in store, where our average ring sale tends to land right around $3,500. The consistency across nearly every city was one of the more remarkable things in the whole survey.
What we’re seeing in store matches what the survey found. Most customers are working in the $3,000 to $6,000 range, and our average ring sale tends to land right around $3,500.” — Lydia, Jensen Jewelers
Zeeland was the most decisive community of all, with the strongest concentration in that sweet spot and almost no one saying “it depends.” Zeeland knows what it wants.
Working within your budget is just part of what we do. We love when customers come in with their dream ring in mind, whether it’s a photo, a Pinterest board, or just a feeling. Tell us what you love and tell us what works for you financially. Finding a way to bring those two things together is exactly what we’re here for.
How Did Your City Vote? Rings, Diamonds, Metals, and Budgets Across West Michigan
| City | Responses | #1 Ring | #1 Diamond | #1 Metal | Top Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hudsonville | 630 | Bezel Set Emerald Cut Solitaire | Oval (35.6%) | Yellow Gold (50.8%) | $2,500–$5,000 (52.4%) |
| Grand Rapids | 615 | Bezel Set Emerald Cut Solitaire | Oval (27.8%) | Yellow Gold (55.6%) | $2,500–$5,000 (51.2%) |
| Holland | 251 | Bezel Set Emerald Cut Solitaire | Oval (27.9%) | Yellow Gold (51.0%) | $2,500–$5,000 (50.2%) |
| Grandville | 207 | Oval Three-Stone | Oval (30.0%) | Yellow Gold (43.0%) | $2,500–$5,000 (42.5%) |
| Byron Center | 180 | Oval Three-Stone | Oval (31.1%) | Yellow Gold (45.0%) | $2,500–$5,000 (51.7%) |
| Zeeland | 162 | Oval Hidden Halo | Oval (33.3%) | Yellow Gold (45.1%) | $2,500–$5,000 (51.2%) |
| Allendale | 104 | Bezel Set Emerald Cut Solitaire | Oval (25.0%) | Yellow Gold (45.2%) | $2,500–$5,000 (48.1%) |
| Grand Haven | 71 | Bezel Set Emerald Cut Solitaire | Oval (22.5%) | Yellow Gold (49.3%) | $2,500–$5,000 (52.1%) |
| Muskegon | 49 | Oval Hidden Halo | Oval (34.7%) | Yellow Gold (44.9%) | $2,500–$5,000 (46.9%) |
What the Data Doesn’t Tell You
Surveys show what people are drawn to online. And that part is genuinely fun. Voting for your favorite ring, saving styles on Pinterest, building a collection of everything you love. It’s how most people start figuring out what they want.
But there’s a running joke at our store. Pinterest has been lying to you.
Pinterest has been lying to you. Not maliciously. It’s just that a photo of a ring and a ring on your hand are two completely different experiences.
Not maliciously. It’s just that a photo of a ring and a ring on your hand are two completely different experiences. Diamonds are almost impossible to capture in a photo. The way they catch light, the way a setting feels, the way a shape looks on your specific hand. None of that comes through on a screen.
We think of it like buying a wedding dress. Nobody does that online and calls it a day. It’s an event. You go in, you feel it, and you know.
If you think it’s fun to scroll through rings online, just wait until you try them on. There is nothing like it. We get to watch couples come in with their Pinterest boards and their screenshots, and somewhere in that process something shifts. The right ring goes on, their eyes light up, and there’s this little smile that comes over their face. They don’t even have to say anything. We’ve seen it hundreds of times and it never gets old.
That moment is what we’re here for.
Explore 1,500+ engagement rings in West Michigan. We’ll guide you from ‘not sure where to start’ to ‘can’t wait to propose.’
Typically 30 to 45 minutes • No pressure to decide • Non-commission team
This survey was conducted in the spring of 2026 by Jensen Jewelers, with 2,269 respondents from across West Michigan. Jensen Jewelers has been helping couples find the perfect ring for over 30 years, with our store located in Hudsonville, Michigan. If you’re ready to start trying things on, we’d love to meet you.
