EditorsDec 05, 2022
Meet Jewelry’s First TikTok StarEditorsDec 21, 2022
Drake’s Diamond Necklace Is My Favorite Celebrity Jewelry Moment of 2022
It says a lot about millennial and Gen-Z consumer attitudes, writes Senior Editor Ashley Davis.
This screenshot from the Instagram page of jeweler Alex Moss New York shows the 351-carat “Previous Engagements” necklace he made for Drake. (Image courtesy of Instagram @AlexMoss)
I know a woman who was once at a relationship crossroads.
She and her significant other were either going to break up or get married (you’ve probably known couples in the same scenario), and the coming months would reveal the outcome.
At that time, the woman happened to find an antique diamond ring she loved at a really good price, so she bought it on the spot and tucked it away.
If the relationship continued, this could be her engagement ring, she figured. If she and her partner went their separate ways, it would be a right-hand ring. They ended up getting married, so a left-hand ring it was.
I know another couple who was talking marriage and planned to get engaged with a family heirloom.
One day at his parents’ home, the boyfriend’s mother pulled a ring from her jewelry box set with a large cubic zirconia, which she had worn decades ago on vacations in lieu of her regular diamond.
The girlfriend said she would prefer a ring like that to wear in her daily life, as she wasn’t comfortable walking around with a large diamond. Her boyfriend knelt down on the spot and proposed to her with the CZ. She still wears it to this day and never pulls out the heirloom.
Neither of these scenarios are what we millennials—a generation raised on Disney cartoon romances—would consider traditionally romantic, but they say something about who we are.
A much more famous man recently debuted an 18-karat white gold Y-necklace with 42 large diamonds, totaling 351.38 carats, each of which would individually make for a seriously sizable diamond jewel. (Mathematically speaking, that averages to more than 8 carats per stone.)
The man was rapper Drake, and the necklace designed by well-known private jeweler to the stars Alex Moss was dubbed “Previous Engagements,” a representation of all diamond rings the artist had considered, but ultimately resisted, doling out.
While 42 possible engagements isn’t relatable to the average person, the average person hasn’t been romantically linked to the likes of Rihanna, Serena Williams, SZA, and Jennifer Lopez, to name a few.
What does strike a relatable chord, however, is the gesture itself and what it signifies. The engagement ring has long been the pinnacle jewelry purchase, but fewer Americans are getting married today.
In 1990, 29 percent of adults ages 25 to 54 were neither married nor living with a romantic partner, according to Pew Research Center. By 2019, that number had risen to 38 percent, and while some of that group is divorced, the biggest rise was in the number of people who had never married.
The 2022 American Family Survey by Deseret News and the Center for the Study of Elections and Democracy at Brigham Young University noted a steady decline in respondents who reported being married over the last seven years, with 50 percent identifying as married in 2015, down to 45 percent in 2022.
The number of people who report not being in a relationship at all has also risen. While 32 percent of respondents to the American Family Survey said they were not in a relationship in 2015, 37 percent reported not being in a relationship in 2022.
Of course, this isn’t news to the jewelry industry, which has been touting the rise of the self-purchasing customer for years.
Drake and his “Previous Engagements” diamond necklace simply epitomizes the concept.
The 36-year-old Canadian has had ample opportunity to follow a traditional marital path, but one can arguably assume his focus in adulthood has prioritized his ascension to the peak of popularity in hip-hop and pop music.
After all, the same generation raised on Disney movie happy endings was also raised to “follow their dreams,” and the pursuit of romance and career success don’t always dovetail, and certainly not according to the timelines of generations past.
By giving himself the diamonds he could have given to others, Drake is declaring his independence and self-empowerment. The self-purchase is an act of that very millennial and Gen-Z buzzword our grandparents and parents certainly wouldn’t recognize: self-love.
The necklace’s clever name alone indicates Drake’s self-awareness when it comes to his flouting of traditional expectations.
While considered more successful than all but a handful of people on the planet, “Previous Engagements” is an acknowledgement of the romantic commitments he has foregone, underlining a clear understanding of the societal expectations surrounding marriage that even he can’t avoid.
It’s a topic clearly on his mind, as demonstrated in his music video last summer for the song, “Falling Back,” which featured him marrying not 42, but a respectable 23 brides.
Drake isn’t the only music superstar who feels the pressure.
No matter the magnitude of her accomplishments, Taylor Swift apparently feels the same weight of expectations when it comes to marriage.
In “Lavender Haze,” a song off her 2022 album “Midnights,” she sings, “All they keep asking me/Is if I’m gonna be your bride/The only kind of girl they see/Is a one night or a wife.”
On the same track she laments about, “the 1950s shit they want from me,” a clear reference to marriage and possibly motherhood, her many albums and tours be damned.
Drake’s “Previous Engagements” necklace dropped right at the tail end of 2022, and it’s my favorite celebrity jewelry moment this year, not simply for the breathtaking assortment of diamonds collected into one necklace—a piece that would give Elizabeth Taylor a run for her money—but for its message.
Jewelry may be less overtly romantic than in times past, but it is no less meaningful. The self-purchase is a celebration of one’s own values and accomplishments, and something jewelers should embrace more, for women and men, in 2023.
More on Editors
The Latest
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
The 12 Fresh Faces in Couture’s Design AtelierDiscover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.
SourcingJun 05, 2025
A Rare Suite of Rubies Has Arrived in Las VegasThe “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Daymond John to Give Keynote at JCK Las VegasThe entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.
Brought to you by
The True Power Behind the Counter: Why Sales Associates Are the Heart of the Jewelry BusinessWhen investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.
MajorsJun 05, 2025
Platinum Guild International Updates Leadership TeamTwo existing executives have been given new roles.
Weekly QuizJun 05, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Zillion Announces 'Women in STEM' Scholarship RecipientMeredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.
Lab-GrownJun 04, 2025
GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown DiamondsIt will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
Events & AwardsJun 04, 2025
As JCK Talks Returns, Don’t Miss These 12 SessionsFrom design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.
CrimeJun 04, 2025
10 Safety Tips for the Las Vegas Shows The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.
MajorsJun 04, 2025
Amy Curran Promoted at Hill & Co.Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
In Her Latest Collection, Viviana Langhoff Is Leaning Into GoldThe designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.
FinancialsJun 03, 2025
Signet Jewelers Sees Turnaround in Q1 With Sales Ticking Up 2%On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.
SurveysJun 03, 2025
Consumer Confidence Improves in May The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
Dakota Johnson Is Roberto Coin’s New Brand AmbassadorThe actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.
GradingJun 03, 2025
Mason-Kay Jade Adds ‘Fei Cui’ to Jade ReportsThe company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."
SourcingJun 02, 2025
Gemfields’ June Auction to Include 36-Carat RubyThe large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.
GradingJun 02, 2025
GSI Opens New Lab in Thailand Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.
TrendsJun 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Three Gems for June Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.
SourcingJun 02, 2025
David Allouche Joins Grandview Klein DiamondsThe diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
Supplier BulletinMay 29, 2025
Inoveo Platinum Grain, Exclusively Distributed by StullerSponsored by Stuller
SourcingMay 29, 2025
Grizzly Auctions 6,620-Carat EmeraldIt was featured in the miner’s latest sale, which brought in $24.8 million.
