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
CrimeDec 24, 2025
LA Jewelry District Couple Pleads Guilty to Hiding Millions from IRSThe couple pleaded guilty to concealing at least $127 million in cash transactions at its precious metals businesses.
SurveysDec 24, 2025
Consumer Confidence Falls Again in DecemberConsumers shared concerns about prices, inflation, tariffs, trade, and politics in the survey’s write-in response section.
AuctionsDec 24, 2025
Bonhams to Open New U.S. Flagship in NYCIn February 2026, the auction house will move its headquarters to the former Steinway Hall, a neoclassical landmark on Billionaires’ Row.
Brought to you by
Impacting Tomorrow TodayHow Jewelers of America’s 20 Under 40 are leading to ensure a brighter future for the jewelry industry.
Events & AwardsDec 24, 2025
NYC Jewelry, Antique, & Object Show Announces Winter EventThe new show will take place Jan. 23-25, 2026.
Weekly QuizDec 23, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
SourcingDec 23, 2025
Mining Titan Brian Gilbertson Dies at 82The former BHP Billiton leader and Gemfields chairman is remembered for his influential leadership throughout his 50-year mining career.
Events & AwardsDec 23, 2025
Bulgari Reimagines Costume Designers Guild AwardThe LVMH-owned brand has partnered with the costume design union to revamp its award for 2026.
Brought to you by
Roseco Releases New Full-Line CatalogRoseco’s 704-page catalog showcases new lab-grown diamonds, findings, tools & more—available in print or interactive digital editions.
MajorsDec 23, 2025
Kering to Acquire Stake in Raselli Franco GroupThe luxury titan inked a deal to acquire an initial minority stake in the jewelry manufacturer with a pathway to full ownership by 2032.
MajorsDec 23, 2025
For Future Reference Vintage Enters Bloomingdale’sThe company’s curation of unsigned vintage and estate jewelry debuted at the Bloomingdale’s in Costa Mesa, California.
CrimeDec 22, 2025
Customs Seizes Hundreds of Fake Rolex, Cartier WatchesIn the recent multi-shipment seizure, CBP also found counterfeit Audemars Piguet, Moncler, and Chrome Hearts items.
Recorded WebinarsDec 22, 2025
2025 Jewelry Rewind: Looking Back on an Eventful Year Jewelers of America execs and National Jeweler editors discuss tariffs, the sky-high gold price, and the engagement that broke the internet.
MajorsDec 19, 2025
MadaLuxe Group Acquires Ippolita The luxury goods company said founder Ippolita Rostagno will remain at the brand’s helm.
MajorsDec 19, 2025
LVMH Names New Bulgari CEOLaura Burdese, who joined the Italian luxury brand in 2022, will take on the role in July.
AuctionsDec 19, 2025
Jean Schlumberger’s ‘African Cat’ Is Purr-Fection Need a gift for the cat lover who has everything? Look no further than our latest Piece of the Week.
AuctionsDec 18, 2025
Audemars Piguet Reclaims Historic Pocket Watch at AuctionIt purchased the “Grosse Pièce,” an ultra-complicated Audemars Piguet pocket watch from the ‘20s, for a record-breaking price at Sotheby’s.
Lab-GrownDec 18, 2025
Kira Jewels Debuts Custom Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry ServiceThe lab-grown diamond grower now offers custom engagement and fashion jewelry through its Kira Custom Lab Jewelry service.
EditorsDec 18, 2025
Terry Chandler Looks Back on 40 Years of Opportunity, Change, and FriendsChandler got his start at Michelson Jewelers and has served as DCA president and CEO since 2001. He will retire at the end of the month.
WatchesDec 18, 2025
Bob’s Watches to Open Store in New York’s JFK AirportThe boutique is slated to open this week inside Terminal 8, offering pre-owned Rolex watches and more to international travelers.
Supplier BulletinDec 18, 2025
Cell Jammers Are Targeting Your Business. Here's How to Beat ThemSponsored by Digital Monitoring Products
CrimeDec 17, 2025
Man Pleads Not Guilty to Swallowing Fabergé PendantThe special-edition egg pendant ingested in a New Zealand jewelry store was recovered after a six-day wait.
EditorsDec 17, 2025
2025 Jewelry Rewind: The Best Piece of the Week PicksAssociate Editor Natalie Francisco plays favorites with Piece of the Week, selecting a standout piece of jewelry from each month of 2025.
CollectionsDec 17, 2025
Lucy Hale Stars in Jacquie Aiche’s Holiday CampaignThe “Love and Desire” campaign is inspired by the magic that follows when one’s heart leads the way, said the brand.
GradingDec 17, 2025
SSEF Announces 2025 Scholarship WinnersTwo awardees will receive free tuition for an educational course at the Swiss lab, with flights and lodging included.
MajorsDec 16, 2025
Pandora’s New CEO Will Step Up EarlyBerta de Pablos-Barbier will replace Alexander Lacik at the start of January, two months earlier than expected.
AuctionsDec 16, 2025
Suzanne Belperron, JAR Shine in Sotheby’s First Auctions at New HQSotheby’s held its first two jewelry sales at the Breuer building last week, and they totaled nearly $44 million.
Events & AwardsDec 16, 2025
TJS Now Accepting Scholarship Applications for 2026Winners will receive free registration and lodging for its fourth annual event in Detroit.
