Tobias Kormind, managing director of London-based online diamond retailer 77 Diamonds, says the demand for men’s engagement rings was close to zero until about seven years ago. Today, he estimates they account for as many as one in 30 custom orders from men looking for gem-set rings with diamonds or precious stones. “It’s still not a core product,” he says, “but it definitely seems to be growing”.

Experts from jewellery retailers say gay men were some of the first customers seeking out engagement rings for men. “Gay couples have been really trying to define their own engagements and weddings and find ways to express their commitment to each other,” says Joshua Sherman, director of marketing at Grown Brilliance, which focuses on lab-grown diamonds.

However, the trend has rippled out. Some high-profile celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Ryan Reynolds, Brooklyn Beckham and Michael Bublé have gone on to mark their own engagements with a ring, sometimes wearing them with a wedding band after marriage.

In part, alongside a booming market for inclusive and gender-neutral fashion, more men are embracing jewellery in general. At Eternate, men’s jewellery comprised 7.2% of all sales in 2021, says Telaferli. Today, that figure is closer to 15%.