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Last week, Emily Ratajkowski shared a photo of herself wearing two diamond rings to her 30 million Instagram followers. “Divorce rings,” wrote the supermodel under the post, which now has over a million likes.
In a follow-up interview with Vogue, the 32-year-old explained she repurposed her two-stone Toi et Moi engagement ring from her four-year marriage to film producer, Sebastian Bear-McClard, which ended in 2022. “I don’t think a woman should be stripped of her diamonds just because she’s losing a man,” she explained of her decision, adding that she loved the “idea of a ring unabashedly representing the many lives a woman has lived”.
Repurposing wedding jewellery is a fast-growing trend as the narrative around divorce shifts from one of shame, to seeing it as a life event to be marked like any other — led by social media influencers and celebrities. Jewellery brands are already eyeing the opportunity. “In the past month alone, around four or five people have got in touch with us for advice on what to do with their jewellery after their divorce, or to request a remodel,” says jeweller Rachel Boston, who specialises in alternative bridal and bespoke work. “This is pre the viral divorce ring Instagram post, so I suspect many more people will be reaching out.”
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Jewellery designer Jessica Flinn says she’s seen a 300 per cent increase in remodel requests over the last two years; fine jewellery brand Lylie has seen a big uptick in divorce ring requests, and this week introduced a remodelling library to showcase the possibilities.
Businesses servicing this market with customised product offerings and dedicated campaign messaging are set to win big. But not everyone agrees that brands should be cashing in on what is, for many people, an extremely personal and painful experience. It’s a fine balancing act between helping people to celebrate entering a new chapter of their lives, without pushing it too far and alienating potential customers, experts say.
Is divorce ‘chic’ now?
Divorce rates are steadily climbing in the West. In the UK today, 43 per cent of marriages end in divorce — up from 22 per cent in 1970, according to the national census. And in the US, 50 per cent of first-time marriages end in divorce. As the rates have risen, the stigma surrounding it has lessened. This year, Etsy has seen a 266 per cent increase in searches for divorce celebration paraphernalia, while the #DivorceParties hashtag currently has 36.4 million views on TikTok.
This taps into a wider societal shift for some countries. “Whereas 30 years ago, divorce may have been a taboo topic, the greater emphasis on mental health and happiness we have in today’s society has caused perceptions to change,” observes Ben Roberts, managing director of British jewellery brand Clogau. “Purchasing a ring to commemorate your divorce, or even redesigning your wedding or engagement ring is a real show of empowerment. We’ve found that many customers like to have a constant reminder of their journey, or even as a symbol of resilience.”
Fine jewellery brand Chupi has been servicing the divorce market for years. “Jewellery has always been about marking the hallmark moments — like the day you fall in love, the day you get married and the day you have your baby. As women our calendar is so much more nuanced, and pretending those moments don’t exist hasn’t served women for many years,” says founder and CEO Chupi Sweetman.
Celebrities and influencers are leading the way when it comes to changing the narrative around divorce. “You’re being brave by taking a step into the unknown and that is worthy of the same celebration as being brave and taking a step into the unknown towards marriage,” says former adult film actress turned fashion muse Mia Khalifa.
Khalifa told her 37.7 million TikTok followers last year that ignoring societal expectations and getting divorced before 30 if you’re unhappy is the “cool girl” thing to do. “The more open we are about these experiences and about making decisions too drastically when we’re too young to have anything figured out (which is essentially before we’re 30), the more security it gives others taking that leap,” she explains of the social media discourse redefining the divorcée stereotype.
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Last year, Khalifa launched jewellery brand Sheytan, which translates to “Devil” in Arabic. “It’s for the person who takes pleasure just for themselves. Hedonism is seen as the work of the devil and there is nothing more hedonistic about basking in self pleasure,” Khalifa says of the brand’s DNA, which encourages wearers to be unapologetic and to not measure their worth against the confines of “good girl” behaviour.
Similarly, last summer Ratajkowski famously declared that it was “chic to be divorced by the age of 30” in a video posted to her TikTok.
“Series like First Wives Club used to be the epitome of the divorced woman,” says Fiona Harkin, director of foresight at The Future Laboratory, on the shifting attitudes towards the divorced woman troupe. No longer a frowned-upon endeavour that sullies a woman’s social standing, Harkin argues that the increasing recognition of women’s rights — and the understanding that “marriages have traditionally been structured around the unequal emotional and physical labour of women” — is behind divorce’s rebrand.
Harkin points out that millennial and Gen Z women now consider marriage “a transient partnership” rather than a lifelong commitment. “Eighty-five per cent of millennial women don’t believe marriage is necessary to have a committed and fulfilling relationship,” she says, referencing The Future Laboratory’s recent Generations Now and Next report. “The less onus we put on the institution of marriage, the less stigma we put on getting divorced.”
It’s not just Western markets either. “China has evolved from a deeply patriarchal and family-focused society,” says Felicia Schwartz, founder of boutique market research and strategy firm China Insight. Divorce is no longer seen as “谈虎色变” (tan hu se bian), a Chinese idiom that means “scared at the mere mention of”, which is ascribed by Schwartz to the economic empowerment of women. “In a 2019 report, McKinsey pointed out that women contributed 41 per cent of China’s GDP and had the potential to reach 54 per cent by 2025,” she continues. As more women attain financial independence, they are less inclined to remain in unsatisfactory or unhappy marriages, Schwartz says. Whereas younger generations, “who are generally more open-minded and influenced by Western values”, are more likely to prioritise personal happiness and self-fulfilment over societal expectations.
How brands are tapping in
Recognising the growth potential of this market, Chupi introduced a dedicated category of divorce rings alongside its remoulding services. “Quite often with our community we find they don’t want to remodel the ring, because they don’t want to wear the diamond their partner proposed to them with. It’s important that women get to buy their own damn diamonds, and that they choose something for themselves to symbolise owning their future,” explains Sweetman.
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Sweetman says Chupi’s aim is to celebrate “love, hope and everything in between”, with campaigns focusing on “imperfect moments” rather than the diamond industry’s exclusive penchant for romance.
However, Schwartz warns that brands must be sensitive to the cultural nuances as well as the varied attitudes towards relationships and divorce across different regions and demographics, like within China for example. “Messaging that empowers and uplifts without alienating more traditional consumers is a delicate balance to achieve. Women’s empowerment specifically is more veiled in China and veers towards self-expression and self-realisation rather than the more ‘militant’ expressions seen in the West,” she says.
Likewise Harkin warns against cheesy or vengeful narratives. “Divorce is still a painful experience, regardless of whether it is less stigmatised now. Brands should focus on a quiet celebration that you can stand on your own.”
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