An increasing trend of brides coveting square rather than round-cut diamonds has emerged.

The new obsession with the square-shaped gems has drawn up alongside platinum rings as among the brides' priorities for that special moment, reports Bloomberg.com.

According to the website, the $6 billion market for diamonds is seeing the popularity of square-cut designs "booming".

This, it states, is encouraged by celebrities such as Ashley Judd, Reese Witherspoon and Brooke Shields being seen out sporting square-cut diamond engagement rings.

Engagement being a pledge of eternal love and lifelong commitment, it is not surprising that timeless and hardwearing platinum is as important to some as a diamonds.

A woman recently engaged in New York, Lorna Blair, told Bloomberg.com: "I had seen so many round diamonds, on friends and family, so I just wanted something a little more unique. It looked pretty on my hand. It pops out.''

She had chosen a platinum ring set with a two carat cushion cut jewel for her engagement, and joined the rest of the 80 per cent of brides receiving diamond engagement rings in the months from October to December.