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Not long ago, the plain gold band was the quintessential symbol of marriage. Things are no longer so simple, though they are often clearly cut.

Today, a woman often chooses a diamond band to match her diamond engagement ring – which is likely to sport several smaller diamonds to set off the main stone.

The ruby, sapphire and emerald have their appeal, but can’t come close to the diamond in popularity. As James M. Joslyn, president and co-owner of Sharfmans, the renowned Worcester tiffany jewelry store, puts it, “A diamond is precious. It never goes out of style.”

Indeed, it has never been more true that diamonds – large and small – are a steadfast friend to accompany a woman through marriage. In fact, one of the hottest trends is a band set with micro-pave diamonds that give off a brilliant shimmer.

And the wedding band is only the beginning. About 30 years ago, the jewelry industry introduced the eternity ring, a band set all around with diamonds. That soon evolved into the anniversary band, which typically has diamonds set across the top. Tiffany & Co. now advertises such bands as “celebration” rings “for moments that matter.”

“There are so many anniversaries of one kind or another, says Joslyn, adding that bands make up about 40 percent of sales at Sharfmans.

Men, too, have broken with tradition. A man is still less likely to choose a ring with stones. But nowadays, he might want a distinctive design in gold or platinum that reflects his personal taste.

Charles S. Rosenblum, buyer and general manager of Neal Rosenblum Goldsmiths/Designers on Park Avenue, points out that some men choose unusual materials that truly set them apart, such as meteor, Damascus steel or mokume gane, a metal that looks like layers of wood.

“We’re not traditional in what we sell,” Rosenblum notes. “We sell a lot of handmade jewelry that is not mass produced.”

Sharfmans offers various types of bands, from the traditional channel setting to one in which each stone is held by prongs.

Yet Central Massachusetts jewelers are often visited by couples who have ideas of their own and want to play an active role in designing their rings.

Arpine Shavarsh Azizian was born into a family of jewelers. Three years ago, she assumed control of her father’s store on Main Street, and she now operates Shavarsh Jewelers/Design by Arpine. Azizian, a certified gemologist who has studied jewelry manufacturing in Europe and the United States, specializes in custom design.

“I get a lot of girls with pictures and ideas,” says Azizian, who is in her early 20s. “We meet in consultation. They give me a budget, and the next visit I do a showing. I try to make it as painless as possible.”

Azizian creates her designs on a computer. A mold is made and the ring is cast, set and finished at Arpiar, her manufacturing operation in Boylston.

Patricia Magliaro and her husband, Michael, had bought her engagement ring and their wedding bands from Azizian’s father, Shavarsh Azizian. Not long ago, they wanted matching bands to mark their fifth anniversary. “I told my husband, ‘I’m not getting any younger. I need to make sure it’s big enough so I can see it,’” Mrs. Magliaro says, laughing.

The Magliaros sat down with Azizian and told her what they had in mind: bands of diamonds to be set in a heart shape. Using the Magliaros’ ideas and her own, Azizian came up with a design all three loved.

Rosenblum’s brother, Neal, a jeweler for more than 30 years, often creates one-of-a-kind designs. He may then turn to a computer to create a pattern that can be made into a ring. Such CAD/CAM projects can go on for up to three months, with the customer involved all along the way.

“What makes it interesting and creative is every person is so different,” Charles Rosenblum says, adding that the store draws customers from Maine to New York. “We work in a lot of different styles.”

The offerings of the three stores appeal to a range of tastes, but the jewelers agree that many women currently have a penchant for pave, a style with tiny diamonds set tightly together.

“It’s always been popular in Europe, but it’s catching on here,” Azizian says of the setting. “Brides love it because of the sparkle. It makes the diamond look larger.”

Whether picked from among a glittering array of rings in a display case or custom designed, wedding and anniversary bands – especially those set with diamonds – are costly. Azizian says she works hard to fit any budget. But it’s not unusual for a couple to come to her ready to spend several thousand dollars. The bands sold by the Rosenblums start at about $1,500.

At Sharfmans, bands typically run from $1,000 to $3,000. But Joslyn says that some customers are prepared to spend $10,000 to $15,000 to mark an important date in a dazzling way. The expansion of the anniversary trend, he explains quietly, “was a big step for the business.”