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Merrick, NY—There’s a new engagement ring trend among Millennials that gives a wholly different meaning to “A Diamond Is Forever.”

We already know how much Millennials like to make everything their own. Tapping into that sense of individuality was the driver behind the “Real Is Rare” diamond advertising campaign, while another current proposal fad is to present the engagement ring inside an avocado rather than a traditional ring box. (That, of course, begs the question of whether to celebrate the moment by making guacamole or avocado toast, but we digress.)

The avocado thing is cute. But the newest proposal trend is so far from cute, and the “ick factor” so off the charts, that jewelers are likely to cringe even as they’re reading this, let alone selling the stone.

Instead of worrying over what kind of setting to choose (vintage? halo? modern?), some Millennial-age women are simply having the diamond embedded into their skin. No setting needed. Surgeon, yes. Setting, no. 

The process involves having the diamond placed in a dermal anchor underneath the skin (kind of like a dental implant). Unlike a traditional piercing where a diamond or gemstone stud goes in one side of the skin—be it earlobe, nose, or belly button—and out the other, embedding a diamond into the skin is a surgical procedure that requires removing a circle of skin, embedding the dermal anchor below, and attaching the diamond to that. (See image at top of page).

Perhaps one good thing is that couples opting for this are going to need to be really, really certain of their relationship, because not only can complications arise from the procedure—such as rejection of the anchor by the body or migration of it as cells grow around the invasive implant—but removing the stone is extremely painful and likely to leave visible scarring.

Since the setting is where jewelers typically make their margins on bridal, they can be forgiven if they'd rather just let Blue Nile have this one. All together now: "Eeewww."