Alternative Engagement Rings: You Can Break the Rules
Make personal choices and create an engagement ring which resonates with you both. Here are several ways to add a personal touch to your engagement ring.
Design Your Engagement Ring Together
For some people designing a surprise engagement ring is fun. For others the very idea fills
them with terror. Asking the question without a ring, or with a temporary stand-in (or even an
onion ring, it worked for Homer Simpson) allows you to choose a ring together later.
I made this stunning green tourmaline ring while working with both halves of the couple, you can read the whole story of how it came together here.
Get Personal
Your ring doesn't have to mean anything to anyone other than you and your partner. While
there are many conventional symbols for love out there; (hearts, cherubs, Claddagh, etc)
you don't need to cover your ring with these to ensure it means something to you.
Picking a symbol that's more personal works too and we can incorporate it into the wider design, like the lotus flower which holds up the halo in this bespoke engagement ring:
Platinum, Diamond and Lotus Engagement Ring
Don't Have a Diamond Engagement Ring
Yes, everyone knows that diamonds have been the traditional choice for engagement rings for nearly a century but there's no actual, written rule that you must have one. Honest.
It might be that you've never liked them, they're not your favourite colour or you would simply prefer something else. Thankfully the social conventions have loosened over the last few decades and there's no reason at all that you 'have to have' a diamond.
Here are two bold, colourful alternatives I've made for happy couples:
Platinum, Ice Cream Coloured Pastel Sapphire Engagement Ring
Turquoise, Sapphire & Platinum Engagement Ring
Don't Spend 1, 2 or 3 Months' Salary
Diamond dealers De Beers invented this as a marketing strategy in the 1930s and, like all good jingles, it's lodged in our collective memories. Interestingly, 'Diamonds are a Girls' Best Friend' is also a De Beers slogan which was reinforced by a collaboration with Marilyn Monroe in the film 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', released in 1953.
This 'rule' is absolutely one to ignore. Spend whatever you feel comfortable with, set your budget and I will happily advise how best to utilise it. When it comes to engagement rings I always suggest opting for quality over quantity, with daily durability in mind.
And, Finally, Change is Okay: You Can Alter Your Rings Later On
It can be daunting to think that you're going to wear your engagement ring forever. Tastes change and your jewellery can change and evolve as you do. There's no shame in adjusting styles or going for a full remodel years down the line.
This ring belongs to H, who got married in 1990. It had had the lower shank replaced in the past and she wanted a larger diamond to celebrate her anniversary. I added a new setting to the ring to hold a larger, more sparkly diamond. H didn't want to give up her original diamond, so I set that inside the ring, hidden away where she knows it's safe and sound.
Start a Conversation
Wherever in the world you are, my bespoke jewellery process will always be centred around you. We’ll bounce ideas off each other and refine a design that you are 100% happy with. Get in touch to start a conversation.
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