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Over the past year, a slew of designers launched separate bridal lines of engagement rings and wedding bands who had never done them as collections before. They all had created bespoke or customized rings for specific clients who purchased their pieces and admired their aesthetic. Bridal was already taking over a large portion of the independent jewelry market with alternative rings as the classification that was keeping other small houses in business and translating into sales. When the pandemic hit, more of these emerging and independent talents decided it was time to launch, some who had been planning it and others who saw the number of people getting engaged during this time of crisis and thought, “If not now, then when?” Here are the designers whose engagement rings are progressive and perfect for today yet still timeless and enduring.

Titiana ring by K8 Jewelry in 18K gold.

Price on request

STORY BY BETH BERNSTEIN

Alison Lou/ I Do by Lou

“I launched I Do by LOU because I love getting to know my customer and their style on a more personal level. I want to allow them to get a ring that was perfect for their unique relationship — a ring that they love and wear every day,” says Alison Chemla, creative director of Alison Lou.

The Gloria 18K yellow gold, black enamel and round brilliant diamond ring.

Price on request

Nancy Newberg

“After doing a reset on my own personal engagement ring and getting compliments (and orders), I realized there was room in the bridal market for new designers. I have always enjoyed working with couples to create custom rings, and launching this collection allowed me to offer a fresh approach for the modern bride,” says Nancy Newberg.

Modern Love emerald cut diamond ring in 18K gold with black ruthenium trim.

$7,500

Dana Bronfman

“I wanted to do bridal for a long time but wasn’t sure how I would do it in alignment with my values and aesthetic. When couples started coming to me for custom engagement, I was surprised at how excited I was to create something so meaningful and from there I realized what the collection needed to be,” says Dana Bronfman.

18K fair mined yellow gold 3.7-carat vintage sapphire with diamond accents.

$9,080

Pamela Love

“After years of creating one-off custom bridal and commitment pieces for clients, I felt it was time to create this collection, to celebrate commitment, ceremony, and love of all kinds,” says Pamela Love. “These rings are a metaphor for the weaving together of souls and weathering the good and bad together. This is what I tried to capture in my first Ceremonial Collection. That idea of true love as an imperfect beauty.”

Elektra Ring in 18K gold with 1.01-carat marquise diamond.

$7,000

Tomasz Donocik

“During the pandemic, customers were purchasing my regular rings as alternative bridal from my collection, and I also received other requests for true bridal rings in my style and aesthetic. Due to the demand, I created a bridal collection which, like all my designs, is loosely inspired by the geometry and lines of the Art Deco movement,” says Tomasz Donocik.

Diadem diamond engagement ring set in platinum with 0.48 TCW of baguette-cut, white diamonds and 0.19 TCW of princess cut white diamonds.

$8,500

IO Collective

“I had been planning a bridal collection but evolved quicker than I expected when I noticed that 80 percent of my business was devoted to developing custom engagement rings over the past few years. I finally decided to launch the separate collection on May 3, 2021, my birthday,” says designer Jennifer Thai.

Raye two-tone 18K gold and platinum radiant cut solitaire with a four-prong basket, hidden diamond side halo and three-quarter diamond band.

Price on request

AARYAH

“At AARYAH, we are dedicated to creating alluring jewelry designed to allow the wearers to apply their own unique stories. Moving into bridal seemed the next step. We are creating rings that truly reflect our customers and their journeys with their partners,” says designer Megan Kothari.

Liz bezel-set diamond ring (named after the iconic Elizabeth Taylor) is fashioned in 18K yellow gold with a 1.53-carat radiant white diamond.

Price on request

Michelle Fantaci

“When I decided to launch a bridal collection, I wanted it to stand alone while still reflecting my aesthetic,” says designer Michelle Fantaci. “I also wanted to keep it focused, desirable and sustainable. Couples are more decisive right now about being together. I think it’s so romantic to get engaged during hard times because that says so much about the belief in their love, their ability to withstand challenges together and their hope about the future.” The collection is inspired by antique and vintage cluster rings with an ultra-modern twist.

18K gold round rose-cut center stone ring with white diamond pave (2.13 TCW).

$10,880

Kaylin Hertel

“I designed the engagement rings to go along with the aesthetic of my collection, and I am just starting to add them in with the bands that I had designed for a while now. The style is elegant with its Japanese-inspired engravings and unexpected gemstones such as spinels, garnets and gray diamonds,” designer Kaylin Hertel explains.

One-of-a-kind gray diamond solitaire with a 2.87-carat cushion rose cut diamond bezel set into an 18K gold petal print band.

$9,900

K8 Jewelry

Designer Kate Hubley explains, “I’ve been designing one-off and customized engagement rings for years now. This has grown into a full-fledged collection for couples who are looking for a design with a certain je ne sais quoi. Nothing mass-produced, flimsy or generic. Instead meaningful, high-end, couture, and ethically crafted. My goal was to create rings that meet these criteria—rings that have a deeper meaning, and edgy elegance that reflects the couple’s individuality and their love.”

Ring set features a Canadian diamond and is crafted in18K yellow gold with exclusive petal setting.

$10,795

V By Laura Vann

As a second-generation jewelry business owner, Laura Vann, designer of V by Laura Vann, focuses on demi-fine Art Deco-inspired styles, preferring looks that were classic yet with a modern vibe. “The bridal collection launch in 2020 seemed like a natural progression into the timelessness of fine jewelry that will withstand the test of time” she explains.

Oval cut diamond buckle ring in platinum.

$7,420

You Won’t Believe These Designers Had Never Done Bridal Collections Before
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You Won’t Believe These Designers Had Never Done Bridal Collections Before

Over the past year, a slew of designers launched separate bridal lines of engagement rings and wedding bands who had never done them as collections before. They all had created bespoke or customized rings for specific clients who purchased their pieces and admired their aesthetic. Bridal was already taking over a large portion of the independent jewelry market with alternative rings as the classification that was keeping other small houses in business and translating into sales. When the pandemic hit, more of these emerging and independent talents decided it was time to launch, some who had been planning it and others who saw the number of people getting engaged during this time of crisis and thought, “If not now, then when?” Here are the designers whose engagement rings are progressive and perfect for today yet still timeless and enduring.

Titiana ring by K8 Jewelry in 18K gold.

Price on request

STORY BY BETH BERNSTEIN