British jewellery designer Rachel Boston is marking ten years of her eponymous jewellery brand with a collection of ten unique engagement rings. Characterised by both unique cuts and antique stones, the collection stays faithful to Boston’s offbeat design aesthetic.

‘I wanted to have an opportunity to showcase how far the brand has grown over the past decade,’ Boston says. ‘From starting the business creating silver pieces, mainly for wholesale, to designing mounts for these incredible large and unique diamonds – it was a celebration of how much we've learned and honed our skills over the last ten years. I'm very grateful to have found my niche as a more alternative engagement ring designer. This collection was about celebrating the journey and the joy that comes along with it, allowing myself the freedom to create slightly more extravagant pieces than usual to show off the incredible diamonds I am now lucky enough to work with.’

The engagement rings play with geometrical codes, cutting unexpected silhouettes, positing diamonds on their side or balancing them off-centre or on ribbons of platinum or yellow gold. Yellow diamonds are juxtaposed against bands studded with white diamonds; in other pieces, the precious stones take centre stage when encased in hypnotising coils of yellow gold.

‘The collection highlights existing design details that Rachel Boston has become known for,’ Boston adds. ‘Variations on our knife-edge band are visible throughout the pieces, whether on the “Astarte” ring with its multiple knife-edge chunky band, or on the “Suadela” ring, where we quite literally turned the knife-edge on its side to create a beautiful ridged band with a really distinctive graphic quality to it. Double and triple bands also feature heavily. We wanted to highlight Rachel Boston's signature art-deco inspired aesthetic but make it bolder and more playful for the occasion.’

A collection of unusual diamonds sowed the seeds for the collection, sourced in collaboration with a London-based diamond dealer. Their unusual forms presented opportunities for bolder designs, a tantalising taste of what we can expect from the brand in the future.

‘As some of the designs were so bold, there was a bit of a leap of faith required with certain styles,’ says Boston. ‘We held our breath seeing some of the bolder pieces come to life, but otherwise, it was generally quite an exciting and organic process. My mounters and setters are brilliantly talented people, which helps make the process enjoyable and smooth.’

INFORMATION

rachelboston.co.uk

I noticed that in terms of engagement rings with diamonds, there was not that much on the market [that offered] originality and [was] still very wearable,’ says Natalie Schayes of Belgian fine jewellery brand Nayestones.

‘Not doing something that everybody else has already done is the biggest challenge for me when it comes to designing jewellery.’

Nayestones and unusual engagement rings

Her new bridal jewellery encompasses this philosophy by removing the diamond as the focus, shifting it off-centre or cradling it in undulating loops of gold. ‘I find original shapes or different ways to wear the stones in unexpected places, for example between the fingers instead of on the finger,’ the jewellery designer adds. ‘I also love to redefine classic gem-setting by using invisible settings and creating with this the illusion of stones appearing to levitate over the body. Strangely enough, this asymmetry and illusion of imbalance give the right proportion to the jewel.’

New additions join the ‘Path of Life’ collection, where curved lines lead to diamonds. In the ‘Moon Ellipse’ pieces, the phases of the moon bring a twist to the classic solitaire, while a pear diamond is placed asymmetrically in the ‘Double C’ ring.

‘I always start with an idea or a shape that I have in mind, but in the end, the jewellery needs to be comfortable to wear and beautiful at the same time,’ Schayes says. ‘The “Heart” ring was quite challenging to design in order to have these two elements in the same ring.

‘I also wanted to design a heart that had not been done before, where the heart is shaped in a not so obvious way. I wanted to create my vision of magical bridal beauty and luxury.’ 

INFORMATION

nayestones.com

Wedding bands encompass fluid curves in the hands of Sophie Bille Brahe, whose new bridal collection slots seamlessly into her popular diamond engagement rings.

Thirteen diamond styles in total stay faithful to the undulating curves of the jewellery designer’s engagement rings. The first collection of eight pieces fit into familiar styles such as the Ensemble Escargot, Ensemble Croissant and Grand Ensemble Ocean collection. A second collection of five pieces shifts the focus to a pavé setting for the first time, featuring one and two carat designs.

‘The starting point for this collection and previous collections is cemented around diamonds that I wanted to wear myself,’ says Brahe on the collection which continues her love affair with diamonds. ‘I have always been inspired by the sea - that point on the horizon, where the sea and the sky blur into one. This is also embedded in the design code of this collection, and something that fires my work in general.’

She explored new directions for these pieces inspired by love letters, intricately designed so they fit flawlessly together - much like how paper fits into an envelope, she says. ‘I wanted to capture the essence of effortlessness as well as understated luxury in these new pieces. For me, it is all about capturing the light in simple exclusivity, and effortless designs using diamond as the focal point.’

Using diamonds exclusively - rather than her ubiquitous pearls - was not without its challenges. ‘Not doing something that everybody else has already done is the biggest challenge for me when working with diamonds. But it is the ultimate luxury and gives me a magical feeling that I can’t explain. I love trying to use diamonds in a way that I want to wear them. Extremely classic but modern.’

INFORMATION

sophiebillebrahe.com

Ruth Tomlinson unites the traditional with the modern in a new collection of alternative engagement rings, ‘Paragons’, which puts antique diamonds at its heart.

The five-piece collection cradles white solitaire diamonds, in a multitude of cuts – from round, cushion and oval to pear and emerald – in the jewellery designer’s signature textured yellow gold. ‘The incredible diamonds themselves inspired this collection, five beautiful specimens, from antique to ultra-modern cuts,’ Tomlinson says. ‘It was the first time I have worked with such inherently precious gems, created by the earth, and I found it a real privilege. Here, the cuts are enhanced by granules of yellow gold, suggesting to the wearer that nature has had a hand in the ring’s creation. Paragons means “the best of its kind” and to my eye these stones are paragons of what a white diamond should be.’

New Ruth Tomlinson engagement rings

The hand-cut nature of the antique diamonds means every piece is unique. When teased into modern cuts with a laser for guaranteed precision, and then framed against granulated gold, they are given a new lease of life.

For Tomlinson, the time was ripe for this most romantic of releases. ‘Last year we celebrated 20 years in business with an update of one of my most decorative collections, “Midas”,’ she says ‘This rejuvenation saw the use of larger stones in bolder colours which our clients loved and which inspired me to revisit more of the collections that have helped build a reputation for the brand.’

This new collection is inspired by the popular ‘Hoard’ engagement ring collection. ‘It is one close to my heart and it is always cherished by the clients who wear the pieces, so I felt it deserved some dazzling additions. There has been more and more interest in bigger stones from my clients too, so it felt right to move with the times and update the “Hoard” collection for 2022. I love the art of diamond cutting and the history embedded in these unique stones. They are the perfect choice for those who appreciate craftsmanship, timeless design and heritage.’

INFORMATION

ruthtomlinson.com

Jessica McCormack has created a new haven for prospective brides and grooms with the launch of a new bridal space that encompasses the second floor of her London townhouse store. The opening of the space is accompanied by a 25-piece new engagement ring collection.

Engagement rings in an elegant bridal setting

The chic new floor welcomes budding brides and grooms, regardless of their budget. ‘I really wanted it to be somewhere that felt calm and welcoming. From the artwork in the space, to the flooring that we chose, to the colours of the carpet – I just wanted to create an environment that felt peaceful, and beautiful,’ says McCormack. ‘And it had to feel romantic. The room is not just for “brides to be”, it’s a space that celebrates all sorts of love; so whether you’re coming in to look at engagement rings, or for an anniversary present, or you just want to come in and look at some incredible Sally Mann photography, it’s a great space to hang out in.’

To accompany the opening of the floor, the jewellery designer has launched new ring styles – and with price points beginning at £2,200, they make for affordable engagement rings. Eclectic designs range from a simple solitaire ring to bespoke and one-of-a-kind creations, with unexpected stone pairings and the inclusion of vividly coloured gems adding an edge to traditional jewellery motifs. Next month, three elegant new wedding bands in Fair Trade gold will also sit alongside the engagement pieces.

Jessica McCormack on ring shopping

McCormack was keen to expand the collection in order to attract clients who may feel put off by the imposing nature of jewellery shopping.  It’s ‘an environment that’s free of pressure. Whether you’re browsing for your own ring, or you’ve come in to browse for your partner – it’s a big decision, and you need to be given the space and the time to make it,’ she says, adding: ‘Choice is key, because I think a lot of people have an idea of what they want – but when they get in front options, they end up loving styles that they’d never even considered. And I think that’s important to pre-empt. People also just need straightforward answers to questions. Often an engagement ring is someone’s first diamond purchase – and so there should be a lot of questions! We’ve always known how important it is to offer our clients the answers that they might have been a little scared to ask elsewhere.’ 

INFORMATION

jessicamccormack.com

Bring an offbeat elegance to the sharp silhouette of a suit with one of these brooches. Vintage and traditional designs, when intertwined with contemporary references, make for a very modern wedding. Playful placements can bring new life to a heritage piece; a bow-tie, when drawn in platinum and tourmaline and pinned in place, brings a mischievous modernity to a Cartier clip dating from the 1940s.

Other pieces make arresting adornments with colour contrasts; the cool blue of a 1930s Raymond Yard brooch, which fringes an aquamarine in opals and diamonds, is brought to life against the dark lapel of a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello jacket, while lustrous Mikimoto pearls suspended from their white gold branches are coolly current when juxtaposed against Dunhill polka dots.

A hidden functionality in Boucheron’s ‘Serpent Bohème’ brooch adds a pleasing wearability: swing the diamond-studded teardrop pendant from a long necklace or wear alone on its rose gold pin to add a glittering minimalism to your wedding day wardrobe.

When worn with the sleek lines of a Celine Homme by Hedi Slimane jacket and shirt, its diamond form pops.

For further wedding inspiration, let us introduce Weddingpaper*, Wallpaper’s first dip into nuptial nirvana, as seen in the October 2021, 25th Anniversary Issue and coming to Wallpaper.com throughout this week. Forget the conventional and the staid; here, tradition comes with a twist and frou frou frills with a velvet blue mule.

Whether it’s pairing the cool metal hues of a rose gold wristwatch with the billowing folds of an In-Grid Bride gown, or juxtaposing a luminescent Mikimoto pearl brooch against the mischievous polka dots of a Dunhill shirt, brides and grooms are sure to find something style wise to love. Wedding guests, too, take note: our chic and sculptural guide to timeless gifting puts the days of mismatched china long behind us, making for a very modern take on wedded bliss.

INFORMATION

A version of this article appears in the October 2021, 25th Anniversary Issue of Wallpaper*, on newsstands and available to subscribers, – 12 digital issues for $12/£12/€12.

Brilliant Earth’s new alternative engagement rings and wedding bands are made to be stacked. The 37 pieces in the Ensemble collection are carefully contoured, fitting seamlessly into each other in countless combinations.

The collection comprises 17 nesting stacking wedding bands, six classic wedding bands, and 14 engagement rings, inviting wearers to curate their stacks as they wish. ‘Each style touches on several contemporary bridal trends, from ultra-thin shanks to wider bands, hidden accents, and smooth polished metals coupled with various prong settings, including Brilliant Earth signature Compass Prongs, Flush Settings, and Semi-Bezel,’ says Kathryn Money, the brand’s senior vice president of merchandising and retail.

‘The Ensemble collection reimagines classic bridal trends for engagement rings, wedding bands, and beyond by showcasing minimalist elements with a contemporary design approach. With the new styles, brides are able to enhance their engagement ring through the interchangeable stacking of nesting wedding bands.’ Customers are invited to experiment with how their stacks could look thanks to a new functionality on the website, which makes trying rings on from home a breeze.

When worn alone, rings cut a clean silhouette that can be embellished with other pieces, added as a mark of significant celebrations over the years, making for a chic and affordable engagement ring. Nesting rings look chic by themselves or positioned above or below an engagement ring, their swooping geometric arcs speckled with diamonds. The diamonds, chosen with their ethical credentials in mind, sit on mostly recycled precious metals.

‘Since inception, Brilliant Earth has been dedicated to setting a new standard by leading positive social and environmental change in the fine jewellery industry,’ adds Money. ‘Simply put, Brilliant Earth’s approach to design is transparent, sustainable, and compassionate, and we are committed to creating jewellery that our customers can feel good about.’

INFORMATION

brilliantearth.com

Alternative engagement rings are reduced down to essential silhouettes by Jenny Sweetnam, who has gone back to basics with her new collection, Inverse. The 2018 Wallpaper* Design Award winner has established herself as a contemporary jewellery designer who brings a freshness to traditional pieces, through a simple and innovative approach. The new collection builds on these foundations with sculptural designs in 18ct yellow gold that make discreet, intimate engagement tokens or even men's engagement rings. 

Lab-grown diamonds, rather than being on display, are encased in curving forms, uncovered for the eyes of the wearer only. In other pieces, diamonds are tucked into the smooth whorls of eternity rings, or capped with understated lids.

‘The stone is not the focus, it is not seen at all in the piece unless the wearer chooses to invert and position of the ring to reveal the stones,’ Sweetnam says. ‘I love the idea that it is the feeling of wearing such a valuable element that is important to the wearer rather than the show of it. I feel that the idea of wearing a diamond that is privately encased for yourself to know about is thrilling and empowering. It also creates the opportunity for someone who does not connect with a traditional engagement-ring aesthetic to wear the precious elements of an engagement or eternity ring just in a new modern way.’

In all her jewellery, Sweetnam focuses on crafting a graphic, bold silhouette. In her first collection to include diamonds, she builds on this without compromising these essential forms for pieces which make for chic and affordable engagement rings. Her pieces hold secrets; in the fine narrow diamond-encrusted ring hidden within an oversized ring there is an added sentiment to typical engagement jewellery design. ‘In other pieces, a larger diamond would sit at the end of a ring silhouette, such as in Silent Diamond Ring, punctuating a graphic shape rather than feeling like it was an add-on,’ she adds. ‘Conceptually, I knew the diamonds needed to be tucked away within the jewellery.’

INFORMATION

jennysweetnam.com

Diamond rings become offbeat adornments in the hands of Shihara. The Tokyo-based jewellery brand brings a subversive twist with a new collection of alternative engagement rings inspired by an eclectic-shaped collection of diamonds.

‘My designs may appear minimal because I approach designing them as functional fixtures, rather than decorative pieces,’ Shihara designer Yuta Ishihara tells us. ‘People are so accustomed to the use of certain clasps and closures – such as the necklace clasp, earring backs or even buttons – that they are not often re-examined. Innovation is about proposing something new and never seen, so I often try to redefine the way jewellery is worn by rethinking functionalities that have been passed down for centuries.’

The new collection of rings places diamonds in unexpected positions, rethinking classic forms. Triangle-shaped diamonds teeter on their gold bands, or in other pieces sit ensconced, grid-like, in circles of gold. While usually led by design, Ishihara this time put the unique shapes of the diamonds at the forefront, with the rings designed to accentuate their cuts and characters. Thin-cut, the diamonds are unexpectedly flat and with a larger surface area, making them comfortable to wear. Without the need for prongs, they can be worn close to the finger.

‘Each rough diamond has a unique shape, and diamonds are priced according to their carat weight,’ adds Ishihara. ‘Even if the visible surface area of a diamond is small, it is generally more valuable if it has depth; the fewer number of carats it has, the less it is worth, so diamond cutters try to cut as little off the rough diamond as possible. In this collection, I chose mostly thin-cut diamonds, instead of popular brilliant, princess and emerald cuts that are more commonly available.’ 

INFORMATION

shihara.com

Annoushka has unveiled a new collection of alternative engagement rings, Love and Commitment. Encompassing five designs which range from simple three-stone pieces to intricately embellished flora, the rings are sustainably created from recycled gold.

‘My own engagement ring was the first piece of jewellery I designed, and all these years later I still adore it and wear it every day,’ Annoushka Ducas says. ‘Last year marked our 30th wedding anniversary and I started to think about how I would design it now. I realised I would want something far more versatile, something that can change over time like relationships do. Versatility has become intrinsic to my designs, I want my jewellery to work hard and be worn in different ways – which is why this new range is designed to sit harmoniously alongside our Crown and Marguerite collections; when you combine them you get a very different look and feel.’

The pieces are made to be stacked – diamond ring jackets will slot seamlessly around the engagement ring designs, while the half-jacket option can double up as a wedding band or mark anniversary celebrations further down the line. The textured gold rings are crafted for tactility, made to be twisted and played with. ‘Our organic cup setting gives the collection an informal feel and an antiquity – it feels familiar but modern. I like to think of my jewellery pieces as treasured friends, cherished and loved, which seemed pertinent for a collection that represents the evolution of long-term commitment. The idea of perpetual love is also reflected in the materials we chose to use. This is our first collection in 100 per cent recycled 18ct gold – a conscious decision to be as circular as we can be.’

For Ducas, it is important that customers feel they can put their own twist on the pieces, choosing the possibilities to suit them, with understated options making for affordable engagement rings. ‘We’re definitely at a crossroads with commitment jewellery, which is really exciting,’ the jeweller says. ‘The traditions around the designs, the way they’re worn and who they are worn by, are all changing in a reflection of much broader cultural shifts. With this collection, nothing is prescriptive. The combinations are endless – it’s individual – and that felt very important and a reason to launch this collection now.’

INFORMATION

annoushka.com

Traditionally, a classic engagement ring is a showstopper, with a simple design centred around a dazzling oversized diamond. Over the last few years, a host of jewellers have been quietly challenging this assumption with edgier designs which take the focus off the central stone for pieces both sustainable and understated.

With the end of the bigger is better mentality, a world of offbeat new engagement ring design has opened up. For Spanish jewellery brand, Sansoeurs, an engagement ring design can be elegant. Established in La Coruña in 2010, the brand has quickly established themselves as a minimalist master, with a permanent collection of rings which dot diamonds onto thin gold bands or thread them through intricate golden webbing.

This year’s new collection of affordable engagement rings picks up on these threads, casting diamonds onto undulating bands of gold which loop around the finger. Optical illusions add a magical and fun element – diamonds appear to hang freely from a wave of gold, attached almost invisibly, with marquise diamonds appearing to tumble over each other while they dangle from the band.

In Ring the Belle, the gold band itself splits in two to hold its marquise diamond which is unusually set - once worn, it appears to rest on the adjoining figure in another trick of the eye. The highly polished band of gold itself becomes fluid in the Miki ring which loops and loops again around the finger. The triple Miki ring threads its way around three fingers, leaving the middle one free to ensure a comfortable fit.

‘We believe in jewellery as art and as a means of personal expression that needs to serve the person wearing it,’ the brand say. ‘Our jewellery is simple, easy to wear and adapts to every occasion.’

INFORMATION

sansoeurs.com

For cult jeweller Hannah Martin, alternative engagement rings have always been problematic. ‘I find the general concept rather a tricky one,’ she admits. ‘So designing this collection was a challenge to myself in that I had to find a way to make the idea of a ring, as a symbol of commitment, relevant to my own beliefs.’

By expanding the focus from engagement to a more general celebration of love, Martin was able to create a collection which stayed faithful to her sculptural design aesthetic. ‘I called the pieces ‘Rings For Lovers’ and I think the shift in concept also created a shift in design. They aren’t designed for a specific gender, or a specific occasion. They are symbols of an enduring emotion, a commitment – but that commitment can be whatever those involved choose it to be. I hope that the designs reflect this. That being said, I will of course be delighted for them to be used as engagement rings.’

The rings themselves cast loops of gold and diamonds in offbeat silhouettes; in one piece, baguette-cut diamonds form a sensual V; in another, an elegant shackle becomes a golden whorl. Martin’s unexpected placement of the diamonds adds a mischievous edge to classic design – a single baguette-cut diamond is held, askew, in a knife-edged band, while in another piece, a diamond hangs suspended in waves of gold

Martin adds: ‘These rings are intentionally stripped back in design. I wanted them to feel like the ‘essence’, whatever that is. Nothing unnecessary. I was looking for forms that were powerful, showed strength, but had a certain tactility and sensuality to them at the same time. So it was more a feeling that inspired them, rather than any particular object or style. I wanted them to capture, in their own way, the strength and power of a deep emotional connection.’

INFORMATION

hannahmartinlondon.com

Opulent wedding rings have long been the bride’s preserve, but jewellery designers are now responding to singular requests from men for both eternity rings and men's engagement rings.

Georgina Boyce’s black rhodium ring is one such offering paying tribute to men's jewellery codes. ‘Traditional black rhodium tends to lose depth of colour quite quickly and I wanted it to last, so I experimented using a resin bake, which essentially locks the rhodium in,’ she says. The result is a glossy black, lacquer-like finish.

Minimalist French brand Le Gramme has toyed with guilloché finishes and hidden-diamond formations to create an elegantly rich alternative to the classic gold band, while Malcolm Betts finds that male clients are ‘increasingly keen to mix metals, experiment with textures, and sometimes add diamonds, too’. 

As originally featured in the March 2019 issue of Wallpaper* (W*240)

INFORMATION

For more information, visit the Georgina Boyce website, the Le Gramme website and the Malcolm Betts website

When it comes to baubles with a conscience, it's rare to find specimens more beautiful and honourable than the creations of Monique Péan. Since establishing her eponymous label in 2006, the sustainably minded, New York jewellery designer has made it a point to incorporate unique and rare raw materials, such as fossilised walrus ivory and dinosaur, in dazzling pieces that still draw attention to cultural and environmental issues on a global scale.

This week, Péan reveals the latest additions to her Minéraux collection, a range of wedding and engagement-worthy diamond stunners that she first launched in 2014. Inspired by her own search for the perfect engagement ring, Péan has put together a stunning collection of rings featuring rare cuts of diamonds, such as hexagon, trillion, waterfall and rose cuts, that are not often seen in the fine jewellery market.

'I wanted to add modernity to an otherwise traditional and symbolic piece of jewelry. Many of the diamonds that I use are antiques that [have been] cut into geometric shapes not commonly found.' Péan explains. 'The Minéraux rings have detailed micropavé settings that emphasise each individual diamond's unique attributes. The collection exclusively uses recycled gold or platinum, which is identical in quality to newly-mined gold and platinum, but requires no new mining.'

Each one-of-a-kind Minéraux ring is finely crafted by artisans in New York City. Péan's exacting approach to sourcing stones; zero tolerance to conflict diamonds and only buying new stones from countries participating in the Kimberly Process scheme, ensures that the quality of the diamonds used is bar none.

'Many of the diamonds used in the collection are existing stones formerly used in antique jewelry. These diamonds require no new energy to create and thus leave a smaller ecological footprint than newly mined diamonds. Given the limited quantity of these diamonds, it is difficult to find the exact stones that are [used] in the collection.'

What's more, Péan's impeccable selection includes diamonds with unconventional hues, such as pale yellow, peach, translucent grey and steely blue. 'I find unexpected beauty in the subtle tones of colored diamonds,' she says. 'Only one out of every 10, 000 diamonds possesses natural color and the colored diamonds that I use are selected for the intensity and distribution of distinct hues.'

To highlight all the incredible qualities of the Minéraux diamonds, Péan commissioned photographer/filmmaker Terence Connors to create a film capturing the stones' every detail. Filled with texture and sensuality, the firm perfectly articulates Péan's multifaceted aesthetic.