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
-
London Design Festival 2025: live updates from the Wallpaper* teamFrom 11-21 September, London is celebrating design in all its forms. Here's the latest news, launches and other goings-on from London Design Festival 2025, as seen by Wallpaper* editors
-
Inside Ardbeg House, the whimsical Islay hotel from the Scotch distillery‘Luxury with a laugh’ is how Russell Sage describes his designs for the new hotel, where each room draws on island and whisky lore
-
Luxury cruise line Explora Journeys will set sail in Asia for the first time28 voyages across Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore will mark the luxury travel brand’s debut in the region
-
Art takes London: Tiffany & Co, Damien Hirst and artists take over Selfridges' windowsFour British contemporary artists celebrate Tiffany & Co's pioneering history with a series of storied window displays
-
All smiles: How a grillz jewellery making class in London became an international hitWhat started as a passion project quickly exploded in popularity. We get the story behind the grillz-making workshop at Cockpit London
-
Emerging jewellery designers to get to knowThese independent, new and emerging jewellery designers and brands from New York to Paris are firmly on our radar
-
Playing it cool: pearls are having a momentWe've been deep-diving into boutiques around the world to find the very best calcium carbonate in minute crystalline form. It seems jewellers have been busy rethinking pearls, with contemporary (and often affordable) results
-
Eternity rings for the modern coupleEternity rings, whether sleekly minimalist or sprinkled in diamonds, can be a chic and contemporary love token
-
CryptoPunks come to life on Tiffany & Co pendantsTiffany & Co has partnered with blockchain infrastructure company Chain to create custom pendants and NFTiffs
-
Order of the day: Pomellato’s high jewellery takes us from dawn to duskPomellato’s new high jewellery collection, La Gioia, tells the story of a day in precious stones
-
Anklets welded onto the body make romantic and enduring jewellery tokensAtelier VM’s ‘L’Essenziale’ jewellery collection now includes slender gold anklets
