7 jewellers share their favourite engagement ring they’ve made
IMAGE VIA @SEBBROWN/INSTAGRAM
WORDS BY IZZY WIGHT
Something old, something new.
Whether you’re a hopeless romantic or a marriage sceptic, you have to admit – the concept of an engagement ring is pretty special. Imbued with meaning and the promise of a blissful forever, an engagement ring is the ultimate investment piece. Whether it’s crafted from repurposed family jewels or custom-built from lab-grown gemstones and polished gold, an engagement ring should be made by someone you trust.
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The process of crafting an engagement ring is a sentimental experience for couples and jewellers alike. Below, seven independent Australian jewellers share their favourite engagement rings they’ve ever made.
Olivia Cummings, founder of Cleopatra’s Bling
My favourite engagement ring to date was a 1.01 carat diamond set in 18 karat solid yellow gold, with peach-coloured sapphires set into the baubles of the setting I made. I loved creating this engagement ring because the diamond itself was so spectacular, and I love creating classic pieces with a twist.
I used to associate diamonds with more classic and traditional jewellery. But as I lean into my craft more, I’m using diamonds in a playful way – all while respecting the traditional craft of jewellery making. I loved choosing the diamond with the client and making the wax mould to perfectly fit the stone.
Bella Clark, founder of Bella Clark Jewellery
My favourite engagement ring I’ve ever made would be this piece I created recently for an old friend of mine. She had been given some heirloom rings and stones worn by different women in her family, spanning a few generations. I always love hearing the stories of [people who have] worn the jewellery or stones, and this piece has such a rich history now embedded in it.
We incorporated one stone from each of the women: a grandmother, an aunt and a mother. It was so beautiful and special to be able to breathe new life into these stones and bring them together into one piece; made to be passed on to the next generation and generations to follow.
Kate Stanton, Head of Sales and Services at Sarah & Sebastian
I’m in awe of natural diamonds, how they form in the earth’s mantle and the fact that they’re millions to billions of years old. I love so many of the gorgeous rings I’ve worked on with my clients, especially those involving an emerald cut diamond. It’s my personal favourite out of all the cuts!
Most recently, my favourite ring I’ve worked on with a private client was a 2 carat natural Suspense Ring set in 18 karat yellow gold. The diamond is of the highest quality – D in colour, VVS2 in clarity and triple excellent grade in cut, polish and symmetry. I’ve also grown to really appreciate round brilliant cuts. They perform beautifully under light if well cut, boasting 57 to 58 facets!
[This piece] beautifully represents our Sarah & Sebastian signature Suspense Collection. The Suspense Collection is unique and takes its inspiration from a tension-style setting, creating the illusion of a floating diamond, horizontally set on a thick tapered band. It’s bolder than a classic solitaire in claws and I just love seeing diamonds set in this style!
Ruby Kannava, founder of Kannava Jewels
I can’t choose between the two favourite engagement rings I’ve made. They’re so different, so I’m listing both! The first is this whopping 1.5 carat, D [colour], VVS1 [clarity] diamond (for those who don’t speak diamond, this is a super, super high-quality stone!) for my best friend. Not only was it special because I knew it was going to be on the finger of my bestie for life (and I still get to see it all the time), but it was fun for me to make a really refined piece, as my usual aesthetic is quite handmade-looking. I loved being able to showcase a new style and make a classy AF ring with a refined finish.
My other favourite engagement ring would have to be the big, emerald-cut Australian parti sapphire flanked by round diamonds in diamond-shaped settings. This stone felt really special as it had these amazing flashes of yellow and green amongst the deep blues, I just love a multicoloured stone. I also love the cute hand-carved shapes on either side of the sapphire, which makes it just a lil bit different from other engagement rings.
Holly Ryan, founder of Holly Ryan Jewellery
I handmade this engagement and wedding set from recycled 18 carat white gold and diamonds. My lovely and creative friends – who I admire and who inspire me – asked me to design something that represented a city skyline due to their love of travel. Inspired by this geometric architecture, I wanted to create something that was multidimensional and interesting from every angle.
Making these rings was both a challenge and a shift from my typically organic designs. Hand-carving the wedding band to fit the engagement ring profile was one of the most challenging and satisfying jobs in my career to date, and the end result is truly one-of-a-kind.
Anna Whiting, General Manager at Cushla Whiting
Our favourite ring of the year would be Dani, our new ‘toi et moi” (or ‘you and me’) two-stone design featuring contrasting diamonds in juxtaposed settings on a tapered gold band. The Dani collection was designed with a claw set, modern champagne, pear-cut diamond representing the future, and a bezel set, antique, old mine-cut diamond, representing the past. We love this design because it merges old with new – a diamond cut by hand in the 1800s sitting next to a diamond cut recently using modern technologies.
It also showcases the two setting styles, claw setting and bezel setting. The toi et moi design has been around for hundreds of years and was worn by some of history’s icons like Jackie Onassis. The French phrase toi et moi translates to you and me, symbolising the union of two unique individuals as one. It’s not easy to get the balance right in a toi et moi ring. The positioning of the stones is critical to the overall balance and harmony of the design.
Seb Brown, founder of Seb Brown Jewellery
The above ring is my favourite engagement ring; I called it the Bubble Ring. It’s a 1.04 carat champagne diamond in 18 karat yellow gold. The piece was the culmination of my new exploration into simple, luxurious shapes with lots of gold. It was made for a couple in LA. I love the look of the linear geometric stone set into the curvy, buttery gold.
For more of the best engagement rings, head here.
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