Unusual Engagement Rings

For those looking for something truly unique

Most engagement rings are variations of certain classic themes: solitaire, trilogy, vintage, art deco and so on. Whatever style you feel works best, there is no reason that it can't be adapted to create a unique design that reflects your personality, your history, and your sense of style. The inspiration can come from anywhere - from fine art, from your wardrobe, from your experiences of work and travel - the possibilities are almost endless. To help illustrate this point, here are a couple of examples of unique engagement rings that we've been commissioned to create.

Starry Night Ring 

One client told us that his girlfriend’s favourite picture is ‘Starry Night’ by Vincent Van Gogh, and that this should be the inspiration for her engagement ring.

It was an intriguing idea, but it would require a bit of work to translate this raw concept into a design.

The first step was for us to pencil sketch a couple of possibilities to show to the client, and fortunately we were able to come back to him quickly with a configuration that he liked.

Next, we needed to find a central diamond to work within this design. Having made many ‘swirl’ style engagement rings, we knew that a central diamond of between 0.3ct and 0.5ct could work well, and arranged to show the client a selection to choose from. Once he’d picked one, we went on to model the ring in three-dimensional virtual space, using Computer Aided Design software (CAD).

The CAD design process went through a couple of iterations before the client was fully satisfied, and we went on to make the actual ring. When our client proposed, his partner was really happy to receive something so unique.

Combining Indian and Celtic Influences 

Sometimes the inspiration for an unusual ring might be more abstract than a specific painting. We were contacted by a newly-engaged couple who wanted to incorporate their families’ cultural traditions into their ring - she was from Scotland and wanted it to feature a Celtic motif, while he wanted to use a Paisley design popular in India, where his family originated. They knew that rather than a traditional delicate band, they wanted a broader, more contemporary shape for their ring.

Our first task was to sketch a few options for the shank of their ring, incorporating the two motifs they had in mind.

Once we’d developed a pattern that met their approval, we went on to model the ring in CAD, shown on the left below. It was important to ensure that these motifs were slim enough to be delicate, but solid enough to provide structural integrity.

Once the CAD was signed off, we went on to make the ring. Below you can see our setter has marked out how he intends to set the small diamonds. He has applied a milgrain edge but has yet to set the central diamond. The finished ring is shown on the right.

In the gallery below, you can browse some of the more unusual engagement rings that previous clients have commissioned. If you feel inspired by an idea for a unique ring of your own, please feel free to get in touch - we’d love to help turn your ideas into reality.