The 50 best wedding rings and rings of 2021 | Strategist

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When it comes to marriage-related jewelry, engagement rings often become the focus of attention, but wedding rings should not be ignored. After all, “This is the only part of the wedding that you will watch every day for a long, long time.” Jennifer A., ​​co-owner of Greenwich Street Jewelers, a family-owned retailer in downtown New York Said Jennifer Gandia. Laurel Pantin, InStyle’s style director, recommends treating a wedding ring as “a piece of jewelry you like” and when worn alone, “it doesn’t necessarily match your engagement ring so well,” she said. “I rarely wear my engagement ring after I get married, so it’s great to have a band that I like.”
Bridal stylist Gabrielle Hurwitz often warns clients not to choose a wedding ring just because it is popular, although it “may be really tempting,” she said. “Your wedding ring is not only a symbol of your love and commitment to your spouse, it is also a piece of jewelry you wear every day.” Public relations staff Danielle Gadi (Danielle Gadi) agreed: “Don’t just because it is fashionable, Or buy it because you can see it on every’It’ girl on Instagram.”
Hurwitz suggested considering “whether you tend to use more refined or more personalized jewelry in your daily life” and said that you should also consider your lifestyle. “If you are very active, you need a more durable band,” she said. This may mean that pure metal rings in low-carat gold such as 10K or 14K are less valuable but more durable (and reasonably priced). GIA certified Adrianne Sanogo (Adrianne Sanogo) said that if you really want a gemstone, edging or flush setting can provide maximum protection, and you must avoid using “any Mohs hardness of 7 or less Soft gems” such as opal, tanzanite or morganite. Gemologist and co-founder of the Black in Jewelry Coalition. “Because this is a ring that you will wear and cherish for a lifetime, the gem or material you choose should be durable.”
Fit and comfort are also extremely important factors. “Always pursue style and quality, but never compromise on comfort,” said jewelry stylist, designer and collector Jill Heller. “When the ring is not suitable, it’s obvious and it doesn’t look good.” She said, Catbird’s creative director Leigh Batnick Plessner emphasized understanding “whether your ring can be resized over time-if not, please add The importance of “large size”, such as eternity rings, which usually cannot be resized. “Maybe you have had children or a lot of cornflakes – or both – but your fingers do change over time.” Maura Brannigan, editor-in-chief of Fashionista.com warns that the weather must be considered. “My husband and I decided to try on our band on the hottest day of summer, like New York City when you sweat in shorts,” Brannigan said. “After a very gluttonous try-on lunch, our hands swelled like marshmallows in the microwave,” when they picked up the band a week or two before the wedding, “obviously—obviously!—our band doesn’t. Fit; I think my husband’s size is too big for two or three full sizes,” she said. “The results are great. We sent a substitute in time, but please try to measure your size in a weather that is more consistent with the average temperature.”
Earlier, more than 20 jewelry lovers and professionals, from designers and retailers to collectors and bloggers, shared their first choices and wise advice (personal and professional) for consideration when buying the perfect wedding ring.
Amy Elliott, a contributing editor of the jewelry trade publication JCK, stated that “Stone & Strand is very suitable for affordable brides” jewelry, such as this exquisite, slender Bamboo style. She prefers “at least 14K gold” jewelry, although low-carat gold may be attractive because of price or durability. Trinity Mouzon Wofford, the co-founder of the superfood health brand Golde, chose 10K gold for her engagement ring, a custom work by London designer Jessie Harris. “It’s a softer yellow than 14K, so it’s subtle, suitable for any kind of metal, and it’s more affordable to produce,” she said. “We don’t have much budget, so we used two family gems and just updated the settings. Thanks to the new crown virus, we have been engaged for more than a year and a half, and I still can’t forget how lovely it turned out.”
Elliott said that unisex or gender fluid rings and inclusive sizes (finally) have become bigger topics in the jewelry world. Elliott said that Automic Gold is at the “forefront” in making the wedding ring shopping experience accessible to everyone. “The jeweler should provide samples up to size 16 for customers to try on, especially wedding rings,” Elliott said. “This is to tolerate the body shape, but also to recognize that the ring shopping needs of the transgender community are more subtle than the typical cis-style couple.” Automic Gold’s 14K recycled gold wedding rings range in size from 2 to 16, including quarter and half. One size. Available in two shapes (classic curves, or avant-garde, flat-edged industrial), five finishes, four metal colors (familiar yellow, rose gold and white gold, plus cool champagne gold) and four widths. There are also several styles with gems to choose from, such as a rainbow strap with emeralds and multi-color sapphires, or an industrial-shaped bezel set with gems of your choice. There are more than ten choices.
Jenny Klatt, co-founder of jewelry brand Jemma Wynne, said that she and her co-founder Stephanie Wynne Lalin “cannot resist the beautiful golden Florentine finish made by our dear friend Carolina Bucci”, just like this slender style, especially Affordable Bucci design. (That is: a heavier thick ring with Florentine finish is $1,612). The unique finish presents a lot of sparkle without any gems. By hitting the gold with a diamond tip tool, permanent faceted dents are formed on the surface, resulting in a sparkling, rich texture effect.
Bruce is one of the top brands created by fashion consultant Lauren Caruso for minimalist, slightly masculine bands. The price of 14K rings varies-this Barnes ring is one of the more affordable options, but the style can be up to four digits-and often has subtle sculptural lines. “It’s amazing that a classic gold ring can have so many different directions,” said Jess Hannah Révész, founder and designer of jewelry brands J. Hannah and Ceremony.
Unsurprisingly, Catbird has received a lot of attention, especially for more affordable options. The Brooklyn-based retailer’s in-house brand “is still a great resource for couples who don’t want to spend a lot of money,” Elliott said, although she pointed out that they also have more expensive “first-class designer work”. “From geniuses like Satomi Kawakita, Wwake, Kataoka, Sofia Zakia and Jennie Kwon. Marion Fasel is the author of eight books on jewelry and the founder of The Adventurine. He recommends 14K gold without gems. “If you want to keep it under $500, Catbird has some great bands in this price range”, For example, this medium-width style.
Fasel, Plessner, and celebrity and bridal stylist Micaela Erlanger all suggested that Mateo choose relatively affordable 14K or 18K styles, with or without diamonds, including rings below $500, such as this slender gold design.
Author and jewelry consultant Beth Bernstein likes Kaylin Hertel’s 14K gold petal print series, which is inspired by Japanese kimono prints. There are many different shapes and widths to choose from, some with diamonds. She said these patterns were “subtle and deeply engraved in the band.”
If you are looking for a “fairly affordable, genderless wedding ring”, Caruso would recommend this Ashley Zhang ring, which is slightly curved, mostly flat in shape and moderate in width. It is available in 14K gold, rose gold or platinum, priced at US$480, 18K gold or platinum is priced at US$640, and platinum is priced at US$880. Not sure if you want stone? “Some people are very picky about rings, which may make metal a better choice,” said jewelry designer Cathy Waterman.
“I admire those jewelry designers who purchase materials in small batches and work with independent distributors,” Brannigan said of Noémie, a DTC brand and all production is done in-house, which means greater transparency and customer savings. “You will know exactly where your heirloom comes from, and then you can pass this story on to future generations,” she added.
“Even before I got engaged, I knew I wanted my engagement ring and wedding ring to be vintage or antique,” said Elana Fishman, the fashion editor of “Page Six”. “I’m so obsessed with jewelry that has decades or even hundreds of years of history, and you can’t beat Doyle & Doyle for the selection of beautiful bygone eras,” an antiques and antique jewelry retailer in New York City. There she found her “exquisite antique ring with small channel-set diamonds”, which is very similar to these two. In addition to Doyle & Doyle, other great sources of antique jewelry include New Top, which has a store in New York’s Chinatown and is also sold through Instagram, and Erie Basin in Red Hook, Brooklyn, which are two unique pieces by Caruso The first choice has been living many times. “I am very supportive of buying antiques, especially for things like wedding rings or engagement rings. There are so many beautiful and unique pieces with a rich history,” Caruso said.
If you are looking for an “excellent antique-style wedding ring” with a fresh atmosphere at the same time, Bernstein would recommend Sofia Kaman. For example, the modern blades of the Evangeline band are softened by undulating serrated triple diamonds, while the Twig series has a natural-style rough surface. Bernstein said that Kaman also sells antique rings in her Santa Monica store (some are available on her website). “She is fascinated by them, so you can always find some references to the past in her works. Elements or details”.
Our six jewellery professionals and enthusiasts mentioned this ancient French jewellery company. Fashion consultant Mia Solkin’s wedding ring uses a simple Cartier platinum design (Erlanger calls this material the “typical metal” for wedding jewelry). “I like to take a simple and classic route, so it can complement the engagement ring well without overwhelming it, and it can also be worn alone for a more minimalist look,” Solkin said. “I don’t like rings made for engagement rings because you can’t wear them easily, and I think they are a bit fussy.” This slender style sells for less than $1,000, but it is available in a variety of widths at higher prices. select.
“For wedding rings, I like simple things-almost masculine,” Caruso explained, just like J. Hannah. Fashion and beauty marketing consultant Brittany Hurdle Ewing likes this cigar band because it is “a typical wedding band I saw when I was growing up, but mainly for men; I like the tone of this ring, it is suitable for everyone now. “Heller is also a big fan of the pure gold band. “They are great during the day, and they are really chic at night,” she said.
“A lot of cool independent designers are using Moissanite, which is a laboratory-grown gemstone that shines,” Elliott said, calling Charles & Colvard “the first choice for Moissanite.” (She also mentioned Seattle’s Valerie Madison (Valerie Madison) “excellent collaboration with Moissanite”, although she mainly makes engagement rings rather than bands.)
“My husband and I have always wanted to work with the lovely Anna Sheffield,” Brannigan said. “Her overall aesthetic reminds us of the things worn by Victorian ghosts that might be found when we get lost in the Mojave Desert-which is naturally ideal-but she also offers many beautiful works that are extremely simple and timeless. And all at a range of price points,” such as this unique sub-$1,000 option.
“Although her ring is not traditionally a’wedding ring’, Erica Molinari’s raised and recessed patterns are beautifully crafted, and there is a meaningful statement inside the ring,” Bernstein said. Bernstein explained that the 18K band is available in various widths, with “very cute motto and quotes on the inside of the ring, ranging from truly romantic to whimsical Latin or Italian”. She said that the exterior “can be oxidized to bring out a golden pattern, or it can be left on its own to form its own patina,” she said.
“Megan Thorne infused contemporary rings with antiques or retro vibes,” Bernstein said of the Fort Worth talent, whose inspirations range from ancient Etruscan and Greek motifs to the 19th century Victorian design. Before entering the jewelry field, Thorne was an underwear designer, which shows. Her strap is designed with delicate, lace-like details, such as fan-shaped edges and exquisite carvings (usually inspired by nature, but not too precious or tacky), using her signature subtle matte finish in 18K recycled gold.
Ewing recently moved from New York to Austin and found Katie Caplener, the local independent designer of VADA. She prefers this custom emerald-cut diamond eternity ring ($7,700), but there are also unique stone-free options that are more affordable, such as this exquisitely carved Siren ring. “Everything is made in a small studio in Austin, and they use recycled metals and post-consumer diamonds as much as possible,” Ewing said.
“If you do a little research, you will be surprised that even the expensive brands have affordable works,” said Tanya Dukes, a jewelry writer and editor. For example, the ring made by Lizzie Mandler “has the feel of a very cool girl,” Dukes said, although “you can definitely use one of her custom pieces to exceed your budget, but she has some good options at around $1,000.” Like this slender stackable design, it is dotted with half-white and half-black diamonds, or a knife edge ring with pavé black or white diamonds on one side. Mandler’s simplest styles are even less, such as this $480 18K knife edge band.
“A particularly good source of affordable colored diamond rings is Sethi Couture,” Dukes said, especially if you like stacking rings, Dukes points out that the brand is famous for it. “The Eternal Band has something very classic; this is a truly timeless choice,” Erlanger said. “If you want to wear them together, make sure that the size of the gemstone does not compete with your engagement ring,” Erlanger advises, and be especially careful when choosing a size for a timeless style. “It can be repaired, but it is painful and it can be expensive,” she warned. Other cool and colorful Sethi Couture options include the more modern Dunes ring with brushed finish, embellished with rainbow-like small diamonds, or the yellow diamond channel setting style with carved sides, which is antique.
Jewelry designer Emily P. Wheeler (Erlanger’s favorite) likes this thick, hardware-style band because it “simple and timeless, but just right to make it interesting,” she said. “I like the classic wedding ring. It is not popular. It can be worn every day, with many different jewellery, and will always be loved.”
Elliott likes Pamela Love’s newly launched “metal avant-garde” ceremony series with a bride-centric design. “The golden braid pattern is the core of the series. Although it has been done before, it looks very rich and old-world,” just like this medium-width texture design. “Solid metal is definitely more durable than a ring with gemstones, so it is important to consider how well your hands work and how well you use the jewelry,” said jewelry designer Nancy Newberg.
The beveled edge of this “modern” wide platinum ring designed by Erlanger “just adds some interesting details.” There is also a hidden diamond inside, which is more of a trend that Sanogo sees, usually with “gems that have special meaning to the couple, such as birthstones,” she said.
Fasel thinks Kwait has a “great wedding ring”, and she especially prefers this classic 18K gold pavé style.
Afzal Imram, co-founder of the jewelry brand State Property, likes Melissa Kaye’s design very much, because it also focuses on gorgeous gold and sparkling gems. “The spaced apart diamonds on the Zea contrast sharply with the slender metal contour in the middle, giving it such an unforgettable contour on the finger,” Imram said of this “excellent wedding ring.”
“In order to create a truly modern look, Alison Lou is using enamel wedding rings to create gorgeous pieces,” Elliott said. The designer’s I Do By Lou series was launched in March, which is her formal entry into the field of bridal jewelry after years of tailoring work for couples. You will find that she is known for her playful and colorful beauty. For example, this slender 14K gold ring is set with pavé diamonds and enamel stripes. There are six colors to choose from, from subtle pastels such as gray rose and iris to Vibrant options such as neon orange or Caribbean blue.
“I like Suzanne Kalan’s rectangular ring, whether it is a diamond or a colored sapphire, it has a rectangular cut,” Elliott said. “For me, they are really modern.” Kalan’s unique design covers a particularly wide price range, because she uses both 18K and 14K gold and a series of fully eternal, semi-eternal and smaller clusters, which are still Contains a lot of finger coverage, less than four digits, from pretty topaz and diamond clusters on a 14K thin belt from about $700 to thick 18K three-row options for nearly $10,000. This timeless style combines rectangular and round colored pastel sapphires with diamonds for less than $2,000. If you choose anything other than diamonds, “make sure you choose hard stones that can withstand light abrasion,” Wofford suggests. “I like to try to replace the movement of gems, but just make sure that what you get is designed to collide a few (hundreds) times,” Wofford said.
If transparent procurement and production are the priority, Brannigan recommends Omi Woods (except Noémie and Anna Sheffield). IV Ring Stack is inspired by ancient Egyptian wedding rings, allowing you to choose the type and sequence of artificial stacking patterns, as well as the type of metal, from 10K to 24K gold.
Elliott said that the “big trend” she sees in wedding jewelry is that “customers are more casual and don’t want the traditional diamond engagement ring-that is owned by their mother, so they choose a wedding ring instead of a wedding ring. It is completely an engagement ring. She explained. “Or, using an engagement ring to become small and exquisite-which may be something she doesn’t wear every day-makes the wedding ring more important and wears it as a standalone style,” says Elliott, such as Eva Fehren’s The X ring occupies a lot of space on the fingers, but it feels delicate. It is available in a variety of metals, with or without pavé diamonds; Shorty is a narrower version, so if you really want to pair it with an engagement ring, you can stack it more easily.
“I was mainly influenced by an Italian colleague who has the most beautiful wedding ring-just a band, no engagement ring, the European way,” Ewing said. “She told me it was handmade for her by an Italian family jeweler.” Ewing said that this modern 18K gold Alder III ring is very similar in thickness and width, and Ceremony is very suitable for “simple and modern design, fresh Information and overall value-everything is responsible purchase, they commemorate all kinds of love,” this “important and emotional purchase” is the key factor.
“Prounis made incredible ancient Greek golden wedding rings,” Fasel said, just like her favorite. It adopts rich 22K gold and trapezoid design with cool negative space and aims to bring “fertile wealth” to the wearer.
For rings that seem to be hundreds of years old, “Cathy Waterman has been creating antique-style rings since the early 90s,” Bernstein said. “You always know this is a Cathy Waterman ring; it doesn’t make any sense, it’s a copy, but it’s always inspired by the past.” Waterman likes open wedding rings. “It reminds me that a relationship is always developing, it will never end, and I can always work hard to make it stronger,” she said.
Both Bernstein and Imram praised KATKIM because they wanted to “be bold and aggressive in classic eternity rings and large wedding rings with diamond accents” and “avant-garde but completely wearable”, Bernstein said. Imram likes the Cerré ring because it “is such a simple and ingenious modification of the classic round cross-section strap.”
Fasel likes this gorgeous, sturdy ring, made from recycled gold and embellished with five flush-set rose-cut diamonds.
For “something more unexpected”, Gadi likes Deborah Pagani’s 18K gold Honey ring, which has a ribbed and flared shape similar to a honeycomb. Her favorite version has three flush-set emerald cut diamonds. “I like its heaviness and retro feel,” she said; although this design is sold out, it can be customized on request, and the price can be customized on request.
This 18K gold thick rounded ring has a comfortable and fit interior design and is another Gadi favorite because “it is very smooth and cool in appearance, important enough to stand on its own, but it also looks great when stacked with other rings.” She explained. Raymond says it’s perfect for situations where you might not want to wear an engagement ring or a ring with a lot of gems, such as “traveling, exercising, or hot weather that can’t bear more jewelry.”
“Vintage-style rings and modern designs featuring antique gemstones have seen a clear boom,” Dukes said. Taking Erstwhile Jewelry as an example, the company “provides vintage engagement rings and rings as well as their own antique diamond-encrusted rings. Private label design,” she said. Say. Plessner likes this eye-catching ring. Half of it is set with platinum diamonds and the other half is set with gold sapphires: “It is poetic, an ode to craftsmanship, a bit unexpected.” Erica Weiner is another great resource, which includes An antique-looking in-house band (eg Ziggurat, $760) and an eclectic curation of actual vintage and antique works: expect many moody, symbolic, Victorian objects, such as a Georgian funeral ring around 1831 , With gorgeous scroll carvings on it, or this $1,100 carved belt ring, a 19th-century style that symbolizes eternal bonds, and more traditional options, such as this $1,400 platinum knife-edge semi-eternal band .
Jewelry designer Jacquie Aiche’s own wedding ring is made by LA jeweler Philip Press. “I like his vintage engraving details and magical touch of platinum,” Aiche said, which makes the Press design look “has been around for centuries.”
If you choose a stone-free ring, Elliott says that Reinstein Ross is “a classic choice for gold wedding rings.” Elliott prefers their unique apricot gold, which has a warm look like rose gold, but with richer shades and less pink, just like this elegant woven design. “This is definitely where I will send people to look for simple, perfect classic, thick-textured and well-made gold rings,” she said.
Winter’s “work is full of sculptural and romantic atmosphere, and the craftsmanship is flawless,” Dukes said, such as this fine-grained watchband with unique wavy edges and vine patterns, using the designer’s iconic brushed finish.
Like Solkin, Jemma Wynne co-founders Klatt and Lalin also recommended Cartier’s wedding ring. The same is true for Gadi and Heller, they both recommend looking for Cartier’s retro style, rather than brand new works from ultra-luxury jewelry companies. “There are a lot of old Cartier bands that I like; some are a bit thick, or dome-like, very cool,” Heller said. RealReal usually has a series of Cartier rings to choose from, including the diamond-edged version of the brand’s classic Trinity design, which Erlanger regards as the three rolling rings of “very cool engagement ring and wedding ring combination”. Fasel’s favorite brand’s Cactus eternity ring has diamonds set in a unique flower-like gold setting.
Another of Wheeler’s favorite is this unique thick and long French baguette bracelet: “Classic edge, if you want to feel your jewelry, it will be a bit strong,” she said.
Raymond, Dukes and Bernstein all praised Jade Trau, she “subverted the classic style, but they will never be too’outstanding’,” Bernstein said. These items “have a stylish modern touch” and are very suitable for stacking or wearing alone, such as this fashionable edging geometric eternal bracelet. “Her works are very suitable for weddings and engagements, but they are not traditional,” Dukes said. Raymond recommends Trau to design “a more avant-garde and modern gold and diamond ring.” For those who choose an engagement and wedding ring, Raymond’s favorite design Sadie Solitaire may fit the bill, with its floating diamonds suspended between two bladed 18K rings.
Elliott called this decadent 18K gold and diamond tiara duo the “Holy Grail” of her wedding rings, from the designer who pioneered this type of rich engagement ring frame band: “Crowns, chevrons and tiara looks are very popular, right now, It all started with Karen Karch in the 1990s,” she said.


Post time: Jun-07-2021