As a fashion person, you’d probably guess that I’ve been imagining my engagement ring since I graduated from Ring Pops in middle school, but that’s actually not the case. I’ve always loved unique jewelry, but I wasn’t so interested in classic diamonds and couldn’t really picture one on my finger. As I got older, I was so excited for people I knew who got engaged, but it never even dawned on me to check out their sparklers after they broke the news – I guess engagement rings just weren’t a hobby of mine. Fast forward to today, and I’m wearing a diamond I never could’ve dreamed up years ago. I’m also extremely interested in not just engagement rings, but the stories behind them.
Of course, it took me some time for me to get from point A to point B, but you can read my personal tale of obsession in just a sec. You see, I didn’t want to share a bit about my design without asking some of my peers to share too. All of the women here have incredible jewels, some of which have been reset or reconfigured for momentous occasions or milestones in their lives. If you scroll through these slides quickly, you’ll be impressed by stones and shapes that are pretty extraordinary, but if you slow down to read the text below each picture, you’ll begin to understand why I eventually fell in love with engagement rings myself. It’s not about the sparkle, it’s about the thought and heart put into the details.
POPSUGAR Photography / Megan Kai
Sarah Wasilak, POPSUGAR Fashion Editor
“As soon as I discovered black pearls, I was interested in what I thought could potentially be an engagement ring. My fiancé had been my best friend for a very long time, so once we fell in love, it was easy for me to share with him my big plans for the ring early on. I was set on a black pearl surrounded by diamonds until I started following brands like Canturi and Stephanie Gottlieb on Instagram. These jewelers introduced me to the possibility of floating diamonds, mix-and-match shapes, and gemstones bursting with color. I loved Stephanie Gottlieb’s band and a half, but Joey wanted to add his own personal touches. (He also had plans for a setting that he considered to be ‘sturdy,’ because he knows I’m a klutz and can be a little aggressive in my everyday movements. Sorry, OK?!) He worked with the same jeweler who crafted his mother and aunt’s rings to customize a pearl elevated by a hidden halo and added sapphires because he knew they reminded me of the ocean, my favorite place to be.”
POPSUGAR Photography / Dana Avidan Cohn
Dana Avidan Cohn, POPSUGAR Executive Style Director
“Dan has never understood my love of jewelry. He’s just not materialistic. But I really like the stuff! He bought me a beautiful engagement ring and wedding band when we first got married. But over the last 10 years, whenever I’d drop a hint about jewelry, he’d ask if I liked it more than a trip or some other memorable experience. I couldn’t help but see his point. Then out of nowhere, for our 10th wedding anniversary this past Summer – without any hints – he designed this special custom-made piece with the help of my two friends and Fitzgerald Jewelry in Williamsburg, BK. He sourced a deep blue sapphire that was the exact color he wanted and added four little diamonds, one for each of our three children and one for him. It’s so unique and I never take it off and look at it every day. I think jewelry, when it’s given to you by someone special, at a meaningful moment in your life, becomes an experience. And when that happens, it’s worth it.”
