Holiday Gift Guide 2023: The Best Modern Engagement Rings

The holiday season is proposal season, but before you get down on one knee in front of the Christmas tree—or your partner does—give a little consideration to what’s actually inside the box. “Multi-stone and ‘trilogy’ rings, representing past, present and future, are trending right now,” says Laura Kay, of London gallery Tomfoolery, which hosts the annual Love ring showcase. Kay is expert in helping couples choose the right ring. “We’re seeing a lot of asymmetric cluster rings, Art Deco and colored stones this year,” she continues—all of which mean its never been a better time to choose a jewel that really reflects the wearer’s personality.

The reign of the white diamond solitaire is long gone, and from colored gemstones to gold promise rings for the undecided, via eternity bands as both wedding and engagement rings, here’s how independent designers are elevating engagement.

Molinari

Inspired by the traditional lace made in her native Brittany, Anna Molinari’s jewels feature her trademark open metalwork, which allows the light to flow through stones for greater radiance. Her solitaires are magnificent, but for a commitment ring that makes a more original statement, choose La Lumineuse; a 2.6ct central brilliant-cut diamond, set on a band of tiny round brilliant diamonds.

Marie Lichtenberg

Couture award-winner Marie Lichtenberg has you covered for a truly unforgettable proposal. The Would you Marry Me Ring is the natural evolution of her guilloché scapular rings into a beautifully executed, fully-hinged gold box ring. A pave question mark hints at what is to come; pop the diamond bezel catch to open the lid and find the question itself engraved on the underside, with a pear-cut solitaire nestling inside. Available to be customized with family or other stones, this magnificent jewel is worth the wait; you could always pick up one of her ready-to-ship love lockets as a placeholder…

Lia Lam

Drawing on her background as a dancer, Lia Lam’s minimalist jewels are exquisitely poised perfection, balancing strong concepts with a playful approach to design, in bold, polished pieces that have already won her two emerging designer awards. The Unity ring symbolizes the acceptance and togetherness of a lover’s bond, as 18kt yellow gold and platinum combine around an antique diamond.

Oxx Jewellery

For modernist design lovers, look to award-winning jeweler An Alleweireldt’s Bauhaus and At Deco-inspired pieces. Belgian-born Alleweireldt follows the principle that “design follows function”, and her rings are both exquisitely minimalist and beautifully bold. The Ring of Change is can be worn as a single commitment band or two separate rings; a brushed gold band, which can be studded with diamonds, and an angled matt white gold ring, set with a diamond solitaire and another gemstone. A finely crafted jewel designed to carry personal significance.

Maya Gemstones

When Olga Pekarevskaia couldn’t find the kind of triangular diamond she was looking for, she designed her own cut. The Maya cut has less stone loss than a trillion cut and represents an original choice for a style-led bride-to-be looking for a solitaire with punch. It’s even more striking when used on colored stones, like the tiny Maya rubies that flank the generously proportioned, custom-set oval rubellite in this glorious red solitaire.

Melanie Eddy

Geometric and understated, the points and angles of Melanie Eddy’s rings reflect the light like the sunshine dancing off the waves in her native Bermuda. An inset triangular diamond takes up a whole facet of this sandy yellow gold ring, whose carefully calculated facets will stack seamlessly with one of her minimalist wedding bands when the time comes.

Kinraden

Who said engagement rings had to be gemstones? Copenhagen-based Kinraden has elevated offcuts of mpingo wood, a precious wood commonly used to make woodwind instruments, through exquisitely modern sustainable jewelry by architect and designer Sarah Müllertz. Here, mpingo is faceted like a diamond, to produce a solitaire with a difference, minus the murky supply chain.

Almasika

One modern way to wear commitment diamonds, is in a band, and minimalist jewelry wearers are combining engagement and weddings rings into a single jewel. The Harmony ring, by Chicago-based Almasika is a delicate interpretation of the traditional eternity ring, based on designer Catherine Sarr’s exploration of the shapes of sound waves, creating a beautiful representation of the harmonious vibrations between life partners.

La Tache Bobo

Known for a striking use of color, La Tache Bobo works with the most vibrant of stones, often set in darker metals to further accentuate the incredible color of the natural gems. Creative director Elena Gondorf has a predilection for Zambian emeralds and Ceylon sapphires, but her pieces with the lesser-known Madagascan apatite are extraordinary in their brilliance. For brides-to-be who like to do things differently.

Rachel Boston

Fusing Art Deco principles with a modern sensibility, Rachel Boston creates some of the most refined contemporary commitment rings around. Natural diamonds and knife-edge bands are signatures, like the Anaya ring, a double-band solitaire accented with just enough diamond pavé to bring out the radiance of the marquise solitaire without overpowering it. A go-to in London for bespoke wedding and engagement rings, she also has a wide selection available for international shipping.

Jessie VE

These days, engagement rings aren’t just for proposals. Tastes change over time, and reworking existing rings is a great way to reflect the evolution of a couple’s union several years in. London jeweler Jessie VE created baguette diamond fans and reset a client’s existing engagement ring in platinum, to better suit the Art Deco design. The three, emerald-cut central stones represent the couple’s three children, in a ring that symbolizes their family journey.

Sophie d’Agon

If you’re in Paris this holiday season — surely the ultimate destination proposal? —stop by one of Sophie d’Agon’s super cute stores and choose from her reasonably priced fine jewelry collection. A colored stones specialist, her jewels are distinctive and stackable, so when she commits to a full-diamond piece like the Ginger 2 ring here, you know it’s going to be special.

Elhanati

Marrying Scandinavian minimalism with the yellow sunny gold that recalls her Middle Eastern roots, Orit Elhanati’s jewels are all handmade in her Copenhagen atelier. Organic forms are a hallmark, like the hammered and textured gold which holds this magnificent 2ct solitaire, accented with tiny diamonds.

LeVian

Gone are the days that engagement diamonds had to be white. Natural fancy diamond specialist Le Vian’s trademarked Chocolate Diamonds are a hit with collectors for their rich tones. Responsibly sourced to exacting standards, just 4% of the brown diamonds selected make the grade, and when set alongside warm yellow diamonds and icy white, they create a delicious contrast that works with all skin tones.

Otiumberg

For couples without a clear idea of what they are looking for in an engagement ring, one practical emerging trend is the promise ring. True to the brand’s understated aesthetic, Otiumberg’s placeholder proposal bands are sleek, chic and stack up easily with other rings once you’ve found the real thing. Choose a scattering of classic diamonds or a birthstone, and start a family stack.