12 contemporary jewellery brands offering non-traditional engagement rings

Think of a traditional engagement ring and you might envision a perfect, round-shaped, brilliant-cut diamond. But if you're the sort of person who prefers your jewellery a little less cookie-cutter, homegrown jeweller TWOMORROW is an option you can consider. Founder Evelyn Chung created the brand to make unconventional diamonds and shapes more accessible, and to show just how beautiful they are. She was inspired to do so after noticing an increase in interest in couples opting for unconventional diamond rings.

At TWOMORROW, one of their key specialities lies in Salt and Pepper diamonds, which are diamonds that have inclusions and perceived blemishes, and are widely beloved by clients for their uniqueness. They also offer interesting shapes such as coffin-shaped diamonds for couples who love gothic aesthetics, unique half-moon, hexagon and even kite-shaped diamonds.

Niessing has been making some of the most high-quality contemporary rings for the past 150 years. The exquisite simplicity of its designs belies its technical brilliance. Perfect for the modern woman with a strong, minimalist sense of style, rings like the brand's iconic Spannring® are a force to be reckoned with. Sophisticated and subtle, designs like the Spannring® Tapered boast a profile that flows from a slender, slim, classic oval form at the bottom and grows wider toward the top to hold the diamond.  What's more, the ring is also designed to fit perfectly to your finger, even with larger diamonds.

If love lights up your life, then nothing showcases that quite as perfectly as a ring from The Rayy. Melding science and jewellery art together, this Swiss brand is known for using complicated 3D facets and modelling systems to create seemingly-smooth jewellery that can reveal a message when reflected against the sun. On top of that, the brand also employs lab-grown diamonds – a more ethical and environmentally conscious source of everlasting diamond stones – so you get all the sparkle you want and love, with that feel-good factor.

Already a go-to brand amongst style-setting celebs including Beyonce, Gigi Hadid and Lady Gaga, Messika is known for high-octane sparkle that’s completed by high-quality workmanship. Founded in 2005 by Valérie Messika, they have a wide selection of engagement ring options that range from the classic (hello pavé diamonds!) to the unique, such as these Move rings that feature a slidable diamond set inside a closed oval loop.

We couldn’t do this list without including homegrown fine jewellery brand State Property. Never one to shy away from an avant garde design scheme, the Singaporean-born, Michelle Obama-worn brand boasts plenty of stunningly special designs. Their engagement rings range feature different stone cuts and settings, but explore their range of ready-to-wear rings for adventurous and equally special pieces. An enamelled signet ring set with a diamond? Why not!

As an ex-fashion editor, designer and founder Yi wanted to find a channel where she could combine all the rich inspiration she gleaned from her travels. YI Collection’s engagement ring options definitely have plenty of classic bands to select from, but it’s in the unconventional designs where the brand’s daring use of colour truly sing. Case in point: this Art Deco-inspired shape that’s set off by a stunningly lush emerald stone.

Dalila Barkache

Credit: dalilabarkache.com

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Morocco-born, Paris-raised and Beirut-based jeweller Dalila Barkache’s designs are not for the faint-hearted. Her designs take on wild, playful and avant garde shapes that subvert the traditional notions of engagement jewellery. Think diamonds that are vertically set, negative spaces cut into traditional bands and bands half-encrusted with black diamonds. It doesn’t get more unconventional than this.

Sam Ham

Credit: Sam Ham/Facebook

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A union is about two people becoming one, and nothing illustrates that more clearly than a set of rings from British jewellery brand Sam Ham. At first glance, each design looks like it mixes gold and platinum together in an almost jigsaw-like way. Once slipped off your finger, however, it splits into two rings that can be shared between your significant other and yourself.

Handmade in New York using stones that are certified by the Responsible Jewellery Council's Code of Practices, AARYAH is a female-founded brand that some interesting designs. From coil-shaped bands that twist around an asymmetrically-placed diamond, or a band that splices a diamond-shaped stone in half, to a solid gold band with a precious stone that floats above the band, AARYAH’s designs are imaginative whilst remaining timeless.

Once a creative collaborator of the late Alexander McQueen, British jeweller Shaune Leane’s approach to designing his jewellery involves plenty of risk-taking shapes and innovative ideas. Take this iconic design for example, which was created as a way to combine one’s engagement ring with a wedding ring in a seamless and intentional way. Peruse Leane’s jewellery range and find thorn-inspired bands that intertwine beautifully with the brightest diamond stones.

Founded in Stockholm, Annette Welander’s jewellery brand uses sustainably sourced gold to create her signature line of architectural beauties. The brand is known for their perfectly sculpted arc-shaped rings, but for those looking for a ring without a diamond, there’s also a range of rings topped with an alluring Tahitian pearl.

When it comes to engagement rings from Rachel Boston, there’s always a twist to expect. Each piece is crafted in her London workshop, operating a made-to-order system that ensures she isn’t creating more pieces than necessary. On top of that, her edgy designs use recycled gold and platinum, and Boston also offers customers the option of Fairtrade gold. Design-wise, expect plenty of playful shapes: asymmetric bands, irregular diamond cuts, and stepped settings are all to be found in her repertoire of engagement bands.

Designed by Belgian jeweller Natalie Schayes, Nayestones’ designs subvert classic design codes with the use of playful and unexpected detailing. Schayes’ Petite Comete range puts the diamond to one side (literally), as it bobs along a wavy shaped band. Another stunner is her range of open-ended rings that feature either one or two stones, depending on your preference. Though exuberant, her pieces also have a minimalist quality about them, which allows you the freedom to experiment with different combinations of stacking your rings together.