Marquise Sunrise Engagement Ring

Ah, to be young and in love! While many of my bridal designs are for second-time-around couples or redesigns of original wedding rings (and I love those stories!) it can be so much fun to design for a young bride. The new generation tends to gravitate towards a sleeker, more minimal aesthetic, reminiscent of my Graceful Glimmer Collection. This project allowed me to transform my petite stacking ring designs into a romantic engagement ring fit for a princess. 

Here’s how the Marquise Sunrise Engagement Ring came to be!

Personal Connections

This bride’s mom has been a longtime supporter and client. (She also happens to be the owner of the adorable Inn at Ameris Farms in Weaverville, NC. Highly recommend if you’re ever in the area!) When it came time for her daughter to get engaged, the family thought of me right away. The fiance-to-be reached out and we scheduled an in-person design session.

The couple came in from Asheville for a consultation in October, shortly after the hurricane. They were the first in a series of couples that have recently travelled from out of town to meet with me. It’s an exciting new trend I’m calling “Destination Jewelry Design!” We met in my studio to pull samples, sketch, and play.

Graceful Glimmer and Diamond Dreams

I absolutely love it when clients come prepared, and this bride sure knew what she wanted! She had done a lot of research on my website and knew she wanted something minimalist and chic. She liked the smooth and clean look of the Sunrise Sparkle ring, but in the thickness of two Dandelion Bands stacked together. Because we met in the studio, we were able to look at all these pieces side-by-side.

The Diamond

The bride saw a loose 2.5ct marquise-cut garnet on one of my gem trays and immediately loved it. She pointed to the stone and said “I want that, but a diamond.” I love a woman who knows what she wants! 

We immediately decided on a beautiful lab-grown 2.5ct diamond in a dramatic setting. Because the diamond is the central element of the design, we selected a stone with great clarity and quality. Fortunately, because we chose a lab diamond, it was accessible for the couple. 

She told me she lives an active lifestyle and is very outdoorsy. Normally under these circumstances, I suggest a bezel-set stone, but given she wanted to showcase the diamond, that meant super-strong prongs. Nothing I can’t handle!

The Process

In order for the stone setting to be as strong as possible, I needed it to be fully integrated into the band. To accomplish this, I first built the entire ring in CAD. I built an 8-prong setting that was quite thick and substantial so the stone will be very well insulated. The band itself was hearty on the structural side, but still delicate and feminine like the Graceful Glimmer pieces that inspired it.

Once the piece was cast in platinum, I set the stone and added in the soft texturing. The band stayed very symmetrical, clean, and refined, but with a few special touches.  It features a nice “bump” on the back of the band which keeps it from rolling or moving around on the finger. In the end, I was very pleased with the sophisticated design… but what did the bride think?

The Proposal

The groom-to-be proposed on a rooftop lounge overlooking Asheville right after Christmas. Rumor has it that the bride was so stunned by the beauty of the ring that it took her a few seconds to respond to his question! Fortunately, she said yes and the couple celebrated at an adorable surprise party her mother had set up for them. 

Here’s what she texted her mom the next time we met in person:

“OMG please tell (Kristen) how MUCH I LOVE MY RING. It’s truly so so so perfect and I can’t stop staring at it. She crafted my dream ring into reality and I’m utterly obsessed with it!”

There’s nothing better than making dreams come true!

Next Steps…

Now that the happy couple is diving into wedding planning, it’s time to start thinking about wedding bands! I’m so excited to build a sentimental wedding band, inspired by the Dandelion Meadow, using heirloom diamonds from her mom! 

Stay tuned….