6 Engagement Ring Designers to Know in 2024
If you thought your Instagram feed was inundated with engagement posts in 2023, just wait for what’s coming this year. With more designers dipping their toes in the bride and bride-to-be sphere, there are so many engagement ring designers to have on your radar in 2024. Your old favorites are still creating gorgeous natural diamond rings, and these designers are just more names to add to your inspiration list.
When it comes to the stones themselves, it’s all natural, all the way for these designers. The history of natural diamonds—billions of years old, formed in the Earth’s core—and the inherent timelessness and rarity that comes with that, make for the perfect symbol of everlasting love and commitment. Transcending generations, a natural diamond, and especially a natural diamond engagement ring, is the ultimate heirloom piece.
Ahead, meet just some of the talented designers creating timeless yet on-trend engagement rings.
Arielle Ratner
Jewelry designer Arielle Ratner specializes in antique natural diamonds as well, always working closely with her clients to collaborate with them to bring their vision to life. “Because these stones were hand cut under candlelight and glass lamps in the 18th and 19th centuries, no two diamonds are the same,” Ratner says of natural, antique-cut diamonds. “They have wide facets and are imperfect, and it’s what makes them so special.”
“As a former ballet dancer, movement of form and spherical shapes has become an essential design principle of mine,” Ratner explains of her design ethos. “My favorite part of the process is getting to see a model that I’ve built in 3D in physical form,” she shares. “I always have a good idea of what it’s going to look like, but actually seeing an idea turn into a physical piece is so exciting.”
In 2024, Rather is looking forward to seeing “more mixed metals, and warm-colored antique diamonds.” Warm-colored diamonds are especially unique and are the perfect representation of subtle, chic luxury.
“I recently got to reset a 6-carat Antique Asscher cut that had been passed on to my client from his great-grandparents,” Ratner shares of one of her more memorable design projects. “The ring survived the war and multiple generations of a family.” One of the biggest benefits of natural diamonds is the heirloom factor—the diamond carries memories and stories to the next generation of wearers. “Having the opportunity to put this stone into one of my designs was so special, and the piece was extremely meaningful to the family.”
The One I Love
Mia Moross started The One I Love in 2013 curating fine jewelry from the 18th and 19th centuries and launched her own collection in 2020, staying true to her love of vintage pieces and natural diamonds throughout the process. “Each ring has a unique narrative and serves as the cornerstone for every intricate detail I put into the ring,” she says of the design process. “The client’s involvement is key at every step,” she elaborates. “Recognizing that this journey is profoundly personal, it’s only fitting that the process of crafting the ring reflects this as well.”
The most exciting part of the process? “Bringing a vision to life is a truly special experience,” Moross says. “That feeling of ‘Oh, you get me.’ It’s something we all seek as humans, isn’t it? That understanding and connection.” An important part of not only designing the engagement ring but also the sentiment behind the proposal itself! And it certainly helps that natural diamonds often serve as that representation of connection, thanks to their own connection to the Earth and life itself.
In 2024, Moross predicts a movement “towards large, bold pieces, even embracing designs traditionally considered masculine in the realm of jewelry,” she says. Chunky bezel settings are having a rise in popularity and Mia sees her client “prioritizing personal style over outdated traditions.” And with a timeless center stone like a vintage cut natural diamond, you can never go wrong.
“I had the privilege of designing a ring for a client featuring a magnificent 5-carat old European cut diamond,” Mia gushes of a recent design project. “We showcased the sizable round stone in a robust 18K rose gold bezel, styled with my distinctive tapered signet design.” Designed to celebrate the birth of their second child, Mia was “truly honored to play a small role in such a significant milestone in their lives.”
Prounis
Jean Prounis founded her eponymous brand in 2017 creating pieces inspired by ancient world art and crafted with contemporary details. Each piece is handmade with recycled 22-karat gold and finished with sustainably and responsibly sourced natural diamonds. “I find the sentiment and symbol of love within a piece to be the most meaningful,” she says of creating engagement rings, the ultimate symbol of love. “I feel the marital landscape has changed significantly in the past ten years as people have sought out more personalized engagement rings.”
Prounis often works directly with couples to create something bespoke and truly meaningful. “The process is truly one-of-a-kind with each couple,” she says. “It is an intimate process that can start with an heirloom stone or a bespoke selection of materials based on what best symbolizes the couple.” In 2024, she thinks we could see people move beyond the traditional ring as a symbol of commitment: “I think we might see other pieces outside of what we consider a traditional engagement ring popularize, such as an engagement bangle!”
Prounis also has been working more with couples to design the ring rather than the just the proposer. “Being a part of the discussion between two people to symbolize their commitment feels quite sacred,” she shares. “My favorite part is when a client is interested in working with an antique stone.” Antique natural diamonds always come with an interesting story given their history and time on this Earth.
Prounis’s signature engagement ring style is a Caspa ring, meaning “box” in Latin. “The pieces that make up this beloved collection reference rectangular and cushion forms that encapsulate precious gems,” she says.
Material Good
You may know Material Good as the designer behind Demi Lovato’s gorgeous engagement ring—a pear-shaped solitaire given to her by her fiancé Jutes. Teresa Panico, Material Good’s Director of Marketing & Fine Jewelry, worked with the couple to build Demi’s dream ring. “I have clients who come to me knowing exactly what they want, clients who think they know what they want, and others who are starting from scratch,” she explains. “No matter where a couple is in the design process, my initial objective is to get to know them as well as possible.”
Material Good is meticulous when it comes to sourcing natural diamonds, often pulling double the amount of stones compared to the final set that are shown as options to the client. “Many couples leave their first appointment with me saying something to the effect of ‘that was easier than I thought it was going to be,’” she says. “Educating our clients before diving into the design process makes them feel more comfortable and excited for this journey.”
Panico also finds herself falling in love with the stones as she shares them with her clients. “I would never sell a stone that I wouldn’t wear on my own hand,” she shares. “I especially love the moment when I know I’ve found THE one (stone that is).”
Panico doesn’t subscribe to trends and feels that bridal jewelry is personal rather than a trend to chase. She recommends to “pick what you love… something that moves you.” This can be a traditional solitaire or three stone or it could be “something more interesting like an oval set, east-west ring.” When you look down at your hand and feel butterflies, that’s how you know you’ve chosen the perfect ring.
Jenna Blake
Known for her vintage-inspired fine jewelry, Blake made headlines this past year for designing “Call Her Daddy” podcast host Alex Cooper’s engagement ring: A 5-carat antique oval cut diamond in her signature single-prong setting. “I like to get to know the couple first and understand what aesthetic most embodies their style,” Blake exclusively told Only Natural Diamonds. “Once I have a better idea of their vision, I start designing.” But the most exciting part of the design process? “The hunt for the perfect stone!”
Blake certainly has her finger on the pulse of ring trends, predicting a continued focus on the stone over the ring for 2024. “The simplest settings are usually what stand the test of time, in my opinion” she reveals. “More and more people are appreciating the beauty of diamonds themselves and want to choose a setting that highlights that.” Plus, settings can come and go, but the natural diamond will be cherished for generations.
Blake often works with heirloom pieces and has fond memories of a client who came to her with his grandmother’s old mine-cut stone. “I loved having the opportunity to work with this unique gem,” she gushed. “So many stones today, although beautiful, are perfect and more straightforward. The challenge of enhancing a beautiful stone is one of my favorite processes.”
Bernard James
A member of our latest class of Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative, Bernard James handcrafts all of his natural diamond pieces in his workshop in New York City. “The process of designing varies so much but has been completely organic since the beginning,” he shares with OND. “Understanding who a person innately is and translating that into physical form is so special to me and mostly why I began designing.”
In 2024, James expects to see more out-of-the-box ideas on what an engagement ring looks like. “I truly believe in individual and personal journeys, with people more and more open aesthetically to the idea of what an engagement ring can look like,” he says. Meaning and symbolism will be at the forefront of these aesthetics.
“I’m obsessed with the last ring I made,” James gushes. “[It] featured an oval center stone on top of a knife edge band with invisible set baguettes.” Another memorable creation was for a friend whom James “considers a brother.” They worked together and took inspiration from James’ Flora collection and made a Lotus flower-inspired setting for a yellow diamond center stone. “The lotus flower, as well as the rose and lily that accented it, is significant to his fiance and now my new sister Keshia.”
