4 Alternative Platinum Engagement Ring Trends

Wedding Suites

Some women are always looking for timeless classics, while others want something different and versatile. Collecting rings to stack with your engagement ring is a great way to change the way it looks. Maggi Simpkins, expert custom jewelry designer, creates the most gorgeous 3-ring wedding suites. This picture is worth a thousand words. I had a quick chat with Maggi about this project and the unique design experience when working with her.

Sev (Eng101): How and why did you become a jeweler?

Maggi: I initially began creating jewelry because I loved adornment. I landed on one-of-a-kind engagement rings because I love helping people tell their love stories and being able to create heirlooms that live on for generations.

Sev (Eng101): It can be overwhelming for a couple whose first important purchase is a custom engagement ring to choose a jeweler. How can they make sure they are going to have a good experience?

Maggi: I think it’s really important to have an initial consultation to figure out if it will be a good working relationship on both ends. A consultation is a great time to ask questions and to feel out personality and working styles. Communication is key.

Sev (Eng101): What sets you apart from “my Dad’s guy from the jewelry district” and corporate jewelry brands?

Maggi: I think the biggest thing that I’ve found that sets me apart is being able to think outside the box. I know a lot of old school jewelers who are set in their way of thinking and doing things. They want to make what they’ve been making instead of trying something new or different. I have worked with many of these “guys from the jewelry district” who tell me something can’t be done, either because they can’t do it, or because they don’t want to have to figure it out. I think pushing the envelope is key to evolving and also staying relevant. I think what sets me apart from corporate jewelry brands at the end of the day is I’m a human. I am just one person who is creating jewelry built off of a passion and I personally am invested and care about the end wearer.

Sev (Eng101): Tell us more about this amazing wedding suite!

Maggi: The metal is platinum. I think there is a romance to platinum. Oftentimes when people think of platinum they think of their grandmothers’ jewelry and that creates a sort of romance and timelessness. Then, the headdress features tanzanite, London blue topaz and sapphires, the center stone is a Moissanite and the pavé “V” band at the bottom is made of diamonds.

Colored Gemstones

Until 5 years ago, private jewelers were mostly men. A new generation of women are taking over this profession by storm. Kat McCoy is the founder of jewelry concierge service ‘Best Kept’ and helps her customers buy or commission special pieces of jewelry. I love the beautiful custom sapphire engagement ring she recently made for a lucky bride-to-be. It perfectly illustrates the growing interest for colored gemstones instead of white diamonds.

Sev (Eng101): How and why did you become a private jeweler?

Kat: I’ve always loved jewelry and I’ve seen how a thoughtfully selected piece can be one of the most meaningful gifts a person can give to themselves or a loved one.  I noticed that many of my friends and family avoided buying jewelry because of how challenging the process can be.  So many people feel overwhelmed by the volume of product available online or have had a bad experience shopping in person, where they felt intimidated or like they were being taken advantage of.  I thought to myself – if I can provide peace of mind and assure people that no matter what, they were going to be really happy with their purchase, more people would take the leap and buy something special.

Sev (Eng101): It can be overwhelming for a couple whose first important purchase is an engagement ring to choose a jeweler. How can they make sure they have a good experience?

Kat: It’s always best to work with someone who has been vetted by a friend or someone you trust, so finding a recommendation is a great place to start.  My best piece of advice for ensuring a good experience when buying an engagement ring is to decide on a maximum budget that you feel comfortable spending and share that number with the jeweler.  A great jeweler will then do everything in his/her power to maximize your budget and make the most beautiful ring possible.  When clients are hesitant to reveal what they are comfortable spending, it fosters a lack of trust and puts all parties in a position to negotiate against themselves.

Sev (Eng101): What sets you apart from “my Dad’s guy from the jewelry district”?

Kat: For custom engagement rings, I’m able to offer my clients preferred pricing and service.  My diamond dealers want to ensure I keep coming back to them with multiple clients per year, so they’re motivated to be as competitive as possible with pricing. They also know that I’m knowledgeable about what things should cost.   After we finalize the design and select a stone, it’s my job to work closely with the jeweler on all the final details like prong width and setting height.  I like to be in the details so that my clients can rest assured it’s going to turn out perfectly.

Sev: Tell us about this beautiful ring and why you think colored gemstones are rising in popularity.

Kat: I recently made a gorgeous platinum-set round sapphire with clusters of round side stones.  The couple chose platinum because of its beauty and durability.  I think gemstones are a fantastic option for a ring that feels more unique or different.  It can also often be more cost-effective than going with a traditional white diamond, so clients feel like it’s great “bang for the buck”.

Alternative Center Stones

Catherine Angiel owns a store in the picturesque Greenwich Village of New York. She makes beautiful and unique engagement rings.  Recently, her brides have been turning to unconventional center stones. Catherine has always been a trailblazer and has some great thoughts about this new trend.

Sev (Eng101): How and why did you become a jeweler?

Catherine: I was always an artist, whether it was music (I was a drummer back in the 80’s) or painting. And drumming was costly, between equipment, rehearsal space…  So, in order to afford that first love, I had to get a job while in high school in a jewelry store. The rest is history, I fell in love with the craft and … I still play drums.

Sev (Eng101): It can be overwhelming for a couple whose first important purchase is a custom engagement ring to choose a jeweler. How can they make sure they have a good experience?

Catherine: I think it’s important couples understand the diamond market is competitive and basically they are going to get what they pay for. Therefore I always suggest they go with who they are comfortable working with, someone who gets their aesthetic, and work with a company that’s responsive and patient answering questions.

Sev (Eng101): What sets you apart from “my Dad’s guy from the jewelry district” and corporate jewelry brands?

Catherine: When I opened my shop in 1993, I purposefully wanted to create an environment unlike any jewelry store. Even down to the showcases and displays, I didn’t want anything stogie.  Therefore, I designed the showcases, and handmade displays. The ambience had to match the vibe, which was warm, welcoming, and unique. Something that was cool and not intimidating.

I never liked walking into a jewelry store myself, I either felt ignored being without a male companion, or judged if shopping with my female partner. All in all New York’s Greenwich village was perfect! Back then there weren’t any fine jewelry shops, and the industry thought of the village as poor artists and gays. Being both at the time, we fit right in!

Sev (Eng101): Tell us about a recent custom platinum engagement ring project and why you and the couple picked platinum?

Catherine: My most recent client loved the look of platinum over white gold. She loved both the density of the metal, and the grey tone. Her center stone is a grey translucent diamond so it worked out perfectly. It is an antique radiant cut that was set inverted. It has depth, elegance and sophistication. Many clients today appreciate and are hunting for more unique rings, something that expresses their personal style, whether it be the stone, the metal or design.

Hers and Hers Engagement Rings

Just like the beautiful and rare jewelry found at Automic Gold , its birth story is unique. Its founder, Al Sandimirova, is openly trans and celebrated for pioneering this fast-growing indie jewelry company that not only designs super cool jewelry but also found a way to communicate that their jewelry knows no gender boundaries.  Al took the time to tell us why they became a jeweler and shared some intel on these beautiful custom platinum rings made for two recently-engaged women.

Sev (Eng101): How and why did you become a jeweler?

Al: As a non-binary person, I couldn’t find anything from fine jewelry that I liked, so I started making jewelry for myself. Everything was either too feminine or too masculine and I was looking for something in-between, but elegant and fine.

Sev (Eng101): It can be overwhelming for a couple whose first important purchase is an engagement ring to choose a jeweler. Why should they work with you, and in general how can they make sure they will have a good experience?

Al: I work with their budget and get the best quality pieces to make their dream piece come true. We walk through all of the steps together, from sketching  different ideas to implementing the design into 3D modeling and casting and bringing it to real life.

Sev (Eng101): What sets you apart from “my Dad’s guy from the jewelry district” and corporate jewelry brands?

Al: My jewelry is handmade, which has more love, care and skills put into it. I don’t add mark up prices, I sell it at an affordable price so people can invest in fine jewelry. Also, you’ll be supporting a small business and a talented team who believes in the same vision.

Sev (Eng101): You mentioned that recently you have started designing more platinum engagement rings including the ones we just featured for a Lesbian couple.

Al: People love the unique gray hue of platinum. Platinum is a much harder metal and more durable than gold. This couple was looking for onyx/moonstone rings and it was my suggestion to use black diamonds instead of onyx and white diamonds instead of moonstones. These suggestions as well as the choice of platinum were made in order to create much more durable engagement rings, They designed their rings together which was a great experience for them and for us.