Modern and Contemporary Rings

What exactly is a modern ring? Some think of rings made in the modern day, in today's contemporary style. Others think of rings that share inspiration with modern art: bold, abstract, expressive. That doesn't narrow it down very much, does it? But that's what makes modern design so wonderfully personal, and why such a wide variety of rings fall into this broad category. We've picked a few elements (from minimalism to angular asymmetry) that are common to modern ring design. Scroll down to see some examples and get inspired to work with our artists on your modern ring!

An elegant curve of diamonds spirals around and up to create the setting for a cushion cut alexandrite.

Clean lines and minimal ornamentation in this contemporary platinum engagement ring. Beautiful lines of diamonds on a delicate shank, letting the 2ct diamond center stone pop.

The perfect contemporary solitaire: a bright, champagne pink morganite in a delicate rose gold setting.

Square cut diamonds and alexandrites take center stage in the clean lines of this bridal set.

This 3-stone ring uses a simple, very slightly tapered band to offset the simple elegance of the tapered diamond center setting.

Sketch for a modern, angular take on a bypass setting, framing a kite set princess cut center stone and reinforcing its geometry.

A three stone setting with three minimalist bar settings for the diamonds, paired with a gold euro shank.

Sleek curves in this three-stone bypass setting, with the atypical pairing of blue sapphire and black opal.

A ring quite literally inspired by modern art. We designed this to echo the organic, dripping shapes of its wearer's abstract paintings.

Asymmetric swoops of rose gold and white gold create a ton of movement around an alexandrite center stone

Simple elegance and minimalist styling: a bright moissanite center stone, paired with channel set topaz.

A delicate rose gold band with a sculptural twist (pun intended): three strands wrapping around the pear cut diamond.

Sketches for a modern ring design, contrasting the angles of a princess cut diamond with a bold, curving band.

Delicate white gold bridal set made more modern by setting the princess cut diamond at an angle.

A violet-tinged pink morganite custom cut in a cushion shape. Halo and split shank with sleek edges for a modern feel.

The Custom Experience

1

Talk About It

Discuss design ideas, options, budget, with your jewelry consultant - your guide to the custom experience.

2

Get It Designed

See sketches and concept art designed just for you by our jewelry artists.

3

See It Come To Life

Visualize your piece with high resolution 3D renderings, and we'll adjust every detail until you tell us it's perfect.

4

Treasure It

Receive your custom piece, with the assurance it's been made to wear and last a lifetime.

We believe in lots and lots of hand-holding.

Our team of design consultants helps you figure out the details, explains your options, and guides you through each step of designing a custom engagement ring.

You don’t have to know what you want. Just what you like.

Our artists create design sketches and detailed 3D renderings to capture your vision in a perfect and personal design. And we'll tweak the details until you say it's exactly right.

We’re the experts, so you don’t have to be.

Is it OK for a diamond to have faint fluorescence? Will emerald and rose gold work together? Is there a less risky alternative to the great look of a tension setting? Don't worry, we've got this. We'll make sure you know what matters and what doesn't, and we'll create the perfect ring. Together.

Great value doesn't mean great sacrifice.

Get exactly the ring you want for the price of something off the shelf. We make custom accessible for any budget.

Sleek, Minimal Styling

Modern design is all about clean lines and simplicity. Most modern rings avoid unnecessary frills and ornamentation. This allows the core elements of the design to take the forefront, spotlighting the geometry and color of the center stone or the silhouette of the band.

An open bar setting for the round center diamond and baguette cut side stones lets the gems sparkle, pairing them with a sleek, squared off rose gold band.

An elegantly curved band opens into an oval morganite center stone, with modern flush settings for the accent diamonds on the ring's shoulders.

A perfectly delicate diamond pave band offsets the bright peach-pink morganite center stone. The flat finish to the tapered prongs reinforces the ring's modern aesthetic.

An elegant solitaire setting for a bright emerald cut diamond, creating subtle contrast between the geometry of the stone and the curve of the band.

Sketches for a minimal, modern engagement ring. The stark, smooth surfaces of the center setting accentuate the clean geometry of the ring.

Not a single extraneous line in this design with bar settings for the champagne sapphire and triangle cut diamonds.

Embracing the hall of mirrors effect of the emerald cut, this ring design keeps everything perfectly in line with the facets, and creates step symmetry between the band and the stones, to echo the step cuts of the gems.

Bold, Sculptural Rings

Drawing inspiration from abstract sculpture, modern rings will often use beautifully sculpted organic shapes for the band or the structure of the center setting. These designs give our artists freedom to create wearable precious metal sculptures.

The perfect contrast: bold, sweeping arms of white gold frame the sharp angles of a princess cut diamond center stone.

A wonderfully one-of-a-kind center setting, stretching a ribbon of white gold along the length of the finger, diamonds tucked into its curves.

Imitating a tension setting, the bold sweeping arms of the bypass setting appear to suspend the marquise amethyst, which rests comfortably on a hidden gallery rail to ensure the gem will be secure for daily wear.

A wider rose gold band appears to stretch into organic, curving openings, allowing light to pass and nestling a diamond center stone.

A modern take on a three-stone engagement ring, setting the diamonds in a channel carved into a wide, curving band.

This ring takes the tradition of a two stone toi-et-moi setting and makes it modern by exaggerating the size of the center setting and the wide sweep of the bypass band around it.

A cuff-style ring, with bold, with contrasting gem shapes and colors set on a mixed-metal gold band.

Angular Geometry

Modern rings challenge vintage ring forms, adding angular design elements and gem cuts to stand in contrast to traditional notions of elegance.

A modern play on the classic bypass setting, using large emerald cut gems and letting the band turn at sharp angles rather than the expected curves.

A princess cut center stone is set at an angle, its lines reinforced by the similarly angular bypass shank and matching wedding band.

Sketch for a bold, modern ring, setting a cluster of square cut gems on a bold, wide knife-edge shank.

Playing with the tradition of a vining, pave shank, this ring opens the overlapping band wide around an unexpected kite set amethyst.

This ring is all angles, with a perfectly square halo of flush set diamonds surrounding a bezel set princess cut sapphire.

A softly tapered rose gold band and subtle curve of east-west set marquise black diamond is given modern styling by squaring off the band.

Asymmetrical Designs

Continuing with the theme of challenging convention, modern ring design breaks with our expectations by using ring shapes and gem settings that lack symmetry. This includes the very popular cluster ring, a setting that replaces the traditional center stone with a cluster of gems, often of varying sizes, cuts and colors, and typically arranged to create a perfect, but asymmetrical, balance.

A delicate cluster of topaz, diamond and aquamarine appears to flow with the curve of the leafy rose gold band.

Sketches for an engagement ring. At first glance, elements like feathers are atypical for modern design. But exaggerating the scale of the feather, and pairing it with an asymmetrical partial halo design, gives this ring a distinctly modern look.

Playing with cool blues, this ring sets several shades of Montana sapphire, diamond and aquamarine in a balanced cluster.

Sleek simple elegance in this pairing of an east-west marquise cut sapphire with a small round accent gem. Subtle, but remarkable.

Sketches of a unique cluster setting, giving the impression that the band is just barely holding together the expanding movement of the blue gems.

A ring of contrasts. The center stone is set with a half-bezel and two prongs, and curves of rose and white gold stretch over each other in contrast to the minimalism on the other side of the center stone.

A rose cut center diamond, an antique cut, is paired with two modern round brilliant cut accents set like orbiting moons at a slight angle to create a unique cluster arrangement.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a project take?

Typically, your custom piece will be in your hands 2-4 weeks after we've finalized your design. However, because each project is different, the time it takes to complete your project may vary. Here's a rough breakdown of how long each part of our process takes:

Design: As long as it takes for you to tell us it's perfect

When it comes to creating your design, we'll work at your pace. Some customers only need to exchange a few messages with us - we'll often be ready to make their piece within a few days. Others may prefer to design and iterate with us over many weeks, or even months.

Production: Approximately 2-4 weeks

Once you've approved a design, we'll manufacture your piece, finishing all the details by hand. When it's ready, we'll send you photographs of your finished piece so you can give us your seal of approval before we ship it to you.

Shipping: 1-3 days (domestic), Approximately 1 week (international)

We offer free shipping within the US via FedEx or USPS, and we ship international packages via DHL Worldwide Express, one of the fastest services available. Depending on location, international shipments can sometimes be delayed by local customs for inspection, which can extend the delivery time.

How much will my ring cost?

In general, our custom rings are the same price as similar rings off-the-shelf ('similar' meaning a comparable selection of metals and gemstones used, which are the biggest factors in price). Our aim is to make high-quality custom designs accessible to everyone.

Each ring we produce starts off as a brand new concept. Because of that, it’s difficult to know how much a piece is going to cost without knowing a bit more about the idea you have in mind.

The easiest way to figure out how much your ring will cost is to start a consultation with us and let our team know what you're looking for - we can provide an estimate with only a few details.

When do I get to see a design? Do I have to pay first?

There's no charge to discuss your design, and price out options with our team. In many cases, our jewelry designers will also create artistic sketches of our design concepts for your piece. We request a deposit prior to producing 3D models and renderings of your design and that deposit goes toward the final cost of producing your piece.

Where do your gems come from? Can I browse your inventory?

Unlike most jewelers, we don't keep a huge inventory of gems. Since every piece we make is custom, we prefer to source each stone individually, to suit the design and the specific needs of each customer.

As with the rest of our design process, our team will guide you through the gem selection process. We start by figuring out what's important to you in a gemstone, whether it's budget, origin, size, color, or simply the overall look. With that in mind, we research and prepare a set of options that we think would work for you. Some come from our curated collection, others from a network of trusted suppliers, and in some cases, we may opt to have an expert lapidary custom cut your gem. You'll make the final decision on the option that best meets your needs, and we'll make sure you have everything you need to make the best choice.

Our primary goal with gemstones is transparency. The center stone is an essential part of the look of your ring and it can be a big financial decision. Trust is built on honest communication, so we work hard to give you all the information you need to make a confident choice.

Do you offer a warranty?

We stand behind our jewelry 100% and we offer a comprehensive set of warranties so that you can purchase with confidence.

Lifetime Manufacturer Warranty

We guarantee our workmanship and take responsibility for any structural defects.

Certificate of Authenticity

All the materials (metals, diamonds, and gemstones) we sell are authentic and properly specified in your proposal agreement.

Accent Stone Loss Warranty

If any small accent gems (<$100 value) break or fall out of their settings in the first year after we create the ring or within a year of us performing maintenance on the ring, we’ll replace them free of charge.

Modern Engagement Rings