The Stories Behind Our Editors’ Engagement Rings
While a wedding band is perhaps the most symbolic piece of jewelry there is, the engagement ring is the piece we really obsess over. It’s the piece that feels momentous. The one that’s at the center of the very decision to get married. And the one, with more variations in style than a classic band, that says something about you. Whether yours (or the one you imagine) is an over-the-top-diamond, something sleek and understated, or an ornate vintage piece with years of history, there’s always more to an engagement ring than what it looks like. They’re a unique window into someone’s personal aesthetic, a small and potently meaningful encapsulation of their views on style, relationships and identity. With that in mind, we asked our editors to share the stories behind their own engagement rings. Read on for their stories.
Brittany Gersh, Art & Home Curator
“Josh actually designed mine. He had an idea of what I liked, but it was a complete surprise. It’s an old-cut round diamond because I loved the subtle elegance of old-cut diamonds. I was looking at a lot of vintage rings but I kept gravitating toward minimal, delicate shapes; I love mixing old and new, but I’m a minimalist at my core so this was the perfect combination. I also preferred round diamonds because I loved the classical symmetry. It has a pavé ring around the center diamond and is bevel set which I love because it kind of ‘hugs’ the diamond. It looks very cozy but also reminds me of Bauhaus shapes at the same time. One of the things I wanted most in a ring was that I never had to take it off — nothing too loud; fashionable; ostentatious. I don’t wear much jewelry — the only jewelry I do wear is sentimental and I wear it regardless of my clothing choices, so it was important to me that this ring was essentially an extension of me rather than ‘jewelry.’”
Round Diamond Engagement Ring, $7,075; 18K Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring, $4,295; Hermès Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring, $1,495
Rati Sahi Levesque, Chief Merchant
“I lost my ring while I was pregnant. My fingers were so fat, I had to take it off. I have always liked the Cartier Trinity ring, so when I started looking for a replacement I sent a pic to my husband. He liked it and I bought it. So romantic, I know.”
Cartier Trinity De Cartier Ring, $675; Cartier Diamond Trinity De Cartier Ring, $6,495; Cartier Trinity Wedding Band, $845
Jody Hume, Senior Content Editor
“I’ve always considered myself an independent, Simone de Beauvoir-loving feminist, so warming up to the idea of marriage took me some time. But after years of dating and still calling someone my ‘boyfriend,’ I had to admit I liked the idea even if it’s not what Simone and Jean Paul Sartre would do. We’d been talking about it for a while, but we actually ended up getting engaged on a whim, more by mutual decision than any grand gesture (which is way more my style anyway). We didn’t have a ring, but I had my eye on the Cartier Love ring, so the next day we went to the boutique and bought it together. It’s my engagement ring and my wedding band. My style is pretty minimal and I don’t normally wear a lot of jewelry, so I wanted something simple and classic that would go with everything, and I also love that it has a subtle 70s vibe.”
Cartier LOVE Ring, $795; Cartier LOVE Ring Set, $4,675; Cartier 3 Diamond LOVE Ring, $1,875
Lauren Bradshaw, Editorial Director
“I didn’t expect my husband to propose anytime soon, but one weekend we were in this tiny town in wine country, and I accidentally caught him ring shopping in an estate jewelry store while I was out wandering on my own. I’ve always loved estate rings — I think there’s something so romantic about a piece of jewelry that has history. There was one ring from the 1950s that was the perfect mix of antique and classic. Unbeknownst to me, he ended up calling the owner 20 minutes after we left to buy it, and completely surprised me two weeks later by popping the question!”
Diamond Engagement Ring, $8,195; Solitaire Diamond Engagement Ring, $2,895; 14K Princess Cut Diamond Engagement Ring, $2,495
Ready to find your own engagement ring style? Shop our selection of diverse designs here.
