Engagement rings Archives

Chinchar/Maloney’s The New Classic Collection.

January 18, 2017

When Chinchar/Maloney first reached out to me two years ago, they were a little baby jewelry brand looking to break into the online jewelry world. Now they’re a powerhouse in progress: just check out their half a million social media followers if you need proof how how much Millennial jewelry lovers adores this family-owned brand’s distinctive work.

Chinchar/Maloney’s popularity has spread so widely that the brand is expanding into wholesale operations with their newest line, “The New Classic.” That means that The New Classic will hopefully soon be available in a jewelry store near you!

Few things make me happier than getting to follow along with a small brand as it finds its foothold in the industry and blossoms into vibrant success.

Chinchar/Maloney is a completely family owned and operated team with a love of natural gems and a fierce dedication to ethical sourcing. Their handmade creations are brimming with personality, especially in The New Classic collection.

The New Classic Collection from Chnichar/Maloney combines a sense of timelessness and simplicity with modern design experimentation that uses geometric shapes, rough textures, and varying levels of saturated color to project the originality of each rustic diamond.

These stones are carefully chosen, evaluated one-by-one for uniqueness, beauty, and quality. The diamonds’ natural inclusions and colors make each piece entirely unique, each just waiting to find its perfect jewelry soulmate.

The New Classic Collection really is aptly named: these designs neatly knit together traditional design elements in unexpected ways with fresh twists and rich, non-traditional diamonds to create final pieces that feel luxe and recognizable but still fresh and special.

And it gets even better: it’s not just rings.

13 ultra-cool contemporary engagement rings.

December 12, 2016

I was browsing the Greenwich St. Jewelers website the other day to see what was new (they’re always a great place to find interesting but wearable modern pieces) and I found myself captivated by the bridal section. There’s some really exciting things happening in contemporary engagement rings right now, and I haven’t been doing the category justice here on Diamonds in the Library in recent months.

Bridal is becoming a more and more open-minded field of design, with a wide range of styles that guarantee that anyone on the quest for a contemporary engagement ring will be able to find one that feels just right. I think that’s just wonderful and these great new designs deserve our attention.

Here’s a baker’s dozen of the coolest contemporary engagement rings I encountered in my recent browsing:

I love this setting from Sylvie Collection because it embodies so many of the recent important engagement ring trends in a beautiful, wearable way.

With warm rose gold, a simple halo, and an elegant oval diamond – this ring is rocking the “I’m on trend now, but I’ll still look good in 30 years” approach. Bonus: how cool are those thorn-like prongs?

This is the Trellis ring by Megan Thorne. I think it’s fantastic: it reminds me of bridges and skyscrapers.

I love how it involves all the traditional elements of an engagement ring but uses them in such a unique way, with the wide, openwork band and bezel-set center stone that’s the same width as the ring shank. It occupies space on the finger in an unusual way, while still feeling very engagement ring-like.

One of the things I hear the most frequently from women looking for engagement rings is that they want something easy-to-wear that won’t interfere with their daily activities: namely, they want a low-profile ring (that sits low on the finger) that won’t get caught on things as they go about their busy lives.

This Jennie Kwon ring is proof that a ring can be low-profile and high style. It looks like it’s about as comfortable and easy as a ring can be, while still bringing plenty of style.

My visit to Erstwhile Jewelry Co.

November 7, 2016

It’s Election Day tomorrow in the US, and I don’t know about you, but I’m finding this particular presidential election VERY stressful. Therefore, today’s post is intended to be as relaxing as possible for all of us: I hope you find Erstwhile Jewelry Co.’s treasures as soothing as I do.

I’ve been a fan of Erstwhile Jewelry Co. for ages, and I know you feel the same way, because my posts featuring their rings are constantly on my most viewed list.

I finally had the opportunity to visit Erstwhile Jewelry Co. in person, and oh my goodness, my dears, it was everything I’d dreamed it would be. Their sunny Diamond District office is a treasure trove of rings: each more perfect and interesting than the last.

It was Erstwhile Jewelry Co.’s Art Deco pieces that drew me to them online in the first place, and I definitely went to town on the Art Deco tray.

These are all so special in their own ways – even this one picture (which is a small part of their selection) is like a visual lesson on the glorious variety to be found in antique diamond rings.

Now, going further back in time: this early Victorian engagement ring in yellow gold with its crisp enamel details takes my breath away.

It’s utterly perfect, too; soulful and romantic.

Turquoise and opals with diamonds.

Looking at these colors makes me feel like I just took a clean, deep breath. Beauties, beauties, beauties.

Rubies and diamonds!!

I jumped right on these when the rings came out. Trays upon trays of antique rings…it was the glorious navette-shaped ring with the long, skinny marquise in the center that I was drawn to first, and then I decided to make a little ruby and diamond gang so it wouldn’t be lonely.

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