Finding affordable engagement rings under £1,000 doesn’t have to mean a compromise on style. A host of jewellery designers are playing with traditional forms to create pieces that intertwine romantic references with contemporary design accents, making for engagement rings that are both chic and accessible.
Covetable and affordable engagement rings
Akva Jewellery
Danish jewellery brand Akva jewellery uses recycled materials and fair-trade diamonds to create offbeat engagement options, such as the sculptural form of the Spuma ring.
€835; akvajewellery.com
Astley Clarke
Pavé set diamonds are given a celestial spin by Astley Clarke, who is inspired by the heavens for the Lines ring from the Interstellar collection. Glinting like a cluster of stars, this is both an elegant and understated engagement ring.
£895; libertylondon.com
Yvonne Leon
An engagement ring is given a dose of casual chic when laced onto a gleaming chain. Yvonne Leon's juxtaposition of yellow and white gold brings a modern accent to a classic pear-cut diamond.
€820.00; net-a-porter.com
Judith Peterhoff
A loop of graduating diamonds come together in Judith Peterhoff's Vitium Graduating Diamond Ring, bringing a delicate vintage-inspired feel to a simple piece handcrafted in London from recycled gold.
£900; finematter.com
Vrai
Perfect proportions rule in the Knife Edge Bezel ring from Vrai, who nod to classic engagement ring forms while keeping it understated. The diamond, on a circle of 1mm gold wire, makes a chic and symbolic choice.
£294; vrai.com
Niza Huang
Minimal silhouettes meet gorgeously-drawn textures in Niza Huang's engagement rings. We love the organic form of this blue diamond slice ring in 18k yellow gold, which subverts classic shapes for a welcome dose of contemporary cool.
£780; nizahuang.com
Kinn
Kinn riff off classic eternity ring aesthetics in the Ines ring, which dots pleats of ribbed gold with a subtle smattering of diamonds. Pair with their simply drawn wedding bands for an understated and chic take on tradition.
$1,080; kinnstudio.com
Grace Lee
Pear-shaped diamonds become playful adornments in the hands of Grace Lee, who scatters them like confetti onto a slim gold band, adding a teasingly tactile edge to a conventional engagement ring silhouette.
$738; gracelee.com
Adriana Chede
Scattered set diamonds sit in recycled 18 carat gold in the Scattered Diamond Wedding Band from Adriana Chede. With softly rounded edges creating a more offbeat silhouette, this affordable ring is perfect for those who like a twist in their tradition.
£610;adrianachede.com
Deborah Blyth
We love the tactility of Deborah Blyth's designs, where gold-plated sterling silver appears as if it has been hastily smoothed around golden loops. In the Artemis Tsavorite ring, the textured gold becomes a warm foil for a simple green tsavorite, making an understated and elegant choice.
£250; deborahblyth.com
Genevieve Schwartz
Former Astley Clarke designer Genevieve Schwartz celebrates the naturally beautiful graident of hues in bicolour tourmalines with her Watermelon Sugar Ring. Available in a range of sizes and styles, we love the neat proportions of this one which makes for an affordable and offbeat engagement ring choice.
£995; genevieveschwartz.com
Ruth Tomlinson
Ruth Tomlinson brings a romanticism to engagement ring design thanks to her focus on textured recycled gold and unique, characterful gemstones. The Diamond Encrusted Wrap band curves delicate strands of gold around the finger, sprinkling them with droplets of yellow gold and delicate white diamonds.
£920; ruthtomlinson.com
Alighieri
Alighieri weaves a romanticism into designs inspired by the lyrical musings of Dante. Its bespoke range of alternative engagement rings coils textured gold around different stones, such as in this ‘Meteor Shower Ring’, which embodies gloriously off-centre design codes. For something similar, get in touch to commission your own piece.
£950, alighieri.com
Jessie Thomas
London-based goldsmith Jessie Thomas focuses on simple silhouettes in her jewellery created from recycled gold. The ‘Three Diamond Ring’ shifts the focus from symmetry, floating three differently sized diamonds in loops of yellow gold.
£950, jessiethomasjewellery.com
Lark & Berry
Lark & Berry’s inclusion of manmade diamonds in its pieces brings an accessibility to designs that may have been formerly out of reach. The ‘Veto Sapphire Slim Ring’ juxtaposes cultured white sapphires against lab-grown diamonds for an arresting take on a classic design.
£595, larkandberry.com
Completedworks
Hypnotising loops of white gold sprinkled with a dusting of white topaz gemstones make for something decidedly different among affordable engagement rings, in this piece from Completedworks. A recycled sterling silver base, coated with gold vermeil, keeps costs down without compromising on style.
£255, completedworks.com
Delfina Delettrez
Delfina Delettrez plays with punkish design in the ‘Two In One Pearl Ring’, linking two classic white diamonds on a bar studded with pearls. This piece, handcrafted in Italy, stays faithful to Delettrez’s distinctive, effortlessly chic designs.
€980, delfinadelettrez.com
Otiumberg
We love Otiumberg for its focus on wearable and accessible designs, a philosophy carried over to a delicate collection of rings. The ‘Diamond Wave Ring’, in 9ct solid gold, lets an elegant twist of nine white diamonds take centre stage, making for an understated and affordable engagement ring.
£260, otiumberg.com
Sansoeurs
The ‘Wife Rose Gold Ring’ from Sansoeurs sets a rectangular pattern of diamonds onto a super-thin band for a modern and minimalist engagement ring, which will look chic when paired with a slender wedding band.
£990, sansoeurs.com
Shihara
Shihara’s pieces encompass a pure simplicity, drawing clean curved and angular shapes in gold, which loop around the body in unexpected ways. The ‘Petite Ring’ encapsulates this aesthetic, sticking to traditional design codes for a perfectly formed, affordable engagement ring.
$715, shihara.com
-
Gucci’s new book is a love letter to London and its contradictionsPart of the ‘Gucci Prospettive’ series, Sabato De Sarno has drafted Charlene Prempeh and Lewis Dalton Gilbert of A Vibe Called Tech to curate an expansive portrait of their home city of London through a collage of artworks, photography and text
-
Teenage Engineering introduce the OP-XY sequencer, an ode to Teutonic sounds and styleA dynamic performance sequencer, the Teenage Engineering OP-XY is the latest highly desirable piece of kit from the Swedish electronics firm
-
Expandable Trailers delivers instant luxury accommodation on wheelsThe new Expandable Mansion is a truckable structure that'll transform the remotest location into a restful retreat
-
Eternity rings for the modern coupleEternity rings, whether sleekly minimalist or sprinkled in diamonds, can be a chic and contemporary love token
-
Say I do to a rented tiara with Garrard’s bridal jewellery service‘Something Borrowed’, from Garrard, invites prospective brides to choose from 19 rentable jewellery pieces for their big day
-
Alternative engagement rings with an edgeAs the sales of engagement rings sky-rocket during lockdown, enjoy our off-kilter curation of edgy and unconventional engagement rings
-
Men’s engagement rings for modern groomsMen’s engagement rings, whether classic or colourful, make for sentimental tokens
-
Completedworks’ bridal jewellery puts a cool spin on traditionThe new Completedworks collection with Matchesfashion draws subversive silhouettes in freshwater pearls and recycled silver
-
Piaget’s glittering watch is a high jewellery showstopperPiaget Limelight Gala Precious Sunrise is cast in bridal-friendly soft shades
-
Jaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous gives us the moon and the starsJaeger-LeCoultre Rendez-Vous Dazzling Moon Lazura watch is both romantic and technically accomplished
-
Wedding tiaras to bring an edge to bridal wearWedding tiaras from Chaumet, Tasaki, Bibi van der Velden and Christopher Thompson-Royds will elevate a wedding dress
