Wedding Bells Rings by Stacie Midori Design

By Guest Blogger Kelli DesRochers

With the continuing recession and increasing moral concerns surrounding conflict diamonds, it seems that more couples are searching for alternatives to the traditional solitaire engagement ring. I have met many young couples recently who don’t really see the necessity of a huge “bling” diamond when there are perfectly beautiful alternative options that don’t require 3-4 months salary (hopefully a six figure one for those 2+ karat rocks) or a heavy conscience.

Wedding Bells Ring - Image: Stacie Midori Designs

I completely understand the inclination to defy that norm and question the tradition (which I heard was started by an ad campaign that DeBeers created to boost waning diamond sales) that has managed to infiltrate our society and create an obsession with enormous diamonds. Yes, they are extremely beautiful but they are also, for many people, quite financially unrealistic.

There are many options for alternatives to the solitaire diamond wedding ring, but I want to share my pick–Stacie Midori Designs.

Stacie is a creative Californian jewelry designer who focuses on ring design. She creates jewelry pieces with beautiful gems and pure shapes and colors that are inspired by those found in nature. I love everything in her line, but the rings truly stand out as unique and special to me. Here are some of my favorite rings from Stacie, including the pair pictured above which inspired me to write this post.

Mother's Jigsaw Ring - Image: Stacie Midori Designs

The Mother’s Jigsaw Ring is an 18k gold stacked puzzle ring that she custom-designed for a mother. It is made up of three rings that represent her three children…diamond, pink tourmaline, and aquamarine.

Golden "O" Ring - Image: Stacie Midori Designs

I love her use of primary shapes in the  Golden “O” Ring (above). And the Virginia Ring (below) features a gorgeous colored stone paired with small diamonds is a great alternative to the solitaire diamond.

Virginia Ring - Image: Stacie Midori Designs

You can contact Stacie Midori Designs through her website at staciemidori.com to inquire about custom designs.

Kelli DesRochers’ Bio: Kelli lives in Brooklyn and is an architect and fashion blogger. She is interested in the way that art and design can be found in all areas of our lives and finding ways that design can be accessible to everyone. Read more from Kelli on her personal blog Hello Kelli.