Forget subtlety and simplicity. As wedding world's love affair with opulence and glamour grows, couples are increasingly opting for more luxe, intricate and high drama designs for their wedding rings.

"Gone are the days of the traditional ladies and gents' plain wedding rings," observes Nicola Price from Drakes Jewellers. "A diamond set wedding ring is the perfect way to add a glamorous look to your everyday style, while rose gold is still growing in popularity."

"Combining multi-tonal metals and intricate designs can create a versatile look," she continues. "Add some diamonds and you will be sure to have the right combination of glamour and decadence."

Jewellery designer-maker, Justin Duance, agrees. "We have certainly been seeing flashier and more glamorous designs since beginning our twist on the classic eternity ring," he says. "Couples are throwing out the rulebook when it comes to wedding and engagement rings. The solitaire diamond and gold band are being replaced by dark garnets, organic multi-stone creations and rainbow eternity bands."

Two-stone rings, double bands, art deco designs and delicate details such as personal inscriptions are some of the other latest trends to find their way onto wedding rings - all with a distinctly decadent twist. Think halos or accent diamonds in intricate settings, eye-catching coloured stones, and crown rings all achieving an air of sophisticated - and wonderfully wearable - elegance.

Remember to consider the shapes of your stone and setting, with especially interesting and dynamic examples including prisms, hexagons, teardrops, octagons and pyramids.

From mixing metals and gemstones to personalising your band by engraving, stacking and embellishing, today's wedding rings smack of statement-making style. "Like choosing your wedding dress, choosing your wedding ring is a ticket to feeling glamorous - and you get to wear it everyday," says Jamila Hirtenstein from Justin Duance."So stack those jewels, raid great grandma's vintage stones, get colourful and choose a ring that truly suits you."


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1. Drakes drakesjewellers.co.uk
2. Erin Cox erincox.co.uk
3. Justin Duance justind.co.uk
4. Michael Spiers michaelspiers.co.uk

words Hannah May

Copyright Wed magazine 2017