bridal rings – Jewelry Fashion Tips

I first met Erika Winters a few years ago at the Couture show. As a fellow editor, it was great fun to chat jewels with her. This year, I was immensely proud to see her standing behind a sparkling counter, showing off her first collection at the show! For those looking for a whole new look in bridal, then look no further than Erika Winters Fine Jewelry.

erika winters diamond solitaire, imogen band viola band

I couldn’t help but absorb Erika’s enthusiasm as she toured me around her line. This lady is clearly thrilled to be doing what she loves — designing beautiful, meaningful jewelry, which is then all hand-crafted in her Seattle-based studio. Erika is a stickler for design and quality control, and passionate about antique-cut diamonds. As I tried on these two hexagonal rose-cut diamond rings, she showed me how they are set upside down and backed with gold. They have the ideal height profile to allow stacking with bands.

Speaking of bands, she has many great options, all with just the right amount of interest and detail. I tried on the Imogen, Lily and Rose. Don’t you just adore the signature finish on them? It’s a blend of an old-world look with a modern touch, described as, “soft, yet finely textured to evoke vintage rings that have been worn for decades.”

Probably my favorite diamond ring I tried on was the Thea Halo. I didn’t tell Erika this, but in my mind I was picturing a compass rose, and thinking how this ring would symbolize all the places one would travel with their spouse, yet always returning home to regroup before the next adventure.

Erika also goes beyond rings in her line. Her Estella Collection has some gorge necklaces, earrings and bracelets. (And since my one and only niece is named Estella, I already had a soft spot for what I was about to see.) The large shield necklace was pretty darn awesome.

erika winters estella large shield necklace

You’ll notice that the points are a blunt cut — no pointy termination. Erika is very into dimension, and works tirelessly to incorporate such sculptural details. These luminous earrings are also part of the Estella Collection.

And because I’m always looking for bracelets that fit my small wrist and don’t spin around, I was quite impressed with her curved bar bracelets. Not only does the bar fit comfortably on the wrist, but she has created a clasp with perfectly spaced links to make it fully adjustable. So clever!

I know Erika is just overflowing with ideas, and I can’t wait to see how her line develops. Thanks for all your time, Erika!

A few years ago, I bought this ring by Anne Sportun at a local shop, and it quickly became one of my faves! (In fact my friend Karen liked it so much, that she bought one as well!)

Since then, I’ve been trying to meet her…but I always seemed to be out of town or busy when she had a local trunk show. But the stars were in alignment at Couture this year, when I got to spend a good amount of time chatting with her, finding out more about her line, and really getting to know her as a person. Let me tell you, she is just as lovely as her jewelry line!

Anne had her first jewelry order at age 16, when she was making jewelry out of stained glass. (Clearly jewelry designing was in her blood!) She is based in Toronto, Canada, and is fortunate to have her home, her studio and her shop all within a mile radius. How cool is that?! While her original plan was to study archaeology, she decided to sign up for a gold smithing class on a break before university. One thing led to another, and her jewelry business grew.

Anne explained to me that she has three different parts in her line: fashion, bridal, and alternative bridal jewelry. Each piece is hand-crafted in her studio, and many pieces have her signature stardust finish. This ring is her all-time favorite, with diamonds and an organic edge.

Being that aqua is my favorite color, I was instantly drawn to this aquamarine ring. It reminds me of the sea with a strand of sparkling sand.

In that same collection, she has these amazing earrings, which can be worn three ways! The pendant can be worn on either side, and it can be totally removed so that you are just left with the studs.

Voila --chic studs! — Voila –chic studs!

Anne’s tagline is “Precious. Everyday.” and I whole-heartedly agree with that sentiment. When you have a beautiful piece of jewelry that you love, then wear it — don’t leave it for “good” hidden away in your jewelry box. Case in point would be this ring, which I would rock every day if I owned it! The three main stones are sapphire slices, surrounded by white diamonds and set in white gold.

I couldn’t resist trying on a few of her bridal rings, either. They are all made for stacking, which is a great selling point. My favorite was this one — I love how the center stone is round, yet the outer setting is oval. It’s definitely a design I haven’t seen before!

Anne is really an outdoor girl, and she gets much of her inspiration from nature. She gets so much joy from spending time at her lake house with her husband and three children. She told me that she has a “calm, blessed, happy life” and I know that this is true. She just exudes a feeling of peace when you spend time with her. “Life is a series of synchronicity,” she told me, and I think that’s such a cool way to look at life. It was such a pleasure to meet her, and I will now picture her in my mind’s eye in this fantastic room at her lake house, dreaming up her next design.

Tag: bridal rings

Erika Winters Fine Jewelry

Anne Sportun: Designer