Three young jewelers share today’s trends in the engagement ring category—and how to get the ring of your dreams.
Janina Dizon
Peninsula Hotel, Makati
Tel. 845 0140
“When it comes to engagement rings, there are no steadfast rules. Price-wise, assuming it will be given by the man, it usually is a question of how much savings he can allot for the ring. Some jewelry companies say 3 to 6 months of their salary. I say, whatever the man feels like giving, given his stature in life. There are also many who inherit the engagement rings of their parents. When this is the case, if they want to modernize the setting, I advise them to keep the original setting for the romantic memory it holds.
I have also noticed a surge of interest in colored diamonds. This, for me, is interesting since we can usually play more with the design aspect of the ring.”
Janina belongs to a new generation of Manila-based designers who cross boundaries, both aesthetic and geographic. While she hails from a well-respected and established family of jewellers, Janina’s design approach merges just the right amount of classic elements onto pieces that are essentially modern.
JMA Jewelry
Edsa Shangri-La Hotel
Tel. 634 7304
Cheskie Ayson of JMA Jewelry shares, “There’s an engagement ring for everyone in terms of style, budget, and even the center stone. Don’t be pressured into what other people are getting. If you’re dreaming of a diamond ring, touch up on a diamond’s 4C’s (carat, color, clarity, cut) and figure out what stone characteristics you aspire to have. These 4C’s are the main factors that affect the price of the diamond. Once you have an idea what kind of ring you’d like to have, there’s nothing wrong with dropping a hint to your family, friends, or even your partner—so they’ll have an idea what to get you. Partners can be clueless sometimes, so every bit of information helps! As for trends, more and more people are exploring other diamond shapes, like the cushion cut, asscher cut, and sometimes even rose cut diamonds. Like we always say, there’s a shape for everyone. However, the round brilliant diamond still remains to be the ultimate classic choice, and for good reason. This cut has the most “light return,” making it look all bright and sparkly. We’ve been getting inquiries about colored stone engagement rings as well—moonstones, emerald greens, and blue sapphires alá Princess Diana or Kate Middleton! Most engagement rings are made white gold, but some girls are now going for yellow gold or rose gold. Believe it or not, one guy even seriously inquired about black gold plating options. Another trend we’re seeing is couples choosing the engagement ring together. I guess for them, they might as well get it right. After all, most (if not all) get only one ring in their lifetime.”
JMA Jewelry was established in 1995. JMA strives to educate people about buying jewelry—especially the men. They take their clients through the 4C’s, as well as other intricacies involved with buying jewelry. JMA jewelry is custom-made so you know it is made with care, and with you at the forefront. They go above and beyond to find the right ring/diamond/stone, etc. They work with a flexible budget so there is definitely no price too small or too big for your perfect engagement ring. Lastly, they consider making jewelry an art, so they have high respect for their goldsmiths and stone-setters who craft with their own hands lasting pieces of jewelry.
Joyce Makitalo
1401 BSA Tower, 108 Legazpi Street, Makati
Cel. 0917 5633898
“I’ve observed that more women are looking for alternatives to the classic diamond engagement ring. For many brides-to-be, a non-traditional engagement ring is a much more fun choice. An engagement ring can be precious in many ways and, for me, it always turns out more special when the wearer’s personality is the main guide.
I love using chunky, raw stones. When design creative Bong Rojales came to me for an engagement ring to give his then-girlfriend Rossy, he was looking for something really special and different. During that time, my husband had just gotten back from a stone hunt in Cambodia, and had brought back chunks of white topaz—one of the top hardest in the Mohs scale. It was perfect! I mixed it with a few colored stones and it turned out looking like something from another era.
Diamonds on an engagement band can look predictable, so when my rock-star friend, Ponchie Buenavista, came to me for a diamond ring to surprise his then-girlfriend Ces, I was in a rut for a while. I kept thinking of mixing colored stones, but I knew it wasn’t Ces’ style. I’ve always adored sacred paraphernalia, and since this ring was a prelude to a sacred union, I came up with a design inspired by the monstrance.
Colored stones are always fun to work with. Brandon Cone was excited to get engaged with Sachi but did not want the ring to be rushed since it would be one of her ‘forever’ rings. So together, we consulted Sachi on the stone she wanted. Brandon was initially thinking of a diamond, and we were pleasantly surprised to find out that for her, an emerald would be perfect. Since her father’s a Brahmin and since she has also dedicated her life to teaching yoga, I gave the ring subtle Vedic details (as she wanted it to be simple) and put some diamonds in the mix. Going through the design process with them together was fun. I got to know them more and was able to make a ring that matched Sachi’s personality.
I have to say, though, that making an engagement ring never fails to overwhelm me at the beginning because, as much as I feel honored to be chosen to design one, I also feel greatly responsible! But making an engagement ring is an amazing experience—it’s a soul thing.”
Joyce Makitalo is an award-winning jewelry designer from Manila. Her pieces, which she creates with a community of third-generation goldsmiths, have an interesting combination of rough and sleek which comes from the influence of past eras and the concept of futurism. Her cutting-edge, almost-talismanic pieces reflect her passion for art and design, and fondness for fashion.
Text by: Agoo Bengzon