Ticker News: Why today’s engagement rings are all about personal storytelling

Luxury is changing. Once defined by exclusivity and prestige, it's now all about bespoke design, ethical sourcing and personal meaning. More couples are saying no to cookie-cutter engagement rings and yes to designs that tell their stories. 

In this interview with Mike Loder from Ticker News, I talk about how the jewellery space is shifting, why bespoke engagement rings are on the rise and how Storysmith, our AI-powered idea generator, helps couples bring their perfect engagement ring to life.

Watch the full interview below.

The future of luxury jewellery

Why are consumers moving away from cookie cutter designs and embracing alternative engagement rings?

The idea of that “perfect engagement ring” has changed. Traditionally, engagement rings would follow a formula – a white diamond, a classic setting, and often, the bigger, the better.

But today’s couples are rejecting that one-size-fits-all approach. Instead, we’re seeing more demand for coloured gems, unusual cuts and bespoke designs. An engagement ring is one of the most personal pieces of jewellery you’ll ever wear, so it makes sense to want something that's super meaningful and tailored to you.

There’s also a shift in values. Couples are choosing rings that align with their beliefs and that tell a story. That could be a piece with an ethically sourced sapphire or a secret reference to an inside joke that maybe only you and your partner know about. It's something that puts a smile on your face every time you wear it.

In short, we're moving away from jewellery as a status symbol and towards jewellery with a story.

How are personalisation, ethics and authenticity redefining the expectations of luxury consumers?

Luxury used to be about prestige. It was about having something rare, expensive and unattainable. Today, people are looking for connection, self-expression and a sense of ownership in the design process. And that's where personalisation comes in. 

More people are looking for bespoke jewellery because it allows them to create something deeply meaningful rather than picking a mass produced piece off a shelf.

There’s that element of authenticity. Where you get to know the person behind the brand and the passion that goes into every piece.

For smaller brands, it can be one of our superpowers, because for us, every piece is designed with a real connection to the customer.

I’ve worked with people all over the world and have created rings based on the most important people in their lives. Rings that remind the wearer that they're strong and that they should love themselves first. Rings that have made them cry happy tears on first sight.

Now it's not just jewellery. When there’s a personal story, it’s a keepsake that captures those most important moments in your life.

Why are sustainability, ethical sourcing and transparency now non-negotiables? For example, non-conflict diamonds?

Luxury can be just as much about exclusivity as it is about responsibility.

People now want to know:

• Where has this come from?
• Who was involved in making it?
• What is the environmental and social cost?

We need to answer these questions with authenticity and transparency, and most importantly, not vague sustainability claims.

Sometimes, that means the answer is - it depends!

In response to your question about conflict diamonds: Diamonds that are available on the world market are generally not going to be "conflict diamonds" as they are covered under a scheme called the Kimberley Process. But there are additional factors to consider like where they came from and how they were mined.

Another big topic is lab diamonds. They’re often marketed as the more ethical choice, compared to mined diamonds. Yes, they avoid the mining process, but they can also be incredibly energy-intensive to produce.

The question to ask is: Are they produced with renewable energy? For example, we have Clear Neutral certification, where every lab grown diamond’s carbon footprint is offset.

It’s important to ask those deeper questions as consumers, and for businesses, be able to answer them.

How can brands deliver that personalised experience at scale, through technology?

That's a really interesting one. How can you scale personalisation without making it feel automated or impersonal?

The key is using technology to enhance the human element, but not replace it. One of the biggest challenges that my customers have is that they simply don't know where to start when it comes to designing a custom piece of jewellery.

Designing a meaningful engagement ring can feel overwhelming. So I created Storysmith, which is an AI-powered tool that asks meaningful questions about a couple’s story and translates their answers into personalised engagement ring ideas.

Before Storysmith, I would respond to every submission manually. Now, it’s like having me as your designer at that initial overwhelming part of the process to help show you that you do have beautiful, intensely personal ideas that can be translated into jewellery.

Once they decide that a custom piece of jewellery is the right choice, I’m that real person that steps in and guides them through the process.

Ultimately, it’s about automating the right parts of the process while keeping the heart of bespoke jewellery exactly where it belongs: in meaningful human connections.

Want to create a custom ring that tells your story?

If you’re ready to design a ring that’s unapologetically you, here’s where to start:

• Try Storysmith: Our AI-powered tool that turns your love story into a one-of-a-kind engagement ring idea.
• Browse our Design Gallery: Get inspired by custom creations.
• Learn about our ethical jewellery journey: Discover how we source materials and run our workshop to create jewellery that's kinder to the planet.
• Book a custom jewellery consult: We'll chat online or in person to bring your vision to life together.
• Follow along on Instagram: See real love stories turned into bespoke jewellery.

Your story is unlike any other and your ring should be too.