These affordable engagement rings are both cool and classic

Finding affordable engagement rings under £1,000 doesn’t have to mean a compromise on style. A host of jewellery designers are playing with traditional forms to create pieces that intertwine romantic references with contemporary design accents, making for engagement rings that are both chic and accessible.

Covetable and affordable engagement rings

Vrai

Perfect proportions rule in the Knife Edge Bezel ring from Vrai, who nod to classic engagement ring forms while keeping it understated. The diamond, on a circle of 1mm gold wire, makes a chic and symbolic choice.

£294; vrai.com (opens in new tab)

Niza Huang

Minimal silhouettes meet gorgeously-drawn textures in Niza Huang's engagement rings. We love the organic form of this blue diamond slice ring in 18k yellow gold, which subverts classic shapes for a welcome dose of contemporary cool.

£780; nizahuang.com

Kinn

Kinn riff off classic eternity ring aesthetics in the Ines ring, which dots pleats of ribbed gold with a subtle smattering of diamonds. Pair with their simply drawn wedding bands for an understated and chic take on tradition.

$1,080; kinnstudio.com (opens in new tab)

Grace Lee

Pear-shaped diamonds become playful adornments in the hands of Grace Lee, who scatters them like confetti onto a slim gold band, adding a teasingly tactile edge to a conventional engagement ring silhouette.

$738; gracelee.com

Adriana Chede

Scattered set diamonds sit in recycled 18 carat gold in the Scattered Diamond Wedding Band from Adriana Chede. With softly rounded edges creating a more offbeat silhouette, this affordable ring is perfect for those who like a twist in their tradition.

 £610;adrianachede.com

Deborah Blyth

We love the tactility of Deborah Blyth's designs, where gold-plated sterling silver appears as if it has been hastily smoothed around golden loops. In the Artemis Tsavorite ring, the textured gold becomes a warm foil for a simple green tsavorite, making an understated and elegant choice.

 £250; deborahblyth.com

Genevieve Schwartz

Former Astley Clarke designer Genevieve Schwartz celebrates the naturally beautiful graident of hues in bicolour tourmalines with her Watermelon Sugar Ring. Available in a range of sizes and styles, we love the neat proportions of this one which makes for an affordable and offbeat engagement ring choice.

£995; genevieveschwartz.com

Ruth Tomlinson

Ruth Tomlinson brings a romanticism to engagement ring design thanks to her focus on textured recycled gold and unique, characterful gemstones. The Diamond Encrusted Wrap band curves delicate strands of gold around the finger, sprinkling them with droplets of yellow gold and delicate white diamonds.

£920; ruthtomlinson.com

Alighieri

Alighieri weaves a romanticism into designs inspired by the lyrical musings of Dante. Its bespoke range of alternative engagement rings coils textured gold around different stones, such as in this ‘Meteor Shower Ring’, which embodies gloriously off-centre design codes. For something similar, get in touch to commission your own piece.

£950, alighieri.com

Jessie Thomas

London-based goldsmith Jessie Thomas focuses on simple silhouettes in her jewellery created from recycled gold. The ‘Three Diamond Ring’ shifts the focus from symmetry, floating three differently sized diamonds in loops of yellow gold.

£950, jessiethomasjewellery.com

Lark & Berry

Lark & Berry’s inclusion of manmade diamonds in its pieces brings an accessibility to designs that may have been formerly out of reach. The ‘Veto Sapphire Slim Ring’ juxtaposes cultured white sapphires against lab-grown diamonds for an arresting take on a classic design.

£595, larkandberry.com (opens in new tab)

Completedworks

Hypnotising loops of white gold sprinkled with a dusting of white topaz gemstones make for something decidedly different among affordable engagement rings, in this piece from Completedworks. A recycled sterling silver base, coated with gold vermeil, keeps costs down without compromising on style.

£255, completedworks.com

Delfina Delettrez

Delfina Delettrez plays with punkish design in the ‘Two In One Pearl Ring’, linking two classic white diamonds on a bar studded with pearls. This piece, handcrafted in Italy, stays faithful to Delettrez’s distinctive, effortlessly chic designs.

€980, delfinadelettrez.com

Otiumberg

We love Otiumberg for its focus on wearable and accessible designs, a philosophy carried over to a delicate collection of rings. The ‘Diamond Wave Ring’, in 9ct solid gold, lets an elegant twist of nine white diamonds take centre stage, making for an understated and affordable engagement ring.

£260, otiumberg.com (opens in new tab)

Sansoeurs

The ‘Wife Rose Gold Ring’ from Sansoeurs sets a rectangular pattern of diamonds onto a super-thin band for a modern and minimalist engagement ring, which will look chic when paired with a slender wedding band.

£990, sansoeurs.com

Shihara

Shihara’s pieces encompass a pure simplicity, drawing clean curved and angular shapes in gold, which loop around the body in unexpected ways. The ‘Petite Ring’ encapsulates this aesthetic, sticking to traditional design codes for a perfectly formed, affordable engagement ring.

$715, shihara.com