While engagements happen all year round, the New Year tends to be the most popular time to pop that question! Today we are thrilled to welcome Penny Preville {and her gorgeous rings!} to the Merci New York blog! She’s answered our questions on ring style, sets, and trends…so take a peek at these beautifully designed bling and get inspired to hint to your man about your likes and dislikes! We’re excited to see what your favorites are!
These rings are gorgeous! What made you interested in engagement rings?
Penny: When my eldest son Skyler became serious about getting engaged, it was really important for me to be the one who designed it! I poured my heart and soul into designing the perfect ring to represent the two of them, Skyler and Mara, as a couple. Now, the “ Mara Ring ” {below} is one of our bestsellers! This inspired me to continue to personally design rings for family members, close friends and to be inspired by love stories from the past. Today, each has become a part of my bridal line, named for the woman who inspired it. This way, anyone who chooses Penny Preville for such an important life milestone as their engagement, is instantly part of our family.
That’s so unique! While each girl has her own style, how you would describe your overall engagement ring style?
Penny: I would say my rings reflect my personal style: feminine, romantic, with a vintage-inspired feel. Brides tell me they want a ring that’s as unique and as special as she is, which is why I pay such close attention to detail through the use of engraving and detailed milgrain and filigree. This way, each ring is unique for its intricacies, but still comfortable and wearable everyday.
How does a girl figure out her true engagement ring style? Is it better to stay on trend or stick to the classics?
Penny:Well, if you’re anything like me, you’ve been ripping pages out of magazines of your dream ring for years! Now that you think you know what you want, it’s important to try them on to see what looks great on you. You’ll be surprised, what you think you love on a page might be very different when you try it on. My recommendation would be to avoid trends. Find something truly unique, but still classic. Think long-term. You are going to married for a long time and you want your ring to withstand the test of time.
What about the guys, is there an etiquette they should follow when shopping with their bride to be? Is it better to bring your girlfriend along to find her dream ring or be traditional and get the advice of her family and friends and surprise her?
Penny: The best advice is don’t surprise her! Take her shopping to learn what she likes and then you can go back armed with all your newfound knowledge and design the perfect ring. If you really want to try to keep it a secret, definitely ask her mom, sister and friends since they’ve probably talked about it. Also, listen to her, she’s probably hinting to you what she wants. I read a statistic that something like 85% of women hint what they want! So guys…listen up and pay attention! You can visit www.pennypreville.com to visit our great ring gallery and get inspired.
There are so many different style rings out there…what engagement ring trends are your favorite? Different cuts? Colored stones? Vintage inspired sets?
Penny: While I love classic diamond engagement rings, we’ve seen a trend of celebrities choosing colored stones for their rings. So, we’ve had fun designing some beautiful engagement rings using sapphires and other gemstones. It’s a great look! But, I think my favorite style is a vintage-inspired ring. It’s delicate, romantic and feels right for a lifelong journey together as husband and wife. I’m a romantic, what can I say!
So we know your style and different cuts, but if you could create your own…what is your dream ring?!
Penny: My dream ring would absolutely HAVE to include my favorite color blue and my favorite, cushion cut! If blue diamonds weren’t so rare, that would be my dream. But, a beautiful rich sapphire would work too! It would be mounted in a simple setting with a thin diamond pave halo around it to enhance its sparkle. I also love when a ring has a beautiful detail on the sides and shanks.
Since we are currently going through engagement season, what is your best advice for those couples who are shopping for their ring?
Penny: Take the stress and guessing out of this process, and shop together! Make a day of it, treat her to a nice lunch before visiting stores to try a variety of options to see what she’s drawn to and what shapes flatter her. Listen to her hints, she’ll let you know what she wants! And my favorite tip here is to take note of her ring size so it’s a perfect fit when you do buy it. If you need help locating a retailer in your area, you can visit http://www.pennypreville.com/find-a-store for a list of great stores.
We’ve seen some amazing rings this year, what trends for rings do you foresee for 2013?
Penny:
-Deco-inspired engagement rings
-Emerald cut rings
-Colored stone engagement rings (sapphires, emeralds)
- Penny Preville will be debuting a new line of bridal rings in Spring/Summer 2013.
