Engagement Rings & Weddings
Real Women Share Their Engagement Ring Redesign Stories
By Jill Newman, Published: October 8, 2025
Because who says you must stay married to the same ring forever?
Selim Mouzannar Mina Round Diamond Rings, Price Upon Request, selimmouzannar.com
It’s hard to commit to a favorite handbag for an entire season, let alone a diamond ring you want to wear every day for the rest of your life. That’s why everyone seems to be talking about the engagement ring redesign. Let’s face it: the ring of your dreams in your twenties or thirties rarely matches your style a decade or two later. Just as your romance evolves, so should your taste in rings. What is lasting, however, is the diamond.
Every natural diamond is imbued with a rich history, deep sentiment, and a sense of individuality that feels uniquely yours. That’s why many women are reimagining their diamonds in new designs but always keeping the same beloved stone.
Truth be told, I’ve changed my diamond ring twice already, and there’s a third redesign swirling in my head. When I redesigned my engagement ring a decade ago, I transformed a classic prong-set solitaire into a bold cocktail ring surrounded by bright blue Paraiba tourmalines. It felt absolutely liberating. I turned my cherished diamond (which belonged to my husband’s grandmother) into a fun statement ring, a reflection of my personal evolution.
Today, the possibilities are limitless. While traditional solitaires will always work for some, many of us crave something more personal, a design that expresses our sense of style and breaks free from convention. Social media has opened our eyes to inspiring new options, connecting us with designers who can bring our dream rings to life.
Alexis Wolfe‘s Engagement Ring Redesign Courtesy of Selim Mouzannar
When Alexis Wolfe got engaged 20 years ago, she wanted a vintage-style diamond ring set in white gold—something pretty and classic. “I loved the ring at the time, but over the past 20 years, my style changed,” she says. “I rarely wore my ring except when I was dressed up because it felt too fancy for everyday wear.”
As the fashion market and accessories director at ELLE, she’s exposed to the latest jewelry designs. “After seeing so many creative jewelry designs, my perspective changed,” she says. When she discovered Selim Mouzannar’s work, she fell in love with the Lebanese-French designer’s richly colored enamel pieces and knew exactly what she wanted. She asked Mouzannar to reset the 2.5-carat stone in black enamel with rose gold and diamond details.
I loved the ring at the time, but over the past 20 years, my style changed.
“I wanted something really unique, something I could wear all the time,” says Wolfe. “Selim is such a visionary designer, and I knew he would be sensitive to the ring’s sentimental value.” What’s more, she adds, “I get compliments on the ring all the time, and when I look at my hand, it’s still the same original diamond.”
Heidi Farrugia’s Engagement Ring Redesign by Uniform Object
Hardly a day goes by that Heidi Farrugia isn’t stopped by someone admiring her diamond ring. “Everyone says it is so cool,” says Farrugia, who lives in Naples, Florida. She proudly tells admirers it was made by her son, David Farrugia, the creative behind Uniform Object in New York.
Heidi’s diamond ring story began when she was married 33 years ago with a 1-carat diamond, which was later upgraded to a 3-carat diamond. Twenty years ago, she elevated her stone to a 9-carat, elongated, radiant-cut diamond in a classic platinum setting, featuring two shield-cut diamonds on either side. Once in her fifties, she was ready for a bolder, more contemporary style.
“Why wear the same setting for the rest of our lives when we can switch it up?” she says.
Why wear the same setting for the rest of our lives when we can switch it up?
David Farrugia, known for his bold, edgy gold and diamond pieces, knew just what his mother would like. He set the stone in his signature Major Impact style, which cradles the diamond in a weighty yellow gold setting without prongs. “It has rock star energy but still has artistic femininity,” says David. “There’s a tension between the boldness and fluidity of this style.” He used the two shield-cut diamonds from the original ring to make gold huggie earrings.
He says he receives more requests than ever for redesigns, but only accepts projects when the stone is of high quality and the design aligns with his aesthetic.
Heidi’s redesigned ring already inspired three friends, who recently brought their rings to David for a makeover.
Emily Talamo’s Engagement Ring Redesign Thanks to Brent Neale
Emily Talamo thought about redesigning her engagement ring for years, but hesitated. “It was a pretty ring, but I didn’t wear it because it was prong-set in platinum and looked a little formal and fussy,” she says. Talamo was married in 2009 with a 2.5-carat emerald-cut diamond flanked by two trapezoid-cut side stones. As is often the case, her style has changed since she was married at age 26; now she wears only yellow gold. “It just didn’t feel like a good match for me anymore.”
As a longtime client of Brent Neale, she was excited to see what the designer could do with her diamond ring. “I wanted a more wearable ring, something less fragile-looking, almost sturdier,” she says. “But I still wanted it to feel like my engagement ring.”
For Neale’s part, she says she loves working with clients to reimagine their diamonds. “It’s fun to hear what a client wants, what the stone means to them, and how they will wear it.” While she’s open to designing an entirely new concept, she wants each piece to fit within her aesthetic. She is known for working almost exclusively in high-polish 18-karat gold, creating chunky bezel-set designs that are softly rounded.
Brent Neale sketched a design with the three stones bezel-set in a simple yellow gold design. “Brent’s a true artist and creative and knew she would make something beautiful,” says Talamo.
Among her friends, she says, more women are redesigning their diamond engagement rings. “As we get older, we are more confident and bolder and know what we want.”
