How to Choose the Perfect Ring Style (Updated 2025)

LISA

When it comes to selecting an engagement ring, commitment ring, or wedding rings, keep in mind that you are choosing rings meant to last a lifetime. So, a question we hear from both individuals and couples is this: How do I know the ring I choose now is one that I will WANT to wear for the rest of my life? With unlimited options available, deciding on a ring design for your engagement ring or wedding bands can be daunting indeed. Luckily, there is a tried and tested process to guide you down the path of choosing -- or creating -- the perfect ring for the most meaningful time in your life.

Step 1: Choose a Ring Genre

The first step in selecting an engagement ring you’ll love is choosing a design category or "ring genre", as this sets the overall mood and visual identity of your ring. Beyond Vintage and Modern, some popular ring genres include:

• Nature-Inspired – Organic, flowing designs with floral or leaf-like motifs.
• Art Deco – Bold, symmetrical patterns inspired by the 1920s.
• Rustic – Features organic textures, rough-hewn finishes, and natural elements like wood or bark patterns.
• Animal (Birds, Butterflies, etc.) – Rings designed with nature and wildlife motifs, often symbolic or sentimental.
• Fantasy & Alternative – Unique and symbolic, often with celestial or mystical themes.

The “ring genre” is much broader than a “ring style”. An experienced jeweler understands the difference. Ring style refers to specific design elements, like setting type, stone shape, metal choice, finishing techniques. For instance, “halo” is a ring style and halo engagement rings can be seen across categories, from Halo Vintage to Flower-inspired Halo designs. Another style example is “solitaire engagement ring”, which can be found throughout history and spans jewelry design categories from Rustic to Contemporary.

Narrowing your preferred ring genre starts with a simple task: Think about what you really like to look at! If you are exploring online, what designs grab your attention over and over. If you find yourself wavering between two categories (Floral and with a Vintage feel), this is very useful for a jewelry designer. And, remember to weed out designs that you consistently ignore or find unattractive. Both likes and dislikes can help a qualified custom ring designer narrow down the design elements that you’ll love to look at over and over again.

Step 2: Explore Your Personal Aesthetic

The next step is to get in touch with your “personal aesthetic”. Everyone has an aesthetic--even those of us who don’t give style or fashion much thought. When you choose furniture or paint colors for your home, you are following your personal aesthetic. The most frequent aesthetic choice we make is what to wear--are there colors or styles you look (and feel) great wearing? How you dress, the artwork on your walls, the car you drive, are great indicators of your aesthetic.

Bringing Aesthetic to Life: Real Client Stories

One client, “Chris,” was absolutely certain that a Modern design would be the perfect engagement ring surprise but had trouble deciding on a specific ring. After learning that Chris’s partner drove a brand new, top line, highly engineered car, often wore black, and had a tiny tribal tattoo, Krikawa’s design consultant connected the dots and helped Chris see that everything pointed toward a sculpted ring, with a Princess Cut diamond center stone secured by minimalist prongs. After being presented with rings matching this aesthetic, Chris quickly settled on the final ring design.
 

Another client, “Sam”, was unsure of which ring to choose or where to begin. Sam didn’t wear much jewelry--a necklace received from a grandparent and sometimes a wristwatch--and didn’t want a ring that would attract attention or be too flashy. A self-described “bohemian”, Sam liked loose, comfortable, and casual clothes, nothing stuffy, but Sam also liked the historical aesthetic represented by vintage rings. After showing several different rings during a Zoom appointment, and listening to feedback, Krikawa’s design consultant presented an online design board of ring styles for Sam to preview. 

With Sam’s “flow with” lifestyle and reverie for vintage rings, our design consultant combined both elements to create the Raw Claw Engagement Ring--and Sam was delighted with the result!

Step 3: Factor in Your Lifestyle

The final step in selecting an engagement ring is your lifestyle. You will be wearing this ring a lot and it should fit with your daily activities. If you lead an active lifestyle, spend lots of time in the great outdoors, climb mountains, bike ride, or feel your ring may get banged around, consider a ring that is bezel-set or a center stone with a low profile, like one of our Mountain Engagement Rings. On the other hand, if you are a professional trader with a hedge fund, you may want a showstopper of a diamond ring.

Expanding the Vision: Choosing Your Wedding Band

While this article has focused primarily on engagement rings, the same thoughtful process applies to selecting your wedding band. In fact, your wedding band often becomes your most-worn piece—long after the engagement ring is occasionally set aside—so it’s worth giving it just as much attention.

Just like engagement rings, wedding bands fall into what we call ring genres—thematic categories that reflect the mood, inspiration, or symbolic identity of the ring. We use “genre” to describe the feel or story of a design, not its specific construction. For example, “channel set” describes a technical feature, not a design genre. A channel-set band could fall within a variety of genres depending on its overall style—modern, vintage, symbolic, or even fantasy-inspired.

When it comes to wedding bands, here are some of the most sought-after genres that speak to deeper meaning, aesthetic identity, and personal storytelling:

• Symbolic (Infinity) – Infinity symbol wedding rings express eternal love through interconnected lines and flowing motifs, often designed as matched or complementary pairs.
• Twist & Celtic Knot – These bands incorporate interlacing forms that symbolize unity, balance, and unbroken connection. Variations can range from delicate and sculptural to bold and deeply textural.
• Topographic or Landscape – A custom landscape wedding band might trace the silhouette of mountain peaks, canyons, or trails—commemorating places that shaped your love or life journey.
• Minimalist Modern – Clean lines, understated surfaces, and quiet elegance define this genre. Often stone-free, these rings prioritize proportion and restraint.
• Mythic or Fantasy-Inspired – From dragon-inspired wedding rings and phoenixes to sacred geometry and celestial themes, these bands evoke stories that go beyond aesthetics.
• Organic Textural – Featuring bark-like tree wedding ring patterns, weathered finishes, or rings with hand-hammered surfaces, these bands connect to the natural world in a tactile, grounded way.
   

Designing as a Couple

Next, consider your shared aesthetic as a couple. While everyone has an individual sense of style, many couples find joy in reflecting that connection through their rings—whether through a unifying theme, shared metal, or complementary design motifs.

Some couples want their rings to match exactly. Others prefer to interpret the same design language in different ways—for example, one partner might wear a narrow version of a design, while the other opts for a wider, more architectural take. And just as often, partners choose entirely different styles that reflect their individual tastes while still feeling unified through craftsmanship or materials.

In many cases, the person wearing the engagement ring selects a slimmer or more delicate band, while the other partner chooses a more robust style with the same metal or design motif.

There is no wrong approach. Whether you want to match, coordinate loosely, or simply honor your own preferences, your rings should feel right for you.
 

Function Matters, Too

Wedding bands often endure more wear than engagement rings. Because they lack a “top” and are typically worn continuously, they tend to rotate and receive more contact with surfaces throughout the day. Many people even fidget with their wedding bands, spinning them unconsciously during conversations or meetings.

We also know from experience that wedding bands are less likely to be removed during activities—whether that’s gardening, rock climbing, or just scrubbing a pan. So, your lifestyle should be factored into your design decisions.

If you lead an active life or work with your hands, consider a wider band without stones or delicate details—something durable, low-maintenance, and able to take a few knocks. If you spend your day behind a computer and only occasionally brave a sponge, a dainty or stone-set band may suit you perfectly.

Ultimately, your wedding band should feel as personal and enduring as your love story. It may stand alone as a daily piece or complete a carefully composed set. Either way, its design should reflect your taste, your life, and your commitment—just like the partner it honors.
 

Bringing it All Together

Although at first glance, selecting rings from thousands of options may seem intimidating, following this three-step process will give you confidence as you make your decisions. Fortunately, when you choose Krikawa’s master jeweler team to create your engagement, wedding or commitment rings, you will work with a design consultant whose goal is to help you navigate the decision tree of ring design, aesthetics and style, to ultimately create a custom ring you will love for a lifetime.