At Doyle & Doyle, we are constantly inspired by the world around us. Especially our brides. As such, we curated a special collection of engagement rings and elegant jewels specifically for the women of the Style Me Pretty community who inspire us daily with their incredible wedding style savvy. The pieces featured in our collection represent our range of gorgeous looks from a variety of eras at different price points, so we’ve decided to feature two Engagement Rings of the Week handpicked from our mini boutique.

First, feast your eyes on our staggeringly gorgeous Art Deco Diamond & Sapphire Engagement Ring, which centers an Old Mine Brilliant cut diamond flanked by calibre cut sapphires and set with twenty-four single cut diamonds weighing app. 0.28ctw., fashioned in platinum. Pave diamonds and calibre cut stones were common to Art Deco pieces, which were characterized by strong geometrical patterns, with styles embracing the modern age with streamlined design, symmetry and decoration. Rich colors were introduced in Art Deco designs through the use of rubies and sapphires, along with bold emerald, onyx and coral. Today, glamorous diamond bracelets, rings and chandelier earrings are among the most popular incarnations of this style. Our engagement ring of the week is one of many Art Deco style pieces in our collection, which start as low as $500.

Our Heirloom by Doyle & Doyle Bezel Scroll Rings – in white and yellow gold – offer a counterpoint to the decadent splendor of our Art Deco featured engagement ring. They are a modern interpretation of some of our favorite antique looks – a study in simple, yet elegant, ornamentation.  The rings’ silhouettes draw heavily from designs of the mid 17th century, but have been reimagined for the modern wearer. Details such as the delicate scroll pattern, which would have originally been created in fragile enamel, have been updated for modern wear. Subtle changes to the shank to add depth to the pattern, as well as durability and comfort, allow the carved pattern to subtly peak out over the edge and provide the wearer a beautifully ornamented piece which can be enjoyed when viewed from any angle. Similarly, an eight sided star shaped a jour beneath the diamond ensures no angle of the ring is left overlooked.  The ring’s bezel has proportions closer to rings gracing the fingers of ladies at the Elizabethan court, and in contrast to many modern styles has been given a thicker wall, adding protection for the stone and accentuating the size of its jewel.

The feature rings from our SMP curated collection represent two ends of the incredible spectrum of our collection, and we’re sure brides-to-be will find a whole world of rings to set their imaginations wild.

Tags: Art Deco, engagement ring, Rings, vintage engagement ring.

As friends and customers of Doyle & Doyle know, family and sisterhood are a vital part of our family-owned, sister-run business. And while we love all of our brides & grooms-to-be equally, the most recent couple to be featured in “Doyle & Doyle Brides” holds a special place in this blogger’s heart, as she just so happens to be MY sister! The fact that Kathryn & Ben’s wedding was also particularly unique, painstakingly wrought (though appeared effortless to the casual observer’s eye), and a family affair in and of itself, made it a no brainer as a feature choice.

Get the scoop on Kathryn’s gorgeous engagement ring, her fiancé Ben’s adorably hapless proposal, advice on dealing with seemingly insurmountable day-of challenges (hint – denial!), and tips for future brides on what to, and not to, sweat when planning your big day.

Can you describe your ring from Doyle & Doyle?

Beautiful! It is a pearl (with a very pinky sheen) surrounded by diamonds in a sort of floral cluster. The gold has a rose tone to it and the diamonds are set in platinum, which makes them look even more sparkly. I have never really been a diamond girl, so this was the perfect engagement ring for me. Everyone who has seen it describes it as “so me” but doesn’t everyone say that about everyone’s ring? The very geeky part of me loves that it’s pearl since Anne of Green Gable’s engagement ring was a pearl (Spoiler: she marries Gilbert).

Can you tell us a little about the proposal?

He totally screwed it up! It was very sweet and he was so nervous, but he forgot to ask once the ring was out. In all fairness, it was Very. Clear. that this was a proposal (flowers, candles, wine, he cooked AND the kitchen was clean). But by the time the ring was out he was just like “…well?”

Since your wedding has already taken place, will you tell us about the planning & ceremony? 

I truly don’t know how anyone lives without sisters (ed. note – tear). Planning my wedding was a completely DIY from halfway across the country. We were determined to have a small, (relatively) inexpensive, very designed wedding. My youngest sister, who is an event and decor guru, as well as photographer (ed. note – the OTHER sister, the talented one) was conscripted into slave labor and created a beautiful event. From the hand cut confetti in our invitations, to the paper flower arch that we drove across country (over night, in a van, with both sisters and their men, everyone’s wedding attire plus all our bags for the honeymoon), to the absolutely beautiful wedding album, it was a labor of love. I provided cheerful if unskilled physical labor as Amanda created my vision.

Did anything unexpected, funny or surprising happen leading up to or during your wedding? 

On our wedding day, it rained. And rained. And rained. Did I mention it was an outdoor wedding, in the back garden of a restaurant with no tent planned? I spent all day telling people not to talk to me about it. The official party line was no one is allowed to worry about the rain until after 2pm, since we had a 6pm wedding scheduled. But it POURED all morning. My mom got thrown out of the room a few times because she couldn’t stop worrying about it. Then at 2pm the skies miraculously cleared and the humidity dropped and by the time we left the hotel, the ground was dry and the skies were blue.

Also hilarious is something I don’t remember happening, nor does my husband. During the ceremony there was a car alarm going off, apparently for a while. Afterwards, my sisters both said they were trying not to laugh during the ceremony because the car alarm kept going off and Ben and I both said “What are you talking about?” Neither of us had heard it at all (ed. note – it literally went off through the ENTIRE ceremony, even during my most excellent reading of Frank O’hara’s “Having a coke with you”. I was sure Kathryn would feel it ruined the event!).

Do you have any favorite memories from the day?

The whole day was so great. We sort of envisioned a party where we happened to get married, and that’s what we got. Good food, good music, and a small crowd so we had time to talk and enjoy all our guests. Our venue was fabulous so the food was always fresh, my champagne hand was never empty, and all my guests gushed over how great the food and bartender were. I don’t think anyone really realized that it was a totally vegetarian, mostly vegan, wedding. Even a year later people are still telling me how good the food was. We had cameras out for everyone to use and take pictures so it was really fun to develop the film later and see all the parts we missed. I really wouldn’t change anything about our wedding. Maybe I would have eaten more…

What advice would you give future Doyle & Doyle brides? 

Enjoy it and don’t sweat the small stuff because NO ONE EVEN NOTICES. All my loving personal hand crafted details transported in the dark of night across the country to my fabulous venue (Hand painted pillows! Tasseled garland! Stunning bouquet!)? No one commented at all. They only noticed the food and music. To be fair, everyone who sees the pictures comments on the lovely decor, but at the wedding all i heard about was coconut cakes and the (truly amazing) green pea flatbread.

Are you a Doyle & Doyle Bride who would like to share memories from your engagement or wedding on our blog? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at: info@doyledoyle.com

All photos courtesy of Amanda Leigh of blog Dangerous Enough.

Tags: engagement ring, Rings, wedding jewelry.

In the past decade DIY has evolved far beyond tissue paper, popsicle sticks and Elmers glue. While we largely have Martha Stewart to thank, it’s really the legions of self-proclaimed “craft bloggers” that have taken up her mantle and turned their creativity towards beautifying weddings who have pushed the field forward. These talented makers create incredibly imaginative projects that your wedding guests would be hard pressed to identify as a handmade creation as opposed to an expensive investment.

And what’s so wonderful about DIY is that it suits any bride’s style, as well as pocketbook. Boho, glam, classic, modern, over-the-top or barefoot on the beach – your ability to personalize and create a look that is uniquely suited to you and your partner is only limited by the amount of time you care to invest.

This week’s Engagement Ring of the Week has a lovely “flower head” which lends itself nicely to a DIY wedding style heavily influenced by antique botanicals and lush colors found in nature. Set in gold, the “flower head” features an Old Mine cut center diamond in a surround of six Rose cut diamonds. The organic feel of this unique setting inspired a wedding style which would be quite at home in an Emily Dickinson poem.

Deep tones of violet, amethyst and lilac are stunning in both big and small doses. And whether a peep of purple at the toe or a dramatic flourish on your gown is the right amount for your personal taste – a hand tied bouquet of gathered wildflowers is sure to be a “just right” complement.

Hanging from trees, rafters or even an outdoor tent these thistle-like pendant lamps glowing overhead will infuse festivities with a Midsummer Night’s Dream-like magic.

Delight your guest’s senses with an edible favor they will be buzzing to bring home and support small business at the same time by bottling local honey in personalized vials.

While we’ve been intrigued by collections of vintage stamps ever since we saw Charade, we love the idea of actually putting them into circulation with your invitation on hand made envelopes using vintage botanical prints.

Whether you are crafting challenged or a glue-gun-goddess, we’d love to hear about any personalized elements included in the planning for your own special day in the comments.

Tags: engagement ring, Rings, victorian, vintage engagement ring.

Tags: bands, Rings, vintage jewelry, wedding band, wedding jewelry.

This weekend on 60 Minutes they presented an amazing, digitally restored version of an 11 minute film called “A Trip Down Market Street”.  It is a documentary of turn-of-the-century city life (apparently the automobile traffic was staged to give the city a more prosperous appearance), with the camera strapped to the front of a cable car as it travels down Market Street in 1906 San Francisco.  There are no actors, no edits and no special effects–all you see is what anyone would have seen riding the street car back then:  the bustle of traffic, the local businesses and people simply making their way across the street much as you see today!

That this film was made days before the 1906 earthquake makes it even more poignant; there are images in this film that four days later were never seen again.  What a rare and special thrill this little film is for the historian and time traveler in all of us.

Yes the hems of those amazing dresses were dragging across that street–but I did catch a glimpse of a street sweeper!  So what beautiful gems would those ladies be wearing to complement those intricate dresses, with their cloaks and their hats and their corsets and bustles?  The overlapping Art Nouveau and early Edwardian periods broke away from the staunch mourning jewelry of the late Victorian era, and gave us still-wearable wonders such as these:

We hope you enjoy this snippet of real life 100 years ago as much as we did!  To view the entire 60 Minutes story and learn more about this film follow this link

Tags: amethyst, Art Nouveau, Bracelet, Earrings, Edwardian, Market Street, Necklace, old european, Rings, Topaz, victorian, Vintage Film.

I happened upon this incredible ring, attributed a German wedding ring from 1600-1650, on the Victoria & Albert Museum’s online archives. Two hands grasp an enameled diamond-set heart when the ring is worn, but when the ring is free from the finger, you can see it is actually comprised of three separate rings that rotate open to reveal secret engraving. On the insides of the shank, a portion of the marriage vows reads in German: “My beginning and my end” and “What God has joined together let no man put asunder”. Beyond the ring’s aesthetic value, this masterpiece is a historically-loaded combination of three styles of old rings: posy, gimmel, and fede rings.

A simple gold band with a small poem or verse engraved on the inside and/or outside is called a posy ring. Originally, in the Middle Ages, these rings were called resons; after 1430, they were referred to as posies– ‘poesy’ meaning ‘poetry’. Posy rings are believed to have been exchanged as love tokens more often than betrothel or wedding rings. The engravings were usually in French during the 13^th and 14^th Centuries, which was internationally regarded as “the language of love”. From the 15^th Century on, English script was more common. The style of the lettering is also indicative of age: the first posies were written in Lombardic script (rounded manuscript-style) with a change to Blackletter (gothic script) in the 15^th century.

English posy ring, 1295-1304, engraving in Lombardic script*

English posy ring, 1500-1600, "I AM YOURS KS"*

English posy ring, 1500-1530, Blackletter engraving*

A gimmel ring consists of two or three interlinked bands that are worn like one ring. The word “gimmel” comes from gemmellus, Latin for “the twins”. Historically, it is said that two interlocked bands represented man and woman; if there were three bands in the ring, they symbolized man, woman, and God or witness. Gimmel rings were created as far back as the 13^th Century and were exchanged as symbols of friendship, love, or marriage. In their simplest form, two plain metal bands are linked. In the 15^th century, gimmel rings became more popular and more elaborate, often incorporating sculptural components.

Gimmel ring, late 16th Century, Latin inscription reads "remember the past and that there is a future"**

A fede ring depicts a right hand-shake. Ancient Roman versions were called dextrarum iunctio (“giving, joining of right hands”) and represented the political agreement between families that takes place when a man and woman were betrothed. The hands-clasped motif reappeared in the Middle Ages– as early as the 12^th Century– and was reinterpreted into the Victorian age. The hands are sometimes sculpted into one band, with the handshake either featured on top of the finger or worn on the underside of a gemstone ring. The motif was alternatively incorporated by attaching different components atop separate bands of a gimmel ring that form a handshake when put together. In the 19^th Century, these rings were referred to as fede rings– the name comes from the Italian phrase manos in fede which means “hands-clasped in faith”.

Fede ring, 16th Century**

Irish fede ring, 19th Century, hands-clasped detail on underside of ring**

The awesome artistry in the German Renaissance ring inspired us to create our own reinvented posy-gimmel-fede ring. On the finger, it appears a modest gold ring modeled into a hand resting atop the finger. When you take the ring off and separate the bands, a female hand holding a garnet heart is revealed. The flat interiors of each band are intended for an engraved phrase, viewable only by the wearer.

Heirloom by Doyle & Doyle Garnet Heart Fede Gimmel Ring 18k, 093274R  $1400

*Victoria & Albert Museum online database: www.vam.ac.uk

**Rings: Symbols of Wealth, Power and Affection, Diana Scarisbrick, Abrams 1993.

Tags: garnet, Heirloom, modern jewelry, revival, Ring, Rings, victorian.

Since February is the month of love (Valentine’s Day!), we’re visiting how love was historically expressed through jewelry in the form of pieces from the Doyle & Doyle collection.

Here are a few pieces of antique and new jewelry that represent love’s many symbols:

Hearts, love’s most ubiquitous symbol, were popularized during the Victorian era. Check out our Victorian Malachite Heart Pin, $1200, Diamond Heart Locket, $150 and Diamond Heart and Bow Bracelet, $1800.

Malachite Heart Pin, $1200

Diamond Heart Locket, $150

Diamond Bow and Heart Bracelet, $1800

Lovebirds are a fitting image of love because they mate for life. Our Moonstone Lovebird Necklace, $295, from our Heirloom by Doyle & Doyle line is a sweet reminder of that.

Moonstone Lovebird Necklace, $295

Snakes may not seem like a symbol of love, but when a snake is biting its tail in a piece of jewelry, this symbolizes everlasting love. And who can forget the story that Queen Victoria’s wedding ring from Prince Albert was a snake biting its own tail. The story may not be true, but that doesn’t mean our Diamond Snake Ring, $950, isn’t a great gift for a loved one.

Diamond Snake Ring, $950

Bows in jewelry are symbols of fidelity and remembrance. These Grosgrain Bow Earrings, wg, $425, and this Grosgrain Bow Necklace, yg, $595 will stay on your mind long after they are given.

Grosgrain Bow Earrings, $425

Grosgrain Bow Necklace, $595

Flowers, given in real or jeweled form, are always a nice gesture. Especially when given in the form of this Orchid Link Bracelet, $275.

Orchid Link Bracelet, $275

Tags: Earrings, Necklaces, Rings, Snakes.

The holidays are here and besides offering many opportunities for together-ness and festive fun, it’s also the time when we are in full on gift mode.

With all the people to buy for it’s no wonder festive-ness can quickly turn to ‘what am I going to get them this year!’ panic.

Let me make it easy for you – for the next week, I’ll be posting some great antique and vintage jewelry gifts that I’ve hand-picked from the Doyle & Doyle collection. You’ll be able to find something for the people on your list – mom, dad, sister, your man, your woman, best friend – and in a range of prices – Under $500, Under $1000 and Must Haves.

Let the giving begin! But first, a few things I wouldn’t mind getting this holiday season:

Under $500

I love all of the figural stud earrings from the Heirloom by Doyle & Doyle line. Our Fleur de Lis Stud Earrings in yellow gold are already my everyday earring staple, so I think it’s time to switch it up.

I really like mixing metals, and the Swallow Stud Earrings in white gold are a customer favorite, as well as a personal favorite:

Swallow Stud Earrings, wg, $125

Under $1000

Although I’m a small girl, I love chunky jewelry, I also love black jewelry – it’s both gothic and romantic and I like the idea that you don’t just wear black clothing, but can incorporate it into your jewelry options, too.

This Black Enamel & Hematite Shield Locket incorporates all of those favorite things:

Black Enamel and Hematite Shield Locket, $985

Must Have

Sometimes, something comes your way that you just have to have, like a really good sandwich, a cup of coffee in the morning and, in this case, a really beautiful piece of jewelry. I’ve been drooling over this Sapphire Cabochon and Diamond Gypsy Set Ring since it found it’s way into Doyle & Doyle. It’s antique Victorian, and also my birthstone. It’s bold without being too large and the thick band makes it a bit more masculine feeling, which I especially like. Maybe it’s time to finally take the plunge?

Sapphire Cabochon and Diamond Gypsy Set Ring, $2950

Tags: black jewelry, lockets, Rings.

November sets off the season of family gatherings, and life gets a bit more hectic.

Our friend and familial obligations bring us together -  in pairs, in trios and in large groups.

You should do the same with your jewelry.

A great pair of earrings that go perfectly with a statement ring makes getting dressed for events and gatherings much easier; having more than one piece that you are completely in love with doesn’t hurt either.

And, like in life, your jewelry suite doesn’t have to be matchy matchy to work. Sometimes the most unlikely pairings are also the best.

Below, some of my favorite combinations of current Doyle & Doyle antique and vintage jewels, and some things to think about when picking out your duo:

Tip #1 – Take the High (End) Road.

I picked this pairing because what goes better with diamonds then, well, other diamonds? The Opal and Diamond Ring may be fashioned in yellow gold, and the Deco Diamond Drop Earrings in platinum, but their glamour is their commonality.

Opal and Diamond Ring

Deco Diamond Drop Earrings

Tip #2 – Be Prepared for the Unexpected.

Like seeing a so-so dress on a rack that looks amazing on, you never know when two pieces will just go together and look great, despite evidence to the contrary.

Take the Georgian Foil Back Garnet Pendant that I’ve paired with these Diamond Cluster Drop Earrings – their physical shape is similar (round and oval), and they are both yellow gold, but the visual similarities stop there.

But there’s no denying it – something about them together just WORKS.

Georgian Foil Back Garnet Pendant

Diamond Cluster Drop Earrings

Tip #3 – It’s in the Details…

Rather than finding matching colors for your two pieces, why not concentrate on their smaller, style details?

This Victorian Turquoise Bangle has a rope pattern that surrounds a line of turquoise stones. As soon as I saw this beautiful bracelet, I was reminded of our Heirloom by Doyle & Doyle Diamond Knot Earrings.  Finding similarities such as this make make your jewelry pairing more subtle than bold.

Victorian Turquoise and Rose Cut Diamond Bangle

Diamond Knot Earrings - Heirloom by Doyle & Doyle

Tags: Earrings, garnet, georgian, opal, Rings, rose cut diamonds, turquoise, victorian.

Roman goddess Diana rules the hunt, the moon and nature. She was the original ‘independent woman’, a chaste huntress who once turned a man  into a stag, and then had his 50 hounds tear him apart. Ah, the wrath of a woman…

This poster by Alberto Vargas illustrates the fair goddess quite well:

This vintage locket ring – engraved with the name Diana – is just like that: a strong exterior, but with a tender edge.

'Diana' Locket Ring

The shape of the ring itself is quite masculine, but the curly script of the ‘Diana’ and the swirly embellishments are all feminine.

Now my name isn’t Diana, but that wouldn’t stop me from wearing this ring. I like pieces in their ‘original’ state – lockets with the engraving (or even photo!) of the original owner. To me, it’s the small details like that that make antique and vintage jewelry really sentimental and special.

Tags: Rings.