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We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Pick a piece that rings true to you.
All jewelry from Catbird is made in their studio in Brooklyn, NY.
Get it from Catbird for $3,630 (available in sizes 5.5–7.5).
Founder and CEO Chupi Sweetman designs award-winning heirloom jewelry you'll keep in your family for generations. The Dublin, Ireland–based company creates eco-conscious pieces using recycled gold and conflict-free diamonds.
Get it from Chupi for $16,957 (available in sizes 5–8 and gold or white gold).
This ring is made by a husband-and-wife team in Los Angeles. Chris and Mai's jewelry line, Sirciam, makes luxurious, bohemian styles for everyday wear. To see all of their pieces, be sure to check out their shop's site!
Get it from BHLDN for $2,145 (available in sizes 4–8).
This Black- and woman-owned small business includes bracelets, earrings, pendants, and rings crafted by artist Alicia Goodwin who specializes in organically formed sculptural jewelry and truly has a touch all her own. To see more of Goodwin's work, check out her Instagram @linguanigra. And FYI, the studio is in Chicago.
Promising review: "This unique and elegant ring will be a staple for me. I had a delightful experience and will certainly be back for more!" —Jonathan Singer
Get it from Lingua Nigra on Etsy for $85+ (available in sizes 6–12 and silver or gold).
I was married on December 20, on the coldest day of that year, and TBH if this ring had existed back then it would have been my first choice! I love snow so much I wish I could MARRY IT.
Get it from Enchanted Disney Fine Jewelry for $150 (available in sizes 5–9).
Oradina focuses on ethical procurement and production for all of their precious metals. Check out my BuzzFeed coworker's review of her chunky gold hoops from Oradina — she's a big fan!
Promising review: "I love it! It's a gorgeous ring. The customer service was fabulous with a size exchange." —Sophie G.
Get it from Oradina for $675 (available in sizes 7–10).
Owner Bruce Boone originally made bike parts in titanium. This caused him to make a titanium ring for himself, and then everyone else wanted one as well! The shop is located in Kennesaw, Georgia, and is full of one-of-a-kind pieces worth investing in. I know from experience...I bought one for my husband's birthday! I got the first-generation version and can't believe how often he finds ways to use it (the GIF above is him opening a package with his ring). I highly recommend getting this as a gift or for yourself!
Promising review: "Bruce is really an artist engineer. One has to personally handle his creations to understand the high-end engineering effort that goes into these functional pieces of artistic expression. This is my third titanium ring from Bruce and, I can tell you, his rings are unparalleled in their quality and workmanship, despite the difficulty of working with titanium. I have used the first generation Man Ring on my treks and found it to be very useful in cutting open thick MRE packs — I remember the look on my trek buddy's face, when I showed him the Man Ring, and all of a sudden his six-layer SAK was no longer the coolest multitool around! And this is true for all of Bruce's rings — each one of a kind; each top of its class...I'm actually having a hard time deciding my next ring from his atelier!' —Calvin Thomas
Get it from Boone Rings on Etsy for $395+ (available in sizes 3.5–16 and with or without engraving).
Dawn Vertrees is a jewelry designer in Cornelius, North Carolina. The shop's designs are first shaped with wax and then cast in precious metals, and every piece is influenced by Vertrees's passion and personality.
Promising review: "My fiancé (so exciting to say that) just proposed to me with this engagement ring yesterday. It is so unique and so beautiful, and I’m so glad to have an engagement ring that’s so different from the norm! It’s so beautifully crafted. Well done, and thank you! I’ll be wearing it forever. :)" —Samuel Elijah
Get it from Dawn Vertrees Jewelry on Etsy for $1,360+ (originally $1,600+; available in sizes 4–11 and six materials).
Sesotunawa is a T’boli-owned small business that makes recycled brass jewelry. After finding materials from local junk shops, Sesotunawa creates one-of-a-kind pieces made in collaboration with Maaari. From the company: "Each brass piece pays homage to the T'boli tradition, folklore, and spiritual connection to nature. The transformation involves a complex process of wax rolling, clay molding, and molten metal casting that usually takes days to complete."
Get it from Sesotunawa on Maaari for $42 (available in 4–9).
Owner Megan Bea runs this shop from Los Angeles. You can find rings, necklaces, bracelets, and more on Etsy and see all the mystical gems, including review photos from happy customers, on Instagram @thebealine.
Promising review: "I love it so much! I’ve been wanting a moss agate and this ring is exactly what I would have hoped for. I can’t wait to buy more from this adorable shop." —Hannah Veinbergs
Get it from The Bea Line on Etsy for $120+ (available in sizes 3–11 and four materials).
Local Eclectic is a Latinx woman–owned and woman-run small business founded by Alexis Nido-Russo. According to their site, "The brands we carry are 94% female founded/owned and 72% of them have five or fewer employees."
Get it from Local Eclectic for $3,400 (available in sizes 4–9).
Love the look above? That black-and-rose-gold band in the middle is also available!
This NYC-based fine jewelry brand is woman-owned and operated. The founder and designer, Jess Klein, has made this a sustainable brand by using 14K recycled gold and ethically mined stones for all of her pieces.
Get it from Bondeye Jewelry for $1,575 (available in sizes 3–9 and gold or rose gold).
This Oregon-based boutique is a family-run business that sells ethical jewelry worth drooling over. All the rustic, natural diamonds used are completely untreated — what you see in your ring naturally occurred in nature.
Promising review: "I’m so excited to have found the perfect engagement ring. My (soon-to-be) fiancé and I have been fans and followers of Chinchar Maloney for a long time, and it feels so great to have this ring as a chapter in our story. I had great communication with Jessielee all along the way. This is a work of art. I am blown away!" —Alex R.
Get it from Chinchar Maloney $3,400 (available in sizes 3–9).
Michelle Christensen's woman-owned shop, My Little Belleville, is located in Salt Lake City and was a finalist in the 2020 Etsy Design Awards. You can find home goods, art, and jewelry with Christensen's iconic painting style throughout the shop.
Promising review: "What a piece of art...I'm speechless...it is a privilege to own and to wear this so everyone can see! It's such realistic and beautiful painting and ring! More than worth it. As i said, it's a privilege!! Thank you so so much! Michelle was more than awesome to put up with all of my questions!! I am just over the moon with my ring!!" —Mounik
Get it from My Little Belleville on Etsy for $135+ (available in seven styles).
This Black-, woman-, and queer-owned business is now based in Providence, Rhode Island after beginning in Bed-Stuy, New York. The studio specializes in handmade jewelry. Owner Zoë Pulley named the line after her grandmother, Sandra Moon.
Get it from Gran San's for $95.
This small business is run by raw stone jeweler Dani Barbe. Their Etsy shop includes rings, necklaces, earrings, and bracelets.
Promising review: "I am so in love with this ring! It fits nice and snug so I don’t have to worry about it going flying off my hand. I can’t stop staring at my hand!" —jmichaels827
Get it from Dani Barbe Shop on Etsy for $126 (available in sizes 5–10).
This woman-owned business is based in NYC and was founded by designer Sasha Flynn, who pulls inspiration from her childhood: memories of her well-accessorized aunts, her own family heirlooms, and her family's jewelry store in Kansas City. With her unique take on design, Flynn provides customers with "original jewelry that tells a story."
Get it from Adore Adorn for $300 (available in sizes 6–9).
This small business is owned by Shiran Shashua and based in Tel Aviv, Israel. Every piece in the shop is designed by Shashua, who has a bachelor of design from Shenkar Collage of Engineering and Design.
Promising review: "I absolutely love the rings I’ve gotten from Shiran! They are such beautiful, unique, and timeless pieces. They are definitely worth the purchase." —Kristina Goodman
Get it from The Morning After Jewel on Etsy for $114+ (available in sizes 5–13).
This couple-owned company is famous thanks to the stunning eye of designer and co-founder Gina Feldman Love. Originally an attorney, Love nourished her passion for design by collecting 22- and 24-karat gold jewelry while traveling. After meeting her then cofounder and now husband in NYC, she took that inspiration and added her own taste, creating an unforgettable line of classic jewelry with a modern touch.
Get it from Auvere for $3,500 (available in sizes 5–12).
Owner Elena Khutsidze's small business is in Odessa, Ukraine. If you're looking for truly eye-catching jewelry, don't miss out on seeing this shop!
Promising review: "I adore this ring! It really is a work of art — it's beautiful and eye catching! If the light catches it right, it's like a burst of sun rays catching the colors for a second before going back to the opaque colors you would see on top...it's really magical!! Such a genius design! Elena has been amazing and so helpful! If you love wearing something different come to this shop, you won't be disappointed! :-D" —Spiritual Gemstone Art
Get it from Rodonit Jewelry on Etsy for $54.17 (available in sizes 6–10.5 and three colors).
This woman-owned small business was started by artist Vera, whose pieces attracted enough attention on her online shop (back in 2010) that she now has two brick-and-mortar storefronts in NYC. I own several pieces from Verameat, including my wedding band.
Get it from Verameat for $280 (available in four stone designs).
Tippy Taste was founded by Tippy Hung, a Taiwan-born artist who now lives in NYC.
Get it from Tippy Taste for $340 (available in sizes 3–9 and three materials).
Vanseden Jewelers is a family-run small biz creating unique wedding bands for the gloriously geeky. They specialize in traditional, contemporary, and alternative metal rings and hard-to-find inlays that give their rings a unique touch.
Get it from Vanseden Jewelers $229 (originally $399; available in sizes 3.5–15, five widths, and with or without an engraving).
This is made with a high-polish silver and black rhodium. Is this heirloom collector's item worth buying specifically for that GLOWING ring box? MAYBE.
Get it from Star Wars Fine Jewelry for $249 (available in sizes 8–14).
Anna Sheffield is a woman-owned fine jewelry business that works alongside expert setters in NYC and Los Angeles using "only recycled gold and conflict-free stones." BTW, you can have private sessions with the designer (Anna) for education on diamonds, stone sourcing, and design inspiration.
Get it from Anna Sheffield for $20,000 (available in sizes 3–12 and three materials).
Valerie Madison is a Black-owned business based in Seattle that uses high-quality precious metals from recycled sources.
Get it from Valerie Madison for $2,900+ (available in sizes 4–9, three materials, and 14K or 18K).
This small biz is based in Giv‘atayim, Israel. Owner Lee has spent the last 14 years in the field, after getting her degree at Shenkar College and majoring in jewelry design and goldsmith craft. Each piece is made in her design studio, using high-quality 14K gold plating, sterling silver, and fine solid gold.
Promising review: "I had great communication with Lee. Super customer service! The ring is beautiful and very high quality, as well as unique and fairly priced! I would be happy to purchase from her again." —Linda Griffs
Get it from leebonkboutique on Etsy for $117.60 (originally $140; available in sizes 5–8, two stone colors, and three metals).
Walters Faith was founded by Mollie Faith Good and Stephanie Walters Abramow. The line is based out of NYC. Fun fact from the founders: "Each collection is named for a member of the Bloomsbury Set, an eclectic group of English writers, philosophers, and artists who met frequently in the Bloomsbury area of London in the early 20th century to discuss aesthetic and philosophical questions."
Get it from Walters Faith for $4,650 (available in sizes 5–8.5).
Automic Gold is a queer- and trans-owned business that sells comfortable and versatile jewelry for all.
Get it from Automic Gold for $189+ (available in sizes 2–16 and three metals).
Walters Faith was founded by Mollie Faith Good and Stephanie Walters Abramow. The line is based out of NYC.
Get it from Walters Faith for $4,500 (available in sizes 5–8).
Reviews in this post have been edited for length and clarity.