By Gary A.
Edited by Brian M.
Published Aug 8, 2024
Edited on Nov 4, 2024
Butterfly engagement rings capture the enchanting symbolism of transformation and new beginnings, making them a beautiful and meaningful choice for couples embarking on their next chapter together.
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They say life is like a series of unlikely events. Everything is a once-in-a-lifetime consequence of some other situation that may never have come to be if it weren’t for some minor catalyst – even something as minor as the beat of a butterfly’s wings.
What’s more, butterflies are the ultimate symbol of fresh starts. What was once a caterpillar re-enters the world as the version of itself it was always meant to be – beautiful, free, and unique.
It’s no wonder, then, that the butterfly is a popular symbol in engagement ring design. What better way to celebrate your new plans for the future than through the very symbol of new beginnings, and becoming the best versions of yourselves?
Before we dive deeper into the specifics, here are some practical tips to help guide your decision-making process:
Now that you’ve got these practical tips, use Jeweler AI below to find the perfect engagement ring that suits your style and budget:
As an engagement ring motif, a butterfly is very versatile – you can be as literal or as symbolic as you want to be.
In the one camp, we have the literal interpretations – rings that are designed to mimic the spread of a butterfly’s wings, with fancy colored diamonds arranged symmetrically on either side to capture that stained glass vibe.
In the other, we have more stylized interpretations. These ring designs can feature elements like organic shapes, symmetry, and accent details on the ring’s ‘shoulders’ to mimic that shape and vibe of a butterfly.
You may also take a unique approach by mixing metals to highlight the shape of the butterfly…
Remember that there are no rules here and that creating a ring that looks beautiful and proves wearable and versatile is a lot more important than getting it hyper-realistic. Designs that look exactly like butterflies tend to miss the mark a little when it comes to looking like engagement rings, since most engagement rings feature an emphasis on the center setting – in other words, that main diamond.
Cluster engagement rings do exist, and are often designed to look like flowers – but the style can also be used to mimic the shape of a butterfly. The trouble with cluster rings as engagement rings is they don’t sparkle the same, since that brilliance and fire are generated by the light refracting through many smaller diamonds, rather than one (or two or three) bigger diamonds.
If you’re still focusing on creating a center for the ring with a diamond, then consider one of the elongated shapes – say, a Marquise or an Emerald. That way, you can opt for a ring with more detailing on the shank either side of the diamond, and achieve that butterfly shape.
Any accent diamonds you choose won’t require the same level of time and attention as your center diamond, since this diamond will be significantly bigger – and, as a result, any (seemingly) minor flaws will stand out a whole lot more.
As always, you want to approach Cut quality as the most important of the 4Cs. A great cut will ensure plenty of fire and brilliance, which is exactly what will bring your butterfly ring to life and make it flutter in the shifting light like a pair of wings.
Clarity and Color are important, but less so – in both cases, you want to achieve the appearance of perfection without paying for it. When it comes to clarity, scrub up on eye cleanliness in diamonds; when it comes to color, focus on the Near Colorless range.
Carat size is totally down to you. If you’re focusing a lot of attention on your ring’s shoulders, you probably don’t want to go too big – a 1 carat diamond, particularly in an elongated shape, will be perfect and avoid creating an engagement ring that looks overburdened by its own elements.
Butterflies have been a very popular symbol of romance for a long time. Generation after generation of hopeless romantics has observed these beautiful bugs dancing in the light, alighting on the buddleia, and filling the summer skies – and the result are some truly stunning vintage ring designs.
One of the easiest ways to find beautiful, vintage butterfly engagement rings is by focusing your search on the art nouveau style. Characterised by a love of nature, organic shapes, and color, art nouveau was popularised in the late 19th century and early 20th century and remains a distinctive symbol of romance.
The trouble with vintage engagement rings Is that they don’t tend to prove as intricate or high quality as modern day reinterpretations. They tend to feature softer gemstones like opal and emerald, which easily sustain damage over the years. Even if the center stone is diamond, those accent stones are more likely to be other gemstones than fancy color diamonds.
There’s also the question of ethics. Old diamonds were mined during a very different era in the diamond industry, back when miners weren’t protected by the same protocols and organizations we have today. Nobody wants to walk around with a blood diamond on their finger but, when it’s a vintage ring, you can’t be sure of its origin.
For those reasons, a modern engagement ring is usually the better choice. Not only will it be built to last longer, with more sophisticated techniques and higher quality elements, but it will also mean it will come from a more ethical background.
As we mentioned above, the first decision you will need to make is this: how literal are you willing to go? There are rings out there that are designed to look exactly like butterflies, with a clear silhouette housing the diamonds within.
For this, a bezel setting will achieve the cleanest possible outline – but keep in mind that a bezel will prevent the diamond(s) from sparkling as much as they otherwise would in a prong setting. Also, consider where you will place your center stone. A cluster ring would allow the butterfly shape to show through most, but cluster rings don’t always make for the best engagement rings.
If you want to stick closer to the traditional design of an engagement ring, then simply focus on preserving the basic elements of the butterfly shape: a slimline center flanked by two ‘wings’. This Marquise three-stone engagement ring featuring two round cut accent stones is a great example of this:
This is also a great opportunity to combine a step cut with a modified brilliant. The Emerald cut makes a great center stone, particularly when combined with, say, a trilliant on either side – which makes a great wing-like shape – or a couple of smaller Pears.
As always, metal choice is very important. White gold and platinum achieve a more ethereal look, while yellow gold is perfect for that vintage, classic look. Take a look at our full guide to choosing metal for engagement rings to help figure out your ideal choice.
The butterfly is an evergreen symbol of love and beauty, and it’s a great choice to symbolize the uniqueness and heart-fluttering vibes of your love story. Remember that the ring only needs to be as literal (or as subtle) as you want it to be; an abstract interpretation of a butterfly is just as beautiful and, in most cases, a little more practical, too.
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