Caroline Vreeland's Engagement Ring Designer Talks About the Custom Process

Singer and model Caroline Vreeland’s wedding to Nicolas Rico was featured in Vogue earlier this month. And for the stunning, intimate ceremony in the penthouse of the Ludlow Hotel overlooking the Lower East Side of Manhattan, Vreeland wore an amazing—and dare we say iconic—Giambattista Valli high-low dress that perfectly showcased the singer-songwriter’s buoyant personality and style.

Her dress wasn’t the only thing she donned that perfectly suited her. Her gorgeous, emerald engagement ring is certainly one-of a-kind. And we got all the details on the rock.

Brides spoke with Baylee Zwart, founder and designer of AZLEE Jewelry to learn more about Caroline’s unique ring and their design process. 

 Already a fan (and owner of some pieces) of AZLEE Jewelry, Vreeland approached Zwart to design her special engagement ring. And Zwart says she wasn’t at all surprised by her unusual choice of design.

“She's bigger than life and does everything her own way, deeply authentic to herself,” Zwart tells Brides. “She has her own style, her own expression and she really makes up her own mind about things. I would expect nothing less [than] for her to choose something no one else usually does.”

Vreeland's special ring has a beautiful emerald center stone that is also an emerald-cut. The stone is then framed by two, rare cut cadillac diamonds that perfectly compliment the stone's square shape.

 According to Zwart, Vreeland already owned an emerald ring from AZLEE and loved it, but unfortunately the prized possession was stolen last year. So Zwart wanted to give her something she loved equally as much that was even more special. 

 “I wanted to make sure this felt different than that,” she says. “In traditional, classic jewelry that features emeralds, it's oftentimes a vertical set emerald cut emerald and I really wanted something that was more unusual and balanced. She had communicated her vision and this just felt like the right choice to meet what she had in mind.”

 According to Zwart, there aren’t “many people that are adventurous to choose emerald for their engagement ring.” But Vreeland is different.

 “Everything about it was unique from the shape of the centerstone to complementing it with unusual cadillac diamonds to doing a slightly wider band,” she says. “It felt like the perfect mix of modern nostalgia which I think reflects her so beautifully.”

 Of course, after the ring was designed by both Zwart and Vreeland, Zwart was able to speak with Rico and add some personal touches that reflected both of them and their relationship.

 While emerald engagement rings are certainly still rare and unique, Zwart seems to think they are in line to become a big trend as an alternative to the traditional white diamond. More and more we’re seeing different gems as the center stone. From Ariana Grande and Emma Stone’s pearl rings to Dakota Johnson’s big emerald ring on that finger that had the internet buzzing for days. (Her engagement to boyfriend Chris Martin has yet to be confirmed). 

 “I think emeralds will become more and more popular, it's not for everyone but for those looking for something different then a white diamond it seems like emeralds are next in line.”

 And if this beautiful stone does suit you, you can shop similar styles of emerald rings — like the Emerald and Baguette Diamond Ring or the Emerald Nesw Diamond Ring — on azleejewelry.com.