Bea Bongiasca’s Cool New Diamond & Enamel Engagement Ring

A trip to Tokyo and the discovery of food miniatures opened the doors to a whole new creative world for one of the moment’s most sought-after jewelry designers, 30-year-old Milanese-born Bea Bongiasca. As a high schooler, Bea  often found herself turning itsy bitsy doll food and tea sets into jewelry. These playful ideas evolved into a whimsically free-spirited style that shaped her design aesthetics upon pursuing a degree in Jewelry Design at Central Saint Martins in London.

Bea eventually founded her eponymous line in 2014 with peppy creations at attainable prices; the collections drew upon her fascination with East Asia, blossoms and vines, symbolism and the Japanese concept of kawaii (‘cute’).

Two summers ago, Bea drew us into her botanical wonderland with vibrant enamel jewels for ‘You’re So Vine,’ a line that branched off from her earlier Floricultural collection. She explains that the idea was that the iconic pieces from Floricultural had been “contaminated by sinuous, colorful vines of enameled gold.” Her creations are a masterclass in color coordination, filled with arresting forms, kinetics and pop art.

Aptly named ‘You’re So Mine,’ Bea’s stackable commitment ring for De Beers Group’s Ten/Ten initiative will  make you smile. Set with a diamond ring with wrapped enamel, the gold band signifies “a new meaning and a joyful new life, together.” In You’re So Mine, Bea uses a diamond as the central stone for the first time; its oval shape mirrors her love for uncommon gem cuts and firm resolve to steer clear of tradition. “I like balance, I like harmony and they work better with an oval stone in my design.”

“Engagement rings are special,” observes Bea. “Versatility makes jewelry more wearable. And offering a solitaire style with an enamel pop is my way of gently easing the wearer into an unchartered territory.” Aside from being the bridal color, Bea’s use of white serves as an accent that matches the white diamonds. “The contamination of color was a way to contaminate the jewelry. I wanted to make my commitment ring more unique; a little bit different.”  Wear it on its own, or paired with Bea’s vine-adorned enamel ring..

“As a young brand, I feel I can be very creative in my work; also, those who buy into my design expect it from me,” Bea says of her knack for contemporary sophistication with colorful whimsy. It is a perfect reflection of  creative flair and sense of joy. .

“Working on a design collaboration is a positive, challenging experience,” says the young designer. “The Ten/Ten project was fun; it was different and intriguing as well. Although I have designed a few bespoke engagement rings, none were quite like this. This initiative has given me an opportunity to reach out to a whole new audience from the worlds of both De Beers and Blue Nile,” enthuses Bea.

Bea Bongiasca’s limited-edition rings for the Ten/Ten program will be sold exclusively on Blue Nile beginning January 2021.