Lately we've been hearing about "commitment" or "promise" rings for people who want an indication of how serious their relationship is, but don't want to go all diamonds and white taffeta.

This post at Refinery29 is a good example of how people are looking for more creative styles. We've always loved those Zoe Chicco stackable rings, and this pink tourmaline ring by Rajiv Arora would make us say yes in a heartbeat.

Angelina's nutty Gara Danielle snake ring jumps to mind. Even if she doesn't wear it as a commitment ring, she should. Although, knowing Pitt and Jolie, they'll more likely to get rings tattoo'd on like Beyonce and Jay-Z.

What do you get when you mix a background in dental work with art school metals training? Well, when you multiply that interesting mix by two, the result is the just-this-side of macabre Lady Grey Jewelry.

Jill Martinelli and Sabine Le Guyader are the Mass Art-trained designers behind this bone/wood/icon obsessed line of necklaces, bracelets, rings and wearable objects. They work out of a studio in Brooklyn and as their totally cool site puts it, are "inspired by objects of decay -- such as teeth, branches and bones."

According to the LA Times, guys are getting more and more into jewelry these days. Sales of men's jewelry doubled in the US over the last couple of years, and the trend is certainly visible on trend settin celebrity types from Johnny Depp to David Beckham.

So, why are men suddenly flocking back toward the bling? Some are saying that men are becoming more comfortable with making a fashion statement. Whatever.

Jewelry designer Lauren Wolf has some distinctive influences in her jewelry: She studied in coastal Mexico and now works "out of her studio in the shadow of the Brooklyn Bridge." While these might seem like opposing forces, she finds amazing and creative ways to use these two influences in her jewelry.

Textures like sting ray skin and and snake skin are cast in gold and silver, giving an urban feel to an otherwise coastal motif. However, I'm partial to the work she does with floral designs -- simple, beautiful flowers are given an edgy twist, so instead of just looking pretty and girly, they look feminine and badass (and who doesn't love that?). Lauren has lots of celebrity fans, including Lindsay Lohan, Cameron Diaz, Michelle Williams, Penelope Cruz, and Brooke Shields.

This isn't your grandma's costume jewelry -- it's the real deal. If you're looking for an incredible signature piece that you can be sure folks will notice for years to come, you've got to check out Lauren Wolf.

The following is part of an ongoing segment I call Indie Designer Interviews. Today's interview is with amazingly talented jewelry designer Brooke Medlin.

Tell me a little about yourself and your work. I'm Brooke, a metalsmith and jewelry designer based in Dayton, Ohio. I make my jewelry (and other things, like cyanotypes and pinback buttons) in a big, brightly painted studio space that was once a room in an old warehouse. I started out making jewelry in 2000, and things just grew from there, and now I teach metalsmithing classes and workshops out of my studio, which is wonderful. It's great watching people finally have that 'aha!' moment when working with metal. I can almost see the ideas turning round in their head as they master each new step. So wonderful. But as much as I like teaching, I still love to just hunker down in the studio for hours, sawing, filing, soldering, making. I have lately gotten away from using beads in combination with my metalwork, which used to be a staple of most of my work, and am working in mostly metal only now. I love it. I'm finding myself making equal amounts of earthy, organic jewelry and bright, sparkling, modern work. Both are really satisfying.

Who are your favorite designers? This is HARD. I bookmark items and sites dozens of times a day. Right now I'm in love with Patrice of Alcove Press for her 'I Want To Barack Your World' notecards - well-made and timely. Moop makes the most amazing bags, and I don't even carry bags! She's turned me into a convert. The fabrics, the colors! Love them. And I've been enamored with the work of Chloe Le Pichon ever since I bought a tea bowl from her last year. I love that thing. I use it almost exclusively.

What are your top fashion & beauty must-haves? Right now, since winter lasts approximately 8 months in Ohio, long, light turtlenecks that I can layer with brightly colored vests or short sleeved shirts for warmth and color, skinny jeans, and the Frye boots I've had for 6 years and are just now perfectly broken in. I don't wear much makeup, but discovered ingero and her Roxie line of tinted lip balms, which have saved my sad little chapped lips this winter, and made me look, dare I say, smoldering. I bought the bright yet somehow subdued (likely because of the slightly translucent, velvety finish) Pomegranate shade - fantastic. I dab some Gold Toof mineral eyeshadow from Coffin Color in the inner corners of my eyelids, put on my hand-crocheted tam from tiffy tuffington (in either blue or black - I bought both) and am ready to go. In the studio I've always got hand cream from DressGreen nearby - since I use chemicals on my pieces when soldering and applying patina, I wash my hands a lot, and moisturizing them is a must.

Marriage on the rocks? On the brink of a break-up with the man or woman you thought was the one and only? If so, you need the Wedding Ring Coffin.

Seriously, what else were you going to do with that fancy-schmancy rock? Unless you're some kind of saint, you're probably not giving it back, and hawking it down at the pawn shop would be far too depressing for someone who's relationship just blew up in their face.

You need healing. You need closure. You need to bury your wedding band in a cute little box shaped like a coffin!

Each coffin comes with a plaque inside that's engraved with a message like "Gone and Forgotten," and, for the truly mature, "I Do...NOT." If you're spiteful and creative, there's also the option of writing your own message -- so long as it's less than "3 lines of text with a maximum of 20 characters per line, including spaces."

At only $29.95, I'm sure this little treasure will cost significantly less than your divorce, and might make you feel better.

[via Trend Hunter]

I've been a fan of the cocktail ring for some time now, but Vogue's Style.com has introduced a new twist on the standard sparkly bauble. Instead of sporting a ring with the same old bling, consider something slightly understated and more natural. Gemstones like amethysts take on a whole new look when left in a raw state.

However, the raw, natural state isn't for everyone -- some of us prefer a ring with enough sparkle to be seen from miles away. I mean, what easier way is there to dress up a casual sweater and jeans than to slide some (fake) ice on the right hand and head out for dinner? Also, if you like to talk half as much as I do, it's always helpful to have something to assist you in making a point, and if you incorporate hand gestures into your pontification, this is practically like wearing a microphone.

Breakout the nail file and polish girls because your hands are going to be the center of attention this fall/winter season. Cocktail rings are the must-have accessories for the holiday season, and with any cocktail (ring or beverage) -- the bigger the better.

Kenneth Jay Lane has become the leader of the pack when it comes to costume jewelry. He creates wild yet wearable designs with oversized gems and animal influences. It is safe to that Kenneth likes to make a statement and you will be rewarded with tons of compliments.

The Kenneth Jay Lane cocktail rings this season are quite dramatic and won't put a strain on your wallet with prices ranging from $49 to $145. You can purchase Kenneth Jay Lanes jewelry on Net-a-Porter and ShopBop.com. If $49 is too rich for your blood you can also find a variety of affordable cocktail rings at places like Forever 21 and other low-end boutiques.

Sure, you'll wear their name across your hindquarters, but how about your fingers? Jeans purveyors Miss Sixty have launched their jewelry line on Amazon. The pieces are priced from $55 to $185 and include rings, earrings, necklaces and bracelets in gold and steel with leather and crystal details. Designs include wings, skulls, and in the new Romantic Collection, hearts. The design sense is a blend of Juicy Couture-style cute with just a touch of rocker edge such as in the ring shown here which sells for $55. I'm not a logo lover so I think it would be far more charming without the label.

[via National Jeweler]

Have you ever maintained a Chia pet and thought to yourself, "Man, if only there were a way to carry this thing with me everywhere, possibly in the form of some sort of accessory?"

Of course you have.

Well, I've got some good news for you, because here comes La Bague Gazon. It's a ring that acts as a real, tiny garden. You will have to sow it, as well as water and trim it like any other lawn. The website has some great photos of how to maintain the ring.

I think this would be a great little gift, but I can't imagine anyone actually wearing it. Maybe only at a botanist convention or something.

Barry Wine, a former restaurant owner turned blingmaster is the mad genius behind the rings of Butter + Bling. Wine, once the owner of The Quilted Giraffe is now fond of saying that he cooks with bling not butter. His creations are perhaps the biggest, gaudiest, most attention-attracting costume jewelry I have ever seen. The rings are festooned with rhinestones, pearls, shoes, animals and all sorts of doodads. There is even a ring made from five engagement-style rings all tangled together. I think you need a very simple outift in order to pull off one of these rings without looking wildly ridiculous.

[via Book of Joe]

Heike Grebenstein not only makes gorgeous jewelry, she's a big slice of lovely herself. The talented jewelry designer is a former fashion model who has traveled the world. Her designs are elemental, rough-hewn shapes often in higher karats of gold for a soft and gleaming luster. She has popped up in Marie Claire, InStyle and most recently as a designer to watch in April's W Magazine. My favorite pieces are her rough rings, thick uneven sheaths of 22K gold with a distinctive hammered finish. With a sprinkling of tiny diamonds the ring sells for $2250 and has the look of something both modern and timeless.

Everyone has their top 5, 10 and even 20 trends for the next season (I can still cal Spring "next" season since it doesn't officially start until next week), and Neiman Marcus says Statement Rings are in. I'm not sure what a "statement ring" is as compared to a cocktail ring, but I don't care. Whatever it is, it makes me happy because I have to admit, I kind of love the look of giant, almost to the point of gaudy, cocktail rings.

It makes David Lundahl happy too, since he's a jeweler. I am head over heels in love with this new ring in a bright cobalt blue. According to the designer, was inspired by New York's Fashion Week. He says, "In terms of form, a general favoring of graceful curves over sharp, stark lines, although some apparel extremes were seen on the runway. For accessories and fine jewelry, popular circle motifs are being stretched and skewed into ellipses."

I didn't find it on his site yet, but I'll be keeping an eye out.

You might love the masterful artistry and gorgeous look of Japanese kimonos, but it's probably not very practical to wear a kimono. I can't imagine that they're all the comfortable, and I do know that they are quite expensive. However, you can still have the look of the hand-dyed fabrics with Kimono Rings.

The Kimono Ring is a piece of Kimono fabric encased in acrylic. The rings reaches just over a half-inch high in the center and is open in the back (to allow for flexible sizing). The rings are $16USD, available from The Carrot Box, which also has some beautiful carves plastic and lucite rings.