Inside Artifex Bride, the New Collection From Taylor Swift’s Engagement Ring Designer

By Amy Elliott | April 23, 2026

As many will recall from last August, a single Instagram post elevated jewelry designer Kindred Lubeck, founder of the Brooklyn-based atelier Artifex, to worldwide fame. The creator of Taylor Swift’s well-publicized engagement ring has been fielding a steady stream of custom engagement ring requests ever since.

It’s hard to pinpoint whether the surge of interest stems solely from the luster of a Swift association, or from a desire for similar cushion-shape diamonds or Lubeck’s distinctive engraving techniques (or all of these things at once). Either way, Lubeck tells JCK, it’s been overwhelming: “The bespoke process earns a level of hands-on intimacy, and I knew that if I took on too many projects, I was not going to be able to offer the quality time that people deserve.”

Lubeck especially hated to disappoint potential clients who told her she was their “dream designer,” only to learn that custom work was their only option for getting a Lubeck ring.

Her response to that conundrum is Artifex Bride, a collection of readily available engagement rings that retain the essence of Lubeck’s bespoke designs. It comprises seven rings with antique-inspired center stones and two diamond-set eternity bands, plus a bracelet, earrings, and a pendant, all in 18k yellow gold.

KindredLubeckArtifexengagementrings — Kindred Lubeck (bottom right), wearing a Victorian-inspired blouse by Tanner Fletcher, at the Tanner Fletcher runway show (top left) where Artifex Bride was featured. Her new collection includes (from top) the Brigitte ring, the Vera diamond eternity band, and the Fiamma ring.

Every ring, says Lubeck, started with the stone. At her dealer’s, she “leafed through hundreds of diamonds” before selecting seven modern stones, all cut in the old mine or old European style. Each displayed warm colors and weighed around 2 cts.

As for the settings, some incorporate Lubeck’s signature engraving—which surfaces as intricate halos or richly drawn patterns on tapered shanks. Pavé details and claw prongs were a must, and Lubeck also was intentional about designing some rings that are, as she puts it, “form forward.” For example, the Céline ring features thick, rope-like fibers of polished gold that overlap and loop into knots at the shoulders.

“I did want to express myself as an artist who has other interests that live in harmony with hand embellishments,” Lubeck explains. “It was certainly a challenge to try to take this maximalist, all-surfaces-adorned aesthetic and blend it out.”

The launch of Artifex Bride was piloted by De Beers Group, which began an ongoing relationship with Lubeck during a press trip to Namibia and Botswana that it hosted last year. De Beers’ marketing arm, A Diamond Is Forever, partnered with wedding apparel brand Tanner Fletcher to highlight Artifex Bride pieces throughout its New York Bridal Fashion Week runway show on April 8—a few days before the Artifex collection went live on Lubeck’s website.

KindredLubeckArtifexBrideRunway — *At the Tanner Fletcher runway show, Artifex Bride rings subtly glimmered on satin gloves while other pieces twinkled from necklines, ears, and wrists.*

“They do a good job at balancing antiquity with modernity,” says Lubeck of designers Tanner Richie and Fletcher Kasel. “I feel like I do the same thing. A lot of my work is inspired by antique and vintage pieces, but not enough to the point where they’re exact replicas.”

As of this writing, four of the Artifex Bride offerings have already sold, according to Lubeck. The first to go—within three minutes of appearing on the website—was the Matilde, a ring featuring an engraved halo, claw prongs, and minimalist diamond accents in the shoulders. The eternity bands and earrings have also sold out, Lubeck says.

ArtifexMatilde — *Matilde ring in 18k gold with old European–cut diamond center stone, $28,200*

Artifex Bride Diamond Band — *The Étoile earrings ($7,500) are among the Artifex Bride pieces that have already sold out.*

While the engagement rings in this debut collection are one-of-a-kinds, the designs can be re-created for custom orders. A client project like that would involve Lubeck’s expert selection of an antique-inspired diamond that reflects all the nuances and character she is known to favor when evaluating stones.

There are no plans to expand the collection—for now. “I’m not afraid of scaling,” Lubeck says. “We just want to scale in a meaningful way that doesn’t turn into mass production or cookie-cutter. This is our first sort of ‘baby capsule’ collection, and it’s just the beginning.”

Top: Artifex Bride’s 18k gold Fleur ring with 2.01 ct. old mine–cut cushion-shape diamond and engraved halo and leaf motif ($24,700) and Elodie eternity band with pavé-set brilliant round diamonds in graduating sizes ($6,700)

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