written by Jessica
Why Toi et Moi Rings Are the Most Romantic Engagement Ring Choice
In this blog:
What Are Toi et Moi Rings?
The History of Toi et Moi Engagement Rings
Choosing Your Two Focal Stones
Setting Styles for Toi et Moi Rings
Artistic Accents and Personal Touches
Stone Proportions and Placement
Designing Your Custom Toi et Moi Ring with Engage Studio
There are few engagement ring designs that capture the sentiment of “two becomes one” quite like toi et moi rings.
Translated from French, toi et moi means “you and me”. In a toi et moi ring, it’s about bringing two focal stones together, setting them side by side as a collaborative design. In this case, and always in the case of marriage, two is better than one.
A Royal Beginning: The History of the Toi et Moi Ring
The toi et moi ring isn’t just a modern trend—it sprung from a whirlwind of a love story with royal roots.
Napoleon gave a toi et moi engagement ring to Josephine, who later became Queen of Italy. At the time, single-stone engagement rings were the norm. Choosing two stones was a bold disruptive statement—a declaration that their love was about “you and me” not just duty or tradition.
Our Process for Designing Toi et Moi Rings
At Engage Studio, we approach each toi et moi ring with deep care and artistry. Every step of the design process reflects the meaning behind this iconic style—two distinct elements brought together with intention.
So here’s the breakdown! We’re here to walk you through every step of the way.
Step 1: Two Stones, Equal Importance
In a toi et moi ring design, both stones are focal points. They don’t need to be identical (unless you love that!), but we want to consider them in a way that would complement each other beautifully.
The toi et moi ring is about a sort of visual balance—not necessarily symmetry.
Each pairing tells a unique visual story.
Step 2: Shape & Composition
We start by choosing the shapes for your stones together. You might already have favourites—oval, emerald, pear, round etc.. From there, we explore how they interact visually.
Check out some of the pairings we’ve done:
- Oval + emerald
- Pear + round
- Cushion + pear
We’ll play around with the shapes until it feels just right.
Step 3: Material Matters
Now that we’ve decided on the two shapes, it’s time to choose the actual material of the stone! You can mix or match:
- Two diamonds (natural or lab grown)
- Diamond + gemstone
- Diamond + moissanite
- Moissanite + moissanite
- Gemstone + moissanite
- Two gemstones in different shades!
The sky’s the limit.
Here’s an example of a toi et moi ring lab grown diamond paired with a smoky quartz creating a stunning contrast.
Step 4: The Setting
Most of our toi et moi rings have a solitaire-style band—letting the two stones take center stage.
Popular solitaire setting styles include:
- Bezel setting – Sleek, modern, frames the stones
- Prong setting – Delicate and classic, allows light to hit every angle (we can do different types of prongs: claws, round prongs, custom prongs etc.)
Even within each setting type, we can work together to customize prong shape, orientation, and spacing.
Step 5: Accent Stones & Artistic Flourishes
Want something even more expressive? We love getting those creative juices flowing and designing toi et moi rings that incorporate unique accents:
- Floral-inspired designs
- Side stones or halos
- Mixed textures and metal finishes
For example, a pearl with floral stone accents brings in such a delicate feminine touch, while the cushion diamond adds some weight and stability. There’s also some two tone metal action happening here with both 14k white and yellow gold. This way the white gold frames the tones of the diamond and pearl beautifully while the yellow gold band adds some contrast.
Step 6: Proportions & Placement: It’s All in the Details
Some of our clients want their stones to be the same size. Others love contrast. Either way, placement is super key when designing a toi et moi ring.
Here are some ways you can place your two focal stones:
- Two stones aligned on the same axis = balanced queen 😌
- Slight tilt or slant = she’s artistic, aesthetic 💅
- Contrasting sizes = sculptural and bold 💪
One of our recent favourites? A lab grown diamond pear and cushion combination where the pear tilts inward to close the space, drawing the eye to the center of the design. Every angle is considered.
Think of your engagement ring like a blank canvas, and we’re placing the stones like a composition.
We’ll take a look at the two stone shapes you choose, and decide the orientation of the stones so we arrive at the effect you want.
Why Toi et Moi Rings Work So Beautifully
There’s something undeniably romantic about toi et moi rings. Whether you choose a toi et moi ring diamond look, opt for moissanite or even a combo of colourful gemstones, each engagement ring is going to be uniquely reflective of your personal love story.
At Engage Studio, we design engagement rings that reflect who you are and how you love. Toi et moi rings are a celebration of two lives coming together, side by side, living as one unit.
Ready to create your “you and me” ring? Let’s bring it to life.
Our process is designed to involve you every step of the way, from the initial style discovery to the final engagement ring.
It all begins with an intro call, followed by a style consultation (think real-life Pinterest!), stone viewing, digital renderings or hand-drawn sketches, a resin model, and finally, the finished masterpiece. We’re with you through each step to make sure you feel confident going into that proposal with the right ring.
