Jewelry designer Rony Tennenbaum doesn't spell love conventionally. The New York City-based jeweler who designs engagement and bridal adornments for same-sex couples created the LVOE line of jewelry to fill the need for non-gender-specific rings. "Love is love no matter how you spell it," Tennenbaum says of the collection that is carried locally at Adolf Jewelers.
He introduced his collection after recognizing a lack of fashion-minded LGBT jewelry in the wedding industry. The collection includes "Tie The Knot" — a symbolic nautical knot in gold and diamonds — and "Bricks" — symbolizing the building blocks of a relationship. "Such an intimate occasion requires 14-karat gold or platinum," he advises, though the rings can be customized in platinum or 18-karat gold.
Since it's a niche market, Tennenbaum created educational materials to give to the stores that carry his jewelry. "With same sex couples, the dynamics are different," he says of the questions that arise including deciding which partner gets the diamond and whether there is a need to buy matching rings.
In regard to matching rings, Tennenbaum says they are not necessary, especially for couples who want to retain their individuality. "The rules are very different today," he says.
