Bespoke Stories: The Creation of Riley & Alisha’s Engagement Ring
Love stories are always unique, and Alisha and Riley’s carries a particularly enchanting detail: a surprise bespoke engagement ring, crafted by Melbourne artist William Llewellyn Griffiths. Commissioned in secret, the ring captures not just exquisite craftsmanship but the essence of Riley and Alisha’s partnership, bold, personal, and entirely one-of-a-kind. We chatted to the couple for the story behind this extraordinary creation.
PO8: Riley, what inspired you to commission a bespoke ring rather than choosing something ready-made?
Riley: Alisha has always been clear that she wasn’t very interested in diamonds, but she loves gemstones and is drawn to antique styles. I realised searching for the “perfect” antique ring might be a long and frustrating process. Commissioning a bespoke ring felt like the best way to bring her vision to life. It allowed me to create something truly unique that reflected her taste and personality, rather than selecting a compromise.
PO8: Why did you choose to collaborate with William Llewellyn Griffiths and Pieces of Eight for Alisha’s ring?
Riley: I bought a beautiful gold and ruby ring by William Llewellyn Griffiths from Pieces of Eight for her birthday a year or so ago. The feedback I received after gifting it to her made it clear that she could easily fall in love with a similar style engagement ring. William is an amazing jeweller and his creations are truly spectacular. The level of unique creativity, detail and style really makes his work stand out.
PO8: Can you share a little about the design process, from the first idea to the final piece?
Riley: I actually began the process as a walk-in. I met Hannah and just had a really casual chat with her, describing what I was after. After about a 15-20 minutes discussing stones and bands, Hannah said something along the lines of: “leave it with me, I’ll get back to you with something”. Not long later, she sent me an email with a digital 3D render that was absolutely amazing. I was completely stunned and genuinely could not have imagined it to be so perfect on its first draft - I had no alterations and wanted it immediately! Hannah really took on board everything I’d said. She truly understood the brief and both she and William delivered flawlessly.
PO8: Was there a particular detail, stone, or motif that you knew had to be part of the design for Alisha?
Riley: Yes, absolutely. From our very first consultation, we focused on incorporating specific gemstones - rubies and emeralds, with a yellow gold band in an antique-inspired style. I was a little outside my comfort zone, but I really enjoyed diving in and quickly learned a lot about jewellery in the process. It made me realise how valuable it is to truly understand your partner’s taste. Paying attention to details they mention - this makes all the difference in creating something personal and meaningful.
PO8: How did you feel when you first saw the finished ring, before presenting it?
Riley: The moment I saw it, I knew Alisha would love it. I was so excited and so relieved it turned out perfectly - I told almost all of my friends! Most of all I just couldn't wait to see how she would feel when she saw it herself. For me, the ring has always been about creating something she will love and cherish for a lifetime.
William truly brought my vision to life. The digital 3D render had given me a glimpse, but that was nothing compared to actually holding the finished piece in my hand. I remember rushing outside to see it catch the natural light, and in that moment, it all felt real. I also shared the ring with Alisha’s father ahead of time. He’s someone who wears his heart on his sleeve, and the moment he saw it, his eyes filled with tears. I think he instantly knew how much she would love it. In that moment, he was just as excited as I was for her to finally receive it.
PO8: Alisha, can you take us back to the moment Riley proposed? How did it feel, and when did you first notice the ring?
Alisha: We were alone together at The Windsor Hotel (a place with a lot of sentimental memories for me) and I TOTALLY flipped out with excitement. I'm not a shy person, but for such an intimate moment, I very much appreciated that he proposed in private rather than OTT in public. I noticed the ring but I was so overwhelmed by it I couldn't look at it for 10 minutes!
PO8: What was your first impression of the ring, emotionally as well as visually?
Alisha: When I finally calmed down enough to properly look at the ring, I immediately recognised the work of WLG. The emerald knocked my socks off as soon as I saw it - Riley knows I love both rubies and emeralds but I never anticipated seeing them together in such a spectacular fashion. I felt completely elated and shed many happy tears. The side details and setting of the ring is my favourite part, the gems, of course, are spectacular but the setting is just JAW DROPPING!
PO8: Your ring was handmade by William Llewellyn Griffiths. What does it mean to you to have a bespoke piece created by a local artist?
Alisha: As someone whose job is also making and creating with my hands, I feel so lucky to have a handmade piece by an artist I respect so highly. I do love a fancy thing or two, but I am not a 'designer label' girl - to me, real luxury is found in the unique and bespoke work of artisans like William. I respect design that takes cues from historical references, I love the Edwardian and Victoria era and Williams' work feels like the perfect nod to history, using modern techniques. It's funny to think how many people I handed my phone over to show off WLG's work, telling them "you've got to check out this guy's work, he's insane!", whilst Riley acted nonchalant knowing my ring was secretly hiding at home!
PO8: Did you have any idea Riley was working with Pieces of Eight and William on this special creation?
Alisha: I had absolutely no idea! Which seems so silly given my infatuation with Williams' work... I just didn't anticipate having something bespoke. I typically gravitate to antique jewellery and thought that might be something Riley would look for. This was truly beyond a pleasant surprise. Riley gifted me a small ruby ring of Williams for my 30th birthday last year, so perhaps my excited reaction to that influenced his choice! He did a great job of keeping this a secret from me (as did my friends because his enthusiasm got the better of him and he told EVERYONE about it haha). That little ruby ring that Riley bought from Pieces of Eight, is actually on the cover of my debut cookbook - so William's work is very much present in some of the most important things in my life.
PO8: Do you see it as more than just a piece of jewellery? Perhaps as an heirloom to be passed down?
Alisha: Oh I absolutely see it as an heirloom, it's not a ring to me, it really is a work of art! The world needs less of the status-quo, and more colour, originality and attention to detail. I often say that 'purposefully superfluous' creations are the magic of life. I'm so happy that I can carry around this incredible ring on my hand every day that embodies all of those things I wish to see more in the world.
PO8: What advice would you give to other couples considering a bespoke engagement ring?
Alisha: If you are as lucky as I am, and have a partner who you trust wholeheartedly (with incredible guidance from Hannah at PO8!) to create a bespoke ring for you, please do so. There aren't many opportunities in life where you get to be totally surprised, and this ring is perhaps the greatest surprise I've ever had. The best part to me, is that every time I look at it I think 'Riley did this for me'.
For Alisha and Riley, this ring is more than a piece of jewellery, it’s a symbol of love, a chapter of their story cast in gold and gemstones and a future heirloom in the making. Through William Llewellyn Griffiths’ craftsmanship, this ring stands as proof that true bespoke jewellery lives beyond adornment by becoming part of who we are.
If Riley and Alisha’s story has sparked ideas of your own, we’d love to help bring them to life. Reach out to begin your bespoke journey with us, online or in person at Pieces of Eight Gallery.
