While I definitely have a soft spot for traditional wedding rings and bridal jewelry in general, I have to admit that I was an early adopter of the idea that engagement rings do not have to be exclusively a band with a diamond in the middle. Part of my departure from tradition has to do with my weakness for colored gems. Yes, diamonds are supposed to be a girl's best friend, but wrap me in rubies any day!

I'm obviously not alone in this lean towards something new and different for the bride. I first saw this over at Cool Hunting, who then directed me to With the Band: Auto gathers 15 new reasons to make a vow:

That band of gold-Long have couples quarreled and kvetched over the less-than-inspired offerings out there for soul mates-to-be. And with the evolving meaning behind matrimony and the marriage vow in general, it's time for a new breed of commitment rings to start making their way down the aisles.

Having already become a haven for unconventional jewelry designers and unique wearable arts, the shop Auto has commissioned 15 of their favorite jewelers to re-envision the commitment ring. "The idea came about from popular demand really," says owner and designer Renata Bokalo. "We had so many customers who wanted something untraditional, one-of-kind, or simply customized. Most of the jewelers were either already creating or in the process of creating these rings, so it was perfect timing."

Of the five rings they show, pictured is my favorite. Yes, it does have a diamond in the center, but I really like the setting. Maybe they cold switch out the diamond with a ruby? Make sure you go take a look at the others and you decide which you like best.