Trends

There’s So Much More to Neil Lane Than ‘The Bachelor’

TrendsJan 11, 2022

There’s So Much More to Neil Lane Than ‘The Bachelor’

From Brooklyn to Paris to Beverly Hills, the most recognizable jeweler in America is an artist at heart.

20220111_Bachelor-header.jpg
The latest “Bachelorette,” Michelle Young, received this Neil Lane ring from fiancé Nayte Olukoya. Designed by Lane and made by hand, the platinum and diamond ring features a pear-shaped diamond center stone with tapered baguette side stones and 46 round brilliant-cut diamonds for a total 3 carats.
Los Angeles—Amid the holiday hustle and bustle in December, Season 18 “Bachelorette” Michelle Young got engaged to contestant Nayte Olukoya. 
 
Olukoya popped the question in time-honored “Bachelor” franchise tradition—with a Neil Lane ring, picked out on camera with the help of the designer. 
 
If “The Bachelor,” “The Bachelorette,” and spin-off “Bachelor in Paradise” are America’s favorite (reality television) pastime, than Neil Lane is arguably the most well-known jeweler in the country, popping up reliably on television screens for more than a decade. 
 
The recognition has garnered the Beverly Hills jeweler a mass brand via a partnership with Kay Jewelers, so brides- and grooms-to-be around the United States can incorporate Neil Lane into their own love stories. 
 
But as Lane says himself, there are many facets to his career (pun not intended), and despite his widespread popularity, he still identifies most as an artist—just as he has since childhood in Marine Park, Brooklyn—working in the world of jewels. 
 
He chatted with National Jeweler about his latest “Bachelorette” ring, his authentic relationship with the show contestants, and his journey from Brooklyn to Paris to Beverly Hills. 
 
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
 
On the latest “Bachelorette” engagement ring
 
Neil Lane: Nayte was particularly fascinated with the ring he chose because he loved the shape. The guys don’t know so much about rings [when I meet them on the show]. 
 
When I grew up, my mom had a pear-shaped ring. When I started making collections, I wanted to do an homage to that ring. When I lived in Paris, my early years in business were looking at wonderful old stones and settings, so my aesthetic was formed years ago. From vintage inspiration, I ask myself, “How do I bring that to the contemporary [era] and the future?”
 
That’s basically how I design—going back to the past, bringing it to the present, and figuring out how do I make it [last] in the future.
 
You don’t usually see pear-shaped diamonds in the Edwardian era, maybe the early 1920s but they became popular mid-century, [typically] as a [solitaire] pear shape. They were out of fashion in the 1980s.  
 
I wanted to take something mid-century and make it more Art Deco or Edwardian-feeling with the tapered baguettes. I really love this ring. I managed to do a double row of diamonds [a halo from above with second row of diamonds visible in profile]. It hearkens back to a little bit of the Jazz Age. 
 
On the popularity of pear-shaped diamonds on recent “Bachelor” and “Bachelorette” seasons
 
NL: I can’t force [contestants to choose a ring] but I found by introducing pear shapes it’s really caught on. It’s like an almond shape so it mirrors people’s faces. Some of the greatest historical diamonds are pear-shaped, like the Dresden Green.
 
Based on my mom, it has a sentimentality for me. The pear shape is one of the most popular shapes now for years, and it’s something I introduced into the show and Hollywood. [I’ve tried] to give an audience to different shapes and different designs. There used to be only one or two popular shapes—princess or round.
 
 Related stories will be right here … 
 
There’s an opportunity in these different kinds of fancy shapes for people to find the ring of their dreams. 
 
On his favorite “Bachelor” ring
 
NL: The one right now is my favorite. If you ask me about Sean Lowe’s ring with the cushion that might be my favorite. 
 
I’m attracted to the cushion shape because it has a romantic shape and hearkens back to the 19th century. I like things that have meanings. 
 
I like the diamond work I do on the gallery, so when the woman’s finger is down and she’s working at her computer she sees the diamonds underneath.

20220111_Bachelor-insert1.jpg
A view of the Neil Lane ring the most recent “Bachelorette” Michelle Young received from fiancé Nate Olukoya
 
On his Brooklyn and Parisian beginnings
 
NL: I grew up in Marine Park, Brooklyn. I went to school in Coney Island. 
 
It was an amazing time for me as a little kid. It was open and free and exploratory, and people would throw things out in the street, and I would find them. 
 
Vintage jewels are my teachers. I never went to school or the GIA or a guild to study design. I’m an artist. I’ve always been studying and collecting art and am inspired by multiple things before the rings come alive. 
 
At 16 or 17, I started finding trinkets people threw out in the street in my neighborhood in the ‘70s and started going to thrift shops and Chinatown and looking at old jewels from the 1920s. 
 
When I had money, I went to Paris and was riveted by everything I saw. That’s when I really saw jewelry, in the windows in the Place Vendôme. That was mind boggling and I was really hooked. I had no idea about jewelry. I didn’t know what I was looking at. Very few people would even give it to me in my hand to look at when I was 18 or 19. I would drool in the window. 
 
I named my line Neil Lane Couture because I understood Parisian fashion and the act of putting things together by hand, [like my bespoke jewelry]. 
 
On working his way up
 
NL: I guess I still think I’m an artist. I don’t think I’m a jeweler. I never understood the word jeweler. Jewelers are like people who sell work from other people or sell a gold chain. I always brought an element of creativity to what I did. Even my humble beginnings behind the counter—I was just doing my thing, selling at flea markets. I couldn’t really make or design jewels. I didn’t know how, and I didn’t think I could. I just wanted to be an artist.
 
I’ve never not worked in jewelry. In my teens and twenties, I was selling bits and pieces of silver and enamel. It took me a while to grow up to diamonds and other things. 
 
“Vintage jewels are my teachers.”—Neil Lane

I was always in the world of jewels. People would come to me to design things and bring me their ancestral diamonds from the ‘20s and ‘30s that their parents or grandparents left them, and the original settings were all destroyed filigree platinum pieces, or maybe in the ‘70s or ‘80s they put them in gold. I redesigned those pieces for them. 
 
On finding his niche in Hollywood 
 
NL: I never watched TV when I started doing “The Bachelor.” TV is a luxury for me. 
 
[Prior to “The Bachelor”] I worked a lot with young Hollywood, like with Reese Witherspoon before she was Reese Witherspoon and Charlize Theron. So many people got their engagement rings from me. They were young starlets and they had good taste and it was a great time designing for them. 
 
The rings and things I was selling were different from what was in the general public at the time. It was a very sort of small group of people shopping from me, mostly Hollywood. I didn’t know much about American bridal then. 
 
As I became more well-known, I started designing for De Beers and was one of their first designers when they opened retail shops in America. I had a desire to share what I was doing and share this aesthetic. I did lots of long diamond sautoirs and diamond chains, very Old Hollywood glamour.
 
On his partnership with Kay Jewelers
 
NL: My relationship with Kay Jewelers was wonderful for me because I took what I was doing exclusively in Hollywood to the masses. I wasn’t selling big rocks; that wasn’t my thing. It’s more about design and details. 
 
“Very few people would even give [jewelry] to me in my hand to look at when I was 18 or 19. I would drool in the window.”—Neil Lane
 
It has been an opportunity for me to extend and enhance my vision of bridal rings. They’re always new designs and ahead of the curve and are influential in changing the taste of American bridal, introducing more shape and more designs. I was able to bottle that Hollywood glamour and put it into rings. It’s been a wonderful story for me.

20220111_Bachelor-insert2.jpg
Neil Lane and Nate Olukoya
 
On his own “Bachelorette” and “Bachelor” drama
 
NL: I try to make [these engagement rings] as effortlessly streamlined as possible, but there’s a great deal of angst and perfectionism and heart and soul that goes into them. They take weeks to make and it’s fraught with decisions. It’s a job in itself, and a creative job. 
 
On being the right fit for the television franchise
 
NL: I think they wanted someone who was a real person rather than a brand and could speak to the rings. I don’t think we knew what we were getting into at first because I didn’t know my role. 
 
[It’s transitioned to me] helping [contestants] through their crises and helping them choose the ring. I become more of a father figure to them. 
 
On having hunches on the winner
 
NL:  Yeah, I do [get a feeling about which contestant will be the final one]. Sometimes I’m surprised. 
 
Just like some of them are so disappointed when they aren’t chosen, sometimes I was rooting for them, too. 
 
There’s definitely an intuition. It’s just subtle; sometimes you see the glint in their eye or the way something about the ring resonates. They might look at a ring and think of their mom’s ring. 
 
A lot of it brings up difficult moments, too. A lot of them come from divorced families. I’ve met with guys who really had commitment issues because of coming from divorced families. Everything that I film doesn’t go on TV. There’s an intuition and an empathy [to the process]. 

“I guess I still think I’m an artist. I don’t think I’m a jeweler.”—Neil Lane
 
They’re going through the gamut of emotions. I see them at their best and their most vulnerable. They’re really in love and some of them do get really heartbroken. 
 
It’s a little more glamorous, but it mirrors real relationships.
 
On couples shopping for engagement rings together vs. solo
 
NL: In the beginning of my career there were many more men shopping [for engagement rings] on their own, but a lot of couples shop together today. I don’t think any person can buy a ring for their significant other without having an inkling of what their beloved wants beforehand. 
 
You can’t surprise people. People are stylish and their rings mean everything to them. Fashion, style, and a sense of oneself is all tied up in that ring. No more are the days when I first got to Hollywood and people would come to the counter and say, “I love my husband, but I hate my ring.” They wouldn’t think of redesigning it because they didn’t want to hurt their husband’s feelings, but they didn’t like their rings, they really didn’t.
 
Now they’ll let their beloved know: “I want a Neil Lane ring.”

The Latest

Exterior of Marissa Collections’ new store in Nantucket, Massachusetts
IndependentsJun 25, 2025
Marissa Collections Opens in Nantucket as Legal Fight Continues

The Vault’s Katherine Jetter is accusing the retailer of using info she shared for a potential partnership to move into Nantucket.

Counterfeit Cartier “Juste Un Clou” bracelet
CrimeJun 25, 2025
Customs Nabs Another Big Shipment of Fake Cartier, Van Cleef Jewelry

Agents seized 2,193 pieces, a mix of counterfeit Cartier “Love” and “Juste Un Clou” bracelets, and Van Cleef & Arpels’ “Alhambra” design.

Karine Choudhrie Big Splash Circus Starfish and Lantern Fish
CollectionsJun 25, 2025
Splash into Karina Choudhrie’s Collection of Underwater Circus Performers

The designer brought her children’s book, “The Big Splash Circus,” to life through a collection of playful fine jewelry characters.

an instructor and a student in a bench jewelry classroom
Brought to you by
Investing in the Next Generation of Bench Jewelers

The Seymour & Evelyn Holtzman Bench Scholarship from Jewelers of America returns for a second year.

Jewelers of America
Events & AwardsJun 25, 2025
JA Announces Impact Initiative Fund Recipients

The trade association has chosen the recipients of the funding initiative it formed to foster the growth and sustainability of the industry.

Weekly QuizJun 20, 2025
This Week’s Quiz
Test your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Take the Quiz
John Dyer Montana Sun Sapphire
SourcingJun 25, 2025
2025 AGTA Spectrum Awards Open for Entries

The organization has also announced this year’s slate of judges.

Khepri Jewels Luna collection fancy color fringe multi-shape drop diamond earrings
EditorsJun 24, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 2

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 additional pieces that stood out to her at the Couture show.

Jewelers of America logo with meetup, State of the Majors, giveaway and massages
Brought to you by
Jewelers of America is Headed to Las Vegas for JCK 2025

The countdown is on for the JCK Las Vegas Show and JA is pulling out all the stops.

Lori Tucker
IndependentsJun 24, 2025
Colorado Bench Jeweler Celebrates 50 Years With Local Retailer

Lori Tucker started at Williams Jewelers when she was 18 years old.

“Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch for the new The Fantastic Four movie
WatchesJun 24, 2025
Citizen’s New ‘Fantastic Four’ Watch Is Literally Super

The “Marvel | Citizen Zenshin” watch is crafted in Super Titanium and has subtle nods to all four “Fantastic Four” superheroes on the dial.

XO Tacori diamond ring
MajorsJun 24, 2025
Tacori, QVC to Launch Exclusive Lab-Grown Diamond Jewelry Collection

The “XO Tacori” collection was designed to blend luxury and accessible pricing.

Pritesh Patel
GradingJun 23, 2025
GIA Names New President and CEO

Pritesh Patel, the lab’s chief operating officer, will take over as president and CEO of GIA.

Graphic for Las Vegas recap episode of “My Next Question”
Recorded WebinarsJun 23, 2025
Watch: Top Trends at Couture, JCK Las Vegas 2025

National Jeweler and Jewelers of America discuss the standout jewelry trends and biggest news to emerge from the shows this year.

Luanda Accord
SourcingJun 23, 2025
Diamond Producers, Organizations to Kick in Money to Promote Natural Diamonds

Signatories to the “Luanda Accord” committed to allocating 1 percent of annual diamond revenue to the Natural Diamond Council.

Penny Preville, Maggie Hess, Stella Song, and Benjamin King
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Jose Hess Design Awards Celebrate 6 Jewelry Designers

The winning designs captured the “Radiance” theme.

24th Gem Awards Show Logo
Events & AwardsJun 23, 2025
Gem Awards Now Accepting Nominations for 2026

Nominations in the categories of Jewelry Design, Media Excellence, and Retail Innovation will be accepted through July 30.

Stock image of handcuffs
CrimeJun 18, 2025
7 Men Indicted in $100M Brinks Jewelry Heist

The heist happened in Lebec, California, in 2022 when a Brinks truck was transporting goods from one show in California to another.

Marie-Thérèse Pink diamond and Blue Belle sapphire necklace
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
Historic ‘Marie-Thérèse Pink’ Diamond Fetches $14M at Christie’s

The 10-carat fancy purple-pink diamond with potential links to Marie Antoinette headlined the white-glove jewelry auction this week. 

Caryl Capeci Starboard Cruises
EditorsJun 18, 2025
Q&A: Caryl Capeci Dives Into Cruise Jewelry Shopping

The Starboard Cruises SVP discusses who is shopping for jewelry on ships, how much they’re spending, and why brands should get on board.

Gresham grasshopper ring
AuctionsJun 18, 2025
16th-Century ‘Gresham Grasshopper’ Ring Sells for $56K

The historic signet ring exceeded its estimate at Noonans Mayfair’s jewelry auction this week.

Kirk Kara fine jewelry
CollectionsJun 18, 2025
Kirk Kara Celebrates 135 Years With New Jewels

To mark the milestone, the brand is introducing new non-bridal fine jewelry designs for the first time in two decades.

Gemfields 36 Carat Ruby
SourcingJun 18, 2025
Gemfields Sells 36-Carat Rough Ruby

The gemstone is the third most valuable ruby to come out of the Montepuez mine, Gemfields said.

Alex Brown
TechnologyJun 18, 2025
Alex Brown Named President of Smithee Group

Founder and longtime CEO Ben Smithee will stay with the agency, transitioning into the role of founding partner and strategic advisor.

Jade Ruzzo Gloria Collar
EditorsJun 17, 2025
The Best New Jewelry from Couture 2025, Part 1

Associate Editor Natalie Francisco shares 20 of her favorite pieces from the jewelry collections that debuted at Couture.

Jewelry industry author, speaker, and sales expert Peter Smith
ColumnistsJun 17, 2025
Peter Smith: Is Your Comp Plan a Hiring Hindrance?

If you want to attract good salespeople and generate a stream of “sleeping money” for your jewelry store, then you are going to have to pay.

Selection of jewelry from Sotheby’s New York High Jewelry sale
AuctionsJun 17, 2025
Colored Gemstones, Signed Jewels Shine in Sotheby’s High Jewelry Sale

The top lot was a colorless Graff diamond, followed by a Burmese ruby necklace by Marcus & Co.

Amanda Gizzi, Jewelers of America’s SVP of corporate affairs
MajorsJun 17, 2025
Amanda Gizzi Gets a Promotion at JA

Gizzi, who has been in the industry since 2001, is now Jewelers of America’s senior vice president of corporate affairs.

×

This site uses cookies to give you the best online experience. By continuing to use & browse this site, we assume you agree to our Privacy Policy