Like It? Put a ring on It.

By Berlin Sylvestre

“Years ago, when you’d search ‘gay’ or ‘lesbian’ and ‘jewelry’ online all you’d get were rainbows and triangles,” Rony Tennenbaum tells me. Tennenbaum, an Israeli-born jeweler now based in Seattle, knew that had to change.

Upon his introduction to the world of jewelry by fellow soldiers in the Israel Defense Service, Tennenbaum has honed the craft, steeping himself in each facet from gemology and polishing to pricing structures and final production. I ask him what sets his rings apart from the mainstream market’s version.

“[Same sex] couples don’t usually want what’s traditional,” he says. “The women who come to me want something more sturdy and durable, not frou-frou and dainty. And for men, solitaire engagement rings weren’t even a thing, so creating a line where they can have that changes the whole scenario.”

Tennenbaum has six signature collections to select from, but we find ourselves lingering on his LVOE line. Pronounced L-V-O-E, the rings are particularly close to his heart. Concerning the inspiration behind the curious spelling, he tells me:

“I wanted to say that no matter who you are, love is love. No matter how you spell it, love is love.”

Tennenbaum has custom-crafted the rings to read LVOE in German, Spanish, Greek, Russian, Hebrew, Farsi, and Dutch. “I keep adding languages — it’s great.”

Having lived and worked in the U.S. for 26 years now, he’s a strong supporter of American-made goods. He’s seen people lose their businesses as a direct result of outsourcing. “When I started my line, I said enough is enough. I thought, ‘I must leave all the dollars here in the United States. I want people here to benefit.’ You can still make a good product here in the U.S. and be competitive.”

On mention of EcoGold, Tennenbaum’s voice becomes impassioned. He no longer purchases gold from mines, as the mining process is where a lot of environmental upsets happen and he wants no part of it. EcoGold is ethically reshaped, existing gold that yields new jewelry.

“There’s such a wealth of gold that already exists above ground!” he says before ripping into just how senseless it is to tear the ground up and leave toxins in the wake when so much gold is already in circulation.

For one of Tyra Banks’ final shows, she sponsored a gay wedding. The rings for the nuptials? American-made, environmentally friendly, gorgeously crafted rings from the mind of the LGBT community’s own Rony Tennenbaum.

With a jeweler like that in our corner, marriage equality has a ring to it.

Visit ronytennenbaum.com to check out his latest collections.