Ring Number Four, in 20k Gold and London Blue Topaz

I love how Ring Number Four came out!!! It’s simple and elegant, and very modern, but most importantly, it has a special meaning. A ring I made for each one of my granddaughters inspired Ring Number Four.

Being the minimalist that I am, staring at a chandelier at home one night, I had the impulse to remove all of the crystals hanging from it and I put them away for future use. When my granddaughters came into my studio this past summer, they asked me to make a piece of jewelry for them. I took the crystals and copper wire and figured a way to support the crystal by running each end of the wire through each of its holes. The all loved it and so did I, and to my surprise, I see my four and two year old granddaughters wearing it all the time. Even this week while on vacation, my granddaughter packed her ring and came down to the beach wearing it!

Fast forwards about six months later, I kept thinking how amazing it would be to elevate that ring design by using fine gemstones and gold and have it be part of the FOAK IT! project. I bought the perfect stone for it, a gorgeous London Blue Topaz; but I was hesitant at first, thinking that I would have to drill tow holes on it. Is it sacrilegious to drill holes on this gemstone? I asked Johnny Alvarez, a master goldsmith at Reinstein Ross. He encouraged me to do so, saying that as an artist and designer, and I have to follow my vision, as I see things different from the rest. So I went ahead and took the gemstone to a lapidary and asked him to drill it. However, the holes were way to close to the end, leaving a very, very thin and fragile structure. On Thursday, As I expected, when putting the gold wire through it, the end broke. I started to freak out because I had only that day to finish the ring to meet the weekly deadline. I was leaving very early the next morning to Roanoke, Virginia so I had to resolve the ring issue right away. I got in the car and drove to New York, got to the lapidary and luckily, he had another stone exactly the same as the one I had. He drilled the holes closer in, right where the table starts, making the structure a much sturdier one.

I drove back to NJ and was able to finish Ring Number Four. I am ecstatic about how it came out! I love the contrast of the 20k gold and the gorgeous blue stone. It’s very, very cool, modern. My mentor Bianca Lopez said: “Love the classical Egyptian-like ring shank. Blue stone is so dramatic. Nice twist on the ancient rings with contemporary stone.” Which made me even happier realizing that I had again pushed boundaries, leaving any preconceived ideas or fears behind and following my true passion and vision.

I am now in Roanoke, enjoying a great time at designer Sara Muse’s cabin with eight other amazing designers. Thanks to Dawn Vizzi DiGesare, who gave a workshop on Precious Metal Clay, I already started working on Ring Number Five. I can’t wait to show you the results. Stay tuned and have a great and amazing week.

If you want to see the process as it happens, make sure you follow me on Instagram. Click HERE to follow me.