Introducing our fifth Pinky Ring in a series. For this ring, we upped the ante bringing it to another level for both its uniqueness and design complications. Merging between old-world gems, diamonds and their superlative proportions into an innovative and modern three dimensional platinum jewelry design.
This article will touch upon its unique journey and present snip-shots demonstrating the various interesting stages until its successful completion.
Table of Contents
Some background and references to previous designs
I began designing Pinky Ring designs with a focus to exclusively conform our human pinky fingers. It all began with a rather simple “D” formed shank design which can further be embellished on one side of the ring…, the correct side which is positioned on the external part of our pinky finger hand side.
Short explanation about antique designs
As with most of my design ideas, I get my inspirations from history and then attempt to mend the old-world craftsmanship and gem faceting styles into present intellectual potential abilities.
As is with this latest design…, I went back half a millennium into history and brought back the minimalist “Table Cut Diamonds” that almost exclusively accommodated that period and transformed them forward to our 21th century. And the results…, well I’ll let the pictures at the end of this article speak for themselves.
The initial idea in sketches
The idea started with a gemstone, this time it was an antique Brazilian emerald that spoke to me.., it possesses an askew pavilion emphasizing its unique old-world step faceting style which sparked the vision to have it designed and set upside-down (e.g. allowing a unique look of its historical faceting) and let its wearer and viewers enjoy a visual that is usually hidden from our sights.
Besides a unique view of its historical faceting, this setting position also allows a clear view into the emerald’s water, its inner world of inclusion which is by all means part & package of its beauty presentation…, a unique jardin like inner world which emerald gemstones are famous for. See figure 1
Figure 1 – Revealing the old world faceting and inner world
I then pursued placing the selected emerald table-down on the preliminary sketch I drew implementing its unique “D” shaped shank and a possible idea for side-diamonds which need to both compliment its unique center gem but also allow a flowing visual embellishing just the one sided part of the ring.
As can be noticed in figure 2, the first idea was to set the shank with designed diamonds which will display their pavilion sides in a similar fashion as the center emerald…, but then I decided that I would prefer side stones that will play their lights vs. ones that will just display a 3D look and feel.
Figure 2 – Idea: from mind to sketch – preliminary
My idea to redesign and revamp the historic Table Cuts for the job was born, and so was the spiral twist. See figure 3
Figure 3 – Idea: moving forward with a twist
Turning an inspirational idea into a reality
It is always much easier to get inspired by intellectual ideas…, those are beautiful and great until it’s time to translate them into a reality. This is where complications arise, especially when we are talking about miniaturist jewels, not to mention unique and innovative three dimensional designs for both the metal structures and their accommodating gems and diamonds. This latest Pinky Ring is a perfect such example!!
Three dimensional designs will always be a challenging even when incorporating bread and butter type products like mass produced metal designs or the many possibilities for generic diamond/gem cuts. When talking about custom designs and gem cuts, turning such into realities becomes manifold more complicated and intellectually challenging.
This is where I come in…, such challenges are what makes me tick, taking the impossible and turning it possible.
3D modeling
Once we chose to set an Antique Emerald upside-down, we were required to design a comfortable and secure platform for it to rest on.., for this to happen, we needed to re-balance its table side by polishing its proportions so the gem would be able to fit flowingly and securely in its planned setting place.
The complicated part arose after I decided to adapt the historic Table Cut diamonds into its inspirational “spiral” design. This meant each Table Cut was required to be uniquely formed to consecutively follow one another down the spiral shank. And all this before any light was taken into account…, just the shape, form and critical positioning. See figures 4 & 5
Figure 4 – Jewelry architecture I
Figure 5 – Jewelry architecture II
Next came the constructing of feasible three dimensional diamond cuts which will both accommodate the spiral shank design and at the same time display a well configured “play of lights” to optically compliment such a unique jewel.
For this to materialize, we were required to mend two separate elements into one considerable jeweled fitting, designing nine unique and viable Table Cut diamonds to specifically fit their intended resting places while allowing the required travel of lights within a fluid setting design. See figures 6 to 9
Figure 6 – Forward thinking to accommodate setters
Figure 7 – Creating a flowing diamond journey
Figure 8 – Diamond & metal three dimensional flow I
Figure 9 – Diamond & metal three dimensional flow II
Preparing and cutting the Table Cut diamonds
As I was planning to design and craft old historic diamond cuts to uniquely compliment and fit the correct (1) side of the antique emerald, I needed to begin this process by selecting the appropriate starting materials for this unique job.
This meant starting a selection process for suitable rough diamonds that will fit the planned design as precise as possible in a few factors…, firstly the quality which was selected to be of the best material available (diamonds of first water), I wanted these little diamonds to appear like tiny little ice cubes emitting large and eye catching spectral flashing events with the slightest movements…, this meant no compromising on their quality selection and matching.
Each rough diamond was selected to match the size, 3D proportions and shape of its intended fitting space. See figure 10
Figure 10 – Turning rough diamonds into polished realities
After producing a working sketch for our craftsman to follow through (see figure 11), nine separately planned rough diamonds were submitted for the crafting and once they were successfully completed, they looked like nine individually designed tiny ice cubes or puzzles adhering to the old historical Table Cut faceting styles. See figures 12 & 13
Figure 11 – The perfect planning – Key to success
Figure 12 – The oldest diamond cutting style revamped I
Figure 13 – The oldest diamond cutting style revamped II
Crafting the ring
Naturally as the diamonds were being crafted, so was the designed Pinky Ring. I selected to craft it out of Platinum, quite minimalistic while maintaining the integrity of its structure securing all the gems this ring houses. See figure 14
During the process we had two different elements crafted by two different craftsperson’s, one was carefully cutting and polishing the Table Cut diamonds, the other was carefully sculpting the platinum ring. At the end of the day we required a total assembly tandem so that the antique emerald and both the planned diamonds and ring were perfectly situated in such a way that the stone setter would be able to freely work and set each stone in its proper and final setting place.
After everything was successfully completed, seeing that relaxing smile on our stone setter’s face said it all…, the whole journey was planned and executed to perfection allowing a true pleasure of the setters art instead of the usually nerve-racking job when all the elements are only closely designed and don’t allow such a harmonious journey as this ring experienced.
Figure 14 – A platinum statuette ready to be dressed
Figure 15 – Finale. A sketched idea turned into a seamless jeweled reality
We invite you to view this Pinky Ring in our Boutique
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