Our client Marion loves unusual jewellery and came up with the idea that, to celebrate a milestone birthday, she’d like a cocktail ring for special events.
She had previously seen some examples of Roger’s bold modern designs for pendants, incorporating traditional handmade filigree set with gems. She felt that a ring incorporating this idea would be something rather special. Between them they dreamed up a bold shank with a domed oval setting enclosing delicate filigree with a selection of gems in champagne and amber hues set within the filigree.
Whilst conceptualising the piece only took a couple of hours with heads together over afternoon tea one Saturday afternoon, the creation of this unusual piece took a lot of planning, care, ingenuity, skill and application. Firstly the gems of the desired colour, quality and size had to be chosen by Marion from a selection presented by Roger from his trusted suppliers.
To achieve the colour range, Roger showed diamonds, sapphires and Spessartine garnet. Marion’s final choice was six round brilliant diamonds in various champagne tones, two fine round golden yellow sapphires and two round spessartine garnets – a total of 1.5 carats.
Roger and Marion worked out a pleasing ‘random’ layout of stones to be set in an oval space.
Roger arranged for his associate in Malta, a tutor and maker of traditional filigree for which that country is famed, to create a design in fine filigree in 18 carat yellow gold, to Roger’s specification.
Meanwhile, the shank of the ring and the oval head were made in the studio in 18ct white gold. The head had to be carefully curved to wrap around the finger before attaching to the shank. Round collets were made in 18 carat gold to suit the selected gem sizes.
The delicate, flat filigree piece was then carefully curved to match the oval head. Next the stones were set in the collets which were then fitted into the filigree tracery. The filigree was then secured in the head of the ring.
Finally the ring was extremely carefully polished.
When Marion collected the ring, and was absolutely delighted with it, Roger reminded her of her promise to wear it only for special occasions as she’d specified. Needless to say she left the studio wearing it for a visit to the local tea shop with her beloved mother – a truly special occasion!