One of the great privileges of being a jewelry designer is getting to play a small role in a couple’s love story. I love creating custom engagement rings that are outside the box, something you would never find in a traditional jewelry store. So when a couple came to me looking for a sentimental ring that would feature a natural milky emerald, I jumped at the opportunity. This piece is full of personal symbolism, craftsmanship, and color!
Initial Stages
This couple came in from Indiana to meet with me, part of the recent trend of destination jewelry design stories. They had originally become acquainted with my work when they visited Gallery 209 on a previous trip to Savannah, and I was honored when they reached out to work with me directly.
Heirloom Inspiration
We met at one of my favorite spots, Coffee Deli in Habersham Village, to discuss inspiration. The most important piece of inspiration they had was an heirloom ring from the bride’s grandmother. It featured three faceted oval-cut emeralds, each with its own halo of diamonds. The bride wanted to either use these stones in her ring or create something that would honor the ring and her grandmother’s memory.
From my own designs, she was initially drawn to the Starry Night ring because of how it stacked perfectly with the Dandelion Meadow band, but she knew she didn’t want prongs or side diamonds. She also liked the Bezel Beauty for the clean bezel style and the Tasvorite Treasure for the band. When we met in person, she was able to try on the master of the Tsavorite Treasure and loved it! Even better, it also stacked perfectly with the Around the Cosmos Band.
Sourcing the Stone
It was immediately apparent that the original emeralds from her grandmother weren’t going to work in this ring. They were too small for the band size, and the traditional faceted cut was not ideal for a bezel setting. Instead, we opted to source a stone that would match her grandmother’s in terms of color, texture, and pattern. The original stones had a very unique dark milky tone, so I knew that brighter lab emeralds weren’t going to be the right fit. Instead, I would have to source a natural stone.
After a great deal of trial and error, I was able to have an 8x10 oval rose cut milky emerald cabochon shipped in from India. Once it arrived in my studio, I did a little additional tailoring myself, just to make sure it would fit perfectly. It had been a while since I used some of these techniques (back since college, if I’m being honest), so I wanted to be sure everything was perfect. It was so much fun and worth the effort to make sure the stone would look ideal.
Final Design
The final 18K yellow gold ring features a low bezel-set oval milky emerald set east-west in a smooth, highly symmetrical, and flowing band. The coordinating Dandelion Meadow wedding band incorporates heirloom diamonds from the bride’s grandmother’s original ring.
I’m elated with how this piece turned out, and so were the bride and groom! I’m very proud to have given this bride the ring of her dreams, that she never would have been able to find anywhere else.
Here’s what she had to say:
Thank you so so so much! The rings are stunning and I can’t even think about taking it off now. It hasn’t even been 24 hours. It fits like a charm. Thank you for everything.
You’re so welcome!
Are you dreaming of a unique engagement ring? Reach out to me today!
