Since I launched the Tidal Trio ring earlier this year, it has quickly become one of my most-requested designs. But with so many possibilities, it can be difficult to know where to start and what the whole process will look like.
These two very different Tidal Trio commissions are terrific examples of how this concept can be adapted for anyone and any occasion!
Birthstone Quatro
This client initially reached out wanting a cluster ring with all her family's birthstones: ruby, emerald, aquamarine, and diamond. Since cluster rings aren’t really my style, I showed her the Tidal Trio blog to get her opinion. She loved it!
I love incorporating birthstones into custom jewelry, and there is definitely an art to the process. It’s not only about knowing the right stones; you have to know what shades will work nicely together. For this piece, I was working with all natural stones, which meant even more time spent selecting stones. I’ve written before about the challenges of finding the perfect natural emerald, so suffice it to say, we started by finding the emerald first. From there, I created a mock-up in Canva. This allowed the client to see how different stones and bands would look once moved and swapped around. This process was a lot of fun! Once we agreed on a final design, it was time to build.
This piece was in all Sterling Silver, so I had the four bands cast separately, then soldered them together in the studio and set them. In the end, I was even impressed by how closely the piece resembled the mock-up. The client loves her birthstone ring, and so do I!
Marvelous MBA
Here at Kristen Baird®, we’re all about women celebrating themselves, especially when it comes to a major accomplishment like graduating with an MBA. So I was thrilled when this client reached out about designing her own stylish spin on a class ring in her graduate school colors. She had seen one of my Tidal Trio rings in person in a gallery and wanted to do something similar.
Her school colors were purple and yellow, but she wanted softer, more subtle shades that she would actually enjoy wearing. So rather than the obvious choices of Brazil amethyst and bold citrine, we opted for alexandrite and a light shade of citrine. She also really liked the idea of mixing stone cuts, shape, and settings. A woman after my own heart!
Once again, I started with a mock-up in Canva so we could mix-and-match ideas. We went through a few different iterations, but ultimately settled on a prong-set oval citrine on top and a round bezel-set moonstone on the bottom. In the center, a beautiful pear-cut lab alexandrite brought the whole piece together.
The Process
This variation was built in 18K white gold, so it involved a multi-step process. First, I had the three bands cast in silver. I built the custom bezels and soldered the three bands together into one solid piece. Then, I sent that complete piece out to be cast in 18K white gold.
Once casting was finished, I set the three beautiful gemstones. Finally, it was time for cleaning and polishing… and celebrating a huge accomplishment!
Whether you’re celebrating, memorializing, or styling, there are infinite ways to personalize your own Tidal Trio ring. Reach out today to work directly with me on your one-of-a-kind treasure!
