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Raspberry ruby in vintage and nature inspired design

Avondale

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 31, 2021
Messages
994
I know what everyone's here for, so let's get that out of the way first. :mrgreen:

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There will be more to come.

This is 1.75ct Burmese ruby set in 14k white gold custom made ring. The ruby thread is here for anyone curious to witness the short-term madness and obsession that ensued surrounding the purchase.

The ring was designed by my local jeweller based on a chaotic collection of images and rough sketches I presented him with. I had the general shape nailed down, but that's basically the only thing I was decided on. The rest was random ideas of floral motifs, engraving, filigree, and vintage-y feeling (perhaps more edwardian-leaning). In general I lack the necessary imagination to be able to flesh out a design by myself. The jeweller compensates for that, he is able to locate the core of my desires and build it up to something that I usually instantly love.

The design process with him is pretty different to what we're used to seeing here. There are no CADs, he creates his pieces by hand. He takes my ideas and then carves them out of wax. Casts them into gold and then calls me in to confirm if I like the result and to discuss details in the design. So that happened last week. This is what the ring looked like straight out of the mould, just a rough, unpolished shape of the general idea behind it:

interim design 2.jpg

It was exactly what I wanted. Leaves and branches, slight assymetry, 6 prongs flush with the rest of the design. So we started working on the minor details - the leaf veins, the similar to milgrain texture on the sides, the slight curves on the gallery between the prongs. I was there for 2 hours while he was working, adding every little detail after we'd gone over it. Here are a couple of WIP photos:

interim design 3.jpg interim design 4.jpg

After we'd finalised the idea behind every single detail, I left him to finish it, polish it and mount the stone.

Got a call yesterday to go and pick up the completed ring. In a way, in addition to being precisely what I asked for, it's also what I didn't even know I wanted. My initial inspirations revolved around vintage designs emanating old-time elegance. Yet this ring seems... not exactly modern, but also definitely not vintage. Ethereal somehow. My friend who saw it yesterday said it looked a bit elven to her and I agree there is some sort of fantasy element to it. The branches move gently over the sides to allow leaves to spread over and hug the centre stone. I really couldn't be happier with the design.

And the ruby... well, it's precisely the colour that I love and has that magical glow in the sun that I coveted. What more could I want? Although it has a distinct pink tone to it, in warm light indoors the pink gives way to brilliant and flashy red. So far it looks good in any light I put it under, aside maybe from fluorescent light, which kills its buzz a little.

Ok, ok, enough with the boring talk. I promised more pics, after all.

On an overcast day:
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In sunlight:
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Indoors during the day:
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In the worst possible light I have at home:
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And to wrap it all up, with a cat :mrgreen::

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ItsMainelyYou

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jun 27, 2014
Messages
4,747
Okay, but how super cool is it to work from the wax and tweak right there at the time?! I would love to be able to do something like this someday! It's a beautiful frame for an amazing little glow bug of a ruby. A special experience and proportionately beautiful piece.
I would be staring, too. How could you not?:love:
 

Lisa Loves Shiny

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Nov 1, 2007
Messages
4,683
What a beautiful piece! The raspberry color is so nice and the setting is perfect for your ruby.
 

elle_71125

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
Messages
6,194
Oh wow! She is stunning! :love: I love how much time and detail went into making this piece. Being able to sit with your jeweler as he carved out those tiny details must have been an amazing experience. It turned out absolutely perfect. I love the way the leaves trail up the sides. It’s classic and Fay all at the same time. Oh, and that glowy sun pic…swoon!:love:

Ps. Kitty pics are the best! What a beauty you have there.
 
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Catmom

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
12,413
Beautiful raspberry ruby and I love the setting. Perfect together!
 

YadaYadaYada

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Feb 2, 2016
Messages
11,837
Oh my, the color of that ruby is just delicious, like you plucked it right off the raspberry bush. Beautiful!
 

oncrutchesrightnow

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Apr 17, 2006
Messages
2,635
Beautiful. Eye-catching and classic at the same time.
 

MiniMinerva

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Mar 3, 2021
Messages
353
Gorgeous glow, like the most perfect and juicy pomegranate aril in the sunlight!
 

Avondale

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 31, 2021
Messages
994
Okay, but how super cool is it to work from the wax and tweak right there at the time?! I would love to be able to do something like this someday! :love:

Very very cool! I'd never before gone that custom. It's always been a slight tweak to an already existing design, or straight up an already existing design. Took more time than usual but I'm glad I did it in the end.

What a beautiful piece! The raspberry color is so nice and the setting is perfect for your ruby.

Thank you for the kind words, Lisa! ::)

Oh wow! She is stunning! :love: I love how much time and detail went into making this piece. Being able to sit with your jeweler as he carved out those tiny details must have been an amazing experience. It turned out absolutely perfect. I love the way the leaves trail up the sides. It’s classic and Fay all at the same time. Oh, and that glowy sun pic…swoon!:love:

Ps. Kitty pics are the best! What a beauty you have there.

Honestly, it was quite the experience. And even though I was working on a budget, I feel the time and effort invested were worth it. This project is deeply personal for me, there's so much sentimental value I've shoved into this tiny little object. Every little detail about it has some meaning, down to the healed fissure inside that you can no longer see now that the stone is set in its forever home.

p.s. Kitty says hi!

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Beautiful raspberry ruby and I love the setting. Perfect together!

Thank you! I really appreciate you saying so. And I can't wait to see photos of your pendant when it arrives!

Oh my, the color of that ruby is just delicious, like you plucked it right off the raspberry bush. Beautiful!

Actually, Saturday I bought some raspberries and thought, hmm, what if...

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Close enough, eh? :D Let's ignore the fact I was cuckoo enough to place a raspberry on the back of my hand and take a photo. :loopy: Curiosity overwhelmed me.

It's gorgeous!!
I think the cat should be more excited about it......

In his defence, he was totally out. He loves to enjoy the sun in the morning and just... passes out. :sleep:

Beautiful. Eye-catching and classic at the same time.

Thank you! I was hoping to achieve that classic look as it would allow me to wear the ring for many years to come. For now, I just don't want to take it off! :D

Gorgeous glow, like the most perfect and juicy pomegranate aril in the sunlight!

I never thought to think it resembles pomegranate, but you're so completely right! And the size fits as well! :lol: Now I need to find a pomegranate to compare...
 

Ally T

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 24, 2012
Messages
8,507
This is stunning in the simplicity of just having the ruby alone & yet the setting is busy & complex & so, so pretty!
 

Eli22

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 2, 2018
Messages
989
@Avondale !!! This is simply breathtaking! That vibrant ruby and setting work so well together! I loved reading how the setting came to be…wow that is super custom in my head. So delicate and ethereal…definitely evokes fairies! Enjoy your magical beauty!!:love:
 

Slickk

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jan 3, 2013
Messages
4,921
Oh it is so delicious. Love the color and the setting is beautiful!!
 

LightBright

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Mar 11, 2013
Messages
1,562
WOW, your beautiful ruby and amazing hand crafted ring are Divine! What a stunningly lovely accomplishment. Enjoy!
 

Avondale

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 31, 2021
Messages
994
This is stunning in the simplicity of just having the ruby alone & yet the setting is busy & complex & so, so pretty!

Thank you, I appreciate you saying so. I was considering whether to incorporate melee diamonds in the design for a bit of sparkle but reached the same conclusion - the setting would be sufficiently detailed and complex with the right metalwork, and adding more elements to it might just push it into the "a bit too much" category.

@Avondale !!! This is simply breathtaking! That vibrant ruby and setting work so well together! I loved reading how the setting came to be…wow that is super custom in my head. So delicate and ethereal…definitely evokes fairies! Enjoy your magical beauty!!:love:

Thank you, @Eli22! Indeed, I've been very happy with how the ring turned out. And, you know, it just feels nice to be content with how a project turned out. A brief period of enjoying what you already have instead of being focused on the next thing on your wishlist. Just so... peaceful. :halo:

Oh it is so delicious. Love the color and the setting is beautiful!!

Thank you! "Delicious" is the right word I was going for during my ruby search. You know, there are the finest, most sophisticated colours out there, but to have a gem that you can describe as "mouthwatering" - now that's what makes a successful purchase for me. :lickout:

WOW, your beautiful ruby and amazing hand crafted ring are Divine! What a stunningly lovely accomplishment. Enjoy!

Thank you so much! It is sort of an accomplishment for me. I'm trying not to blabber too much about sentimentality, but this is the underlying meaning at the foundation of this project. It marks how far I've come. There were times when I never would've believed I'd be where I am now, and I'm glad those times are now behind me.
 

Cinders

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
444
Very pretty! How amazing that your jeweler was able to create exactly what you wanted for such a sentimental piece. (You have a jewel of a jeweler---hold onto him!)

Contentment is the best feeling after a purchase like this. :clap: Congratulations & enjoy!
 

Avondale

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Oct 31, 2021
Messages
994
How amazing that your jeweler was able to create exactly what you wanted for such a sentimental piece.

Some people are just talented. I try not to be too green with envy. :mrgreen:
 

Dreamer_D

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
25,234

Now THAT would be the perfect moi et toi :cool2:

Your ring is gorgeous and I'm so happy you had such an interesting experience setting it, which I'm sure just adds to the story of the stone and the ring. I hope it brings you decades of unfettered joy!
 
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