Montana Sapphire

1.432 carats Hexagaonal Montana Sapphire

Montana Sapphires are a true American beauty. While they can be found in a variety of colors, most of the sapphires from this locality are in the Blue, Blue-Green and Teal hues. This 1.432 carats hexagonal shaped sapphire is a stunning example of fine grade stones from Montana. I fell in love with the unusual shape combined with the rich blue hue and masterful symmetry.

Some of the trademark characteristics of Montana Sapphires are a more crystalline appearance, high refraction and steely like blue hues. This type of grayish-Blue hue is ideal for platinum settings which beautifully compliment the cooler color of this sapphire. And the highly refractive quality of Montana Sapphire gives the gem a crisp display of spectral hues as the stone moves about freely.

I recently created a striking ring design featuring a similar hexagonal Montana Sapphire. The sapphire in this ring is a little smaller, weighing 1.08 carats and is also a tad lighter.

I call this design Winter Twilight. The focal point of this ring is, of course, this handsome steely blue hexagonal shaped Montana Sapphire.

I burnish set two tapered baguette colorless diamonds on each side to line up with the sides of the sapphire hexagon then added 12 small round diamonds along the face of the ring like twinkling stars at the beginning of the evening twilight in winter. This ring design could easily be worn by either a man or a woman.

If you prefer the more intense shade of the 1.432 carats hexagonal sapphire, it could be featured in a custom crafted ring based on my Winter Twilight design. Or, perhaps another design, like my Engraved Elegance series.

In my Engraved Elegance series, the ring is first hand crafted in platinum with a classic flat-edge design which is then hand engraved with a repeating wheat-like pattern that has always reminded me of Charles Schultz's famous bird, Woodstock's footprints in the snow.

Both the Winter Twilight and Engraved Elegance designs are great options for Montana Sapphire.

To learn more about these rings, please visit the Sapphire Ring Gallery on my website. I am also happy to create a Montana Sapphire jewel with other design elements. Just send me an email to discuss options.

A Trilliant Yellow Diamond

Several years ago a diamond cutter showed me a beautiful yellow diamond. The stone was a trilliant cut with nicely bowed edges and an intoxicating, glowing shade of yellow. (A trilliant-cut diamond is triangular in shape and sparkles with brilliant faceting.) The cutter knew I could not resist a beautifully cut diamond with exceptional color.

Usually I acquire diamonds as part of a custom design project for a client. Every so often an exceptional stone comes along that I purchase for inventory and create a special jewel to showcase. The trilliant yellow diamond was one of those exceptional stones.

I was inspired by the yellow diamond to create a hand-engraved platinum ring. I selected platinum to complement the brilliance of the diamond. Platinum has a beautiful mirror-like lustre and readily accepts detailed engraving. The shoulders and sides of the ring were hand engraved in a classic chevron pattern.

The diamond is a soft golden yellow reminiscent of a daffodil in the early spring. It weighs 0.87 carats and, because it is a trilliant cut, appears larger than a round stone of similar weight.

This ring was specifically hand crafted and designed for the yellow diamond. Thus I could play with the design to best complement and accentuate the beauty of the diamond. The diamond is set with three prongs crafted of 18kt yellow gold. The prongs rise up from the hand-engraved band while the shoulders of the ring narrow slightly and sweep upward. This creates the illusion that the diamond is floating above the ring.

When creating a ring for a special gemstone I focus on refining and evolving the design so that the finished jewel perfectly complements and showcases the beauty of the gemstone. I strive for a true marriage between the gemstone and its setting. I am very happy with the ring that resulted from this project.

You can view additional photos and details of this ring in our Diamond Rings Gallery.

Sapphire and Diamond Engraved Ring

Sapphire Lunar Elegance!

An irresistibly blue sapphire requires a special ring. This beautiful oval sapphire is perfectly framed by two crescent-shape diamonds as side stones. The sparkling trilogy of gemstones are set within in a graceful enclosing bezel. The ring is hand engraved and hand crafted in platinum.

My Sapphire Lunar Elegance ring is part of a design series I create with a variety of gemstones and options. The design series "Engraved Elegance" includes solitaire styles as well as traditional three stone layouts. Each ring is hand crafted then beautifully hand engraved with a classic chevron pattern. For an added touch of elegance, the edges of the band are milgrained with a fine bead-like pattern.

Antique style rings, especially when beautifully hand engraved, are as popular as ever. We feature a number of beautifully engraved rings in the Hand Engraved Rings Gallery.

To learn more about this and other beautiful and imaginative Sapphire Rings, please visit our Sapphire Ring Gallery

Diamond Criss Cross Ring

Recently, I wrote about a Sapphire Criss Cross ring we created in platinum. We received such rave reviews for the Sapphire ring that we went on to create our Criss-Cross design in a larger scale for a gorgeous Old European Cut Diamond. Our diamond version can be made to order with a center diamond that is 2 carats and larger.

Of course if you have a larger diamond in mind, this is a wonderful design to showcase an Old European Cut Diamond or perhaps a Cushion Cut, Asscher Cut or Modern Round Brilliant Cut.

To learn more about the diamond rings we have created,
please visit our Diamond Ring Gallery.

You may also be interested in our Diamond Brokering Service.

Sapphire Criss Cross Ring

Sapphire Criss-Cross!

Several years ago we acquired a beautiful antique Sapphire ring . The ring was crafted in platinum with flowing prongs that crossed beneath the sapphire as they swept upward. The estate ring quickly sold to a couple in Cambridge, Massachusetts, but the design of the ring continued to intrigue us. So I created a new ring in this antique style, but with a smaller Sapphire. The design is known as "Criss-Cross".

The ring (pictured above) is hand-crafted in platinum and features a bright blue sapphire weighing 1.78 carats. To either side of the sapphire, three brilliant diamonds are bead-set along the shoulders of the ring. The diamonds are framed in box settings with milgrained edges. Beneath the three diamonds, the ring is engraved with a stylized bell flower pattern and the edges milgrained.

Antique style rings, especially when beautifully hand engraved, are as popular as ever. We feature a number of beautifully engraved rings in the Hand Engraved Rings Gallery.

To learn more about this and other beautiful and imaginative Sapphire Rings, please visit our Sapphire Ring Gallery.