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.

Golden Metamorphoses Brooch

A special event should be celebrated with a special jewel. I recently designed this brooch for a client to celebrate his wife's birthday.

The focal point of the brooch is a jet black Drusy Psilomelane that shimmers and sparkles with a myriad of tiny crystals. The bezel setting for the Psilomelane and the frame of the brooch are crafted in brightly polished 18kt yellow gold. The crystallized 24kt gold body of the brooch forms the wings of this stunning design.

We bezel set Fancy Intense Pink diamonds in 18kt rose gold and Fancy Intense Yellow diamonds in 18kt yellow gold to complement the warm hue of the crystalline gold and capped off the design with a colorless diamond set in platinum.


It is my belief that the back of a jewel should be as exciting and beautifully crafted as the front. The 18kt gold back of the brooch is pierced with a dramatic arabesque pattern. Custom designing and hand crafting a fine jewel like this allows me to ensure that there is no skimping on the design, craftsmanship or materials. The true quality of an exceptional jewel can always be seen in the small, often hidden details.

If you would like more details on this dramatic brooch,
please visit The Golden Metamorphoses Gallery