Celtic Knots Custom Wedding Band

Classic interwoven Celtic Knots were the inspiration for this handsome wedding band. The band was hand crafted in Platinum and 18kt Rose Gold, then hand engraved with two Celtic Knot designs known as the "Love Knot" and the "Tralee Knot".

The patterns in this band were created by an engraver using a technique known as "relief engraving" to remove small portions of the platinum background thereby raising the intricate Celtic Knot designs in high relief. The platinum background was then coated with a blackening material to add further contrast.

Interlocking knot-like patterns appeared as early as Late Roman Empire in 3rd century floor mosaics.

During the 7th century, Celtic artists began creating beautiful objects decorated with endless knots. It is during this period that plaitwork (woven, unbroken cord designs) evolved into broken and reconnected cords that became characteristic of true knot-work. The style gained increased appreciation during the Celtic Revival of the late 1800s and today is most commonly associated with Celtic Art.

The Love Knot design has two intertwining overhand knots that come together
representing two betrothed lovers.

The Tralee Knot pattern is two entwined hearts amidst an infinity-like symbol,
signifying endless love.

To learn more about this Celtic Knot band and other hand-engraved rings, please visit the
Engraved Ring Gallery and Wedding and Anniversary Band 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

The Great Ruby Hunt - Part IV

The Great Ruby Hunt

Part IV - The Final Touches

In Parts I, II and III we selected the gemstones and began crafting a custom engagement ring and wedding band for a client. Now the ring and band are ready for the final touches - hand engraving the bright platinum surfaces and setting the center Ruby.

I discussed with the client several patterns of engraving as well as different engraving techniques (bright cut, relief, punch, etc.). She decided on our Regal Elegance pattern interspersed with small engraved flowers and surrounded by a milgrained border. This combination of design elements nicely complements the shape of her ring and band, as seen in the photos below.

If you closely examine the above photo you will see small striations or vertical lines along the inside of the center setting. These are minute saw marks from when our platinum smith hand-crafted the mounting - an indication that the setting was hand made, not cast.

The wedding band was hand engraved to match the engagement ring. The above photo shows the flowing leaf-like pattern along the sides of the band, as well as the cut-out at the apex of the band which allows a close fit with the engagement ring.

As mentioned earlier, the client wanted an engagement ring that was wide on top, but she was concerned that the ring might look and feel heavy on her small hand. I suggested tapering the width and depth of the band towards the base of the ring. We also polished a slight bevel around the inside edges of the ring to create a more comfortable fit. This solution accomplished the best of both worlds: our client would have the bold look of a wider ring along with a comfortable fit. The photos above and below show the taper of the width and depth of the ring towards its base.

When the hand engraver had completed his task, the next craftsman, the gem setter, was ready to set the center Ruby. First he carved a small groove (or "seat") along the inside wall of each prong. This "seat" creates a niche to support the outermost edge (or "girdle") of the gemstone.

A skilled setter creates a seat that is just deep enough to properly support the gemstone, but not so deep that it weakens the prong. An over cut prong will compromise the integrity of the setting. After the seats were carefully cut our gem setter placed the Ruby within the prongs and carefully pushed over the tip of each prong until the Ruby was securely and safely held in its setting.

The Ruby is set slightly above the trilliant diamonds so that it neatly overlaps the diamonds, creating a brilliant line of sparkling gemstones. Just what you want for a beautiful and unique custom engagement ring and wedding band.

After assembling a fabulous layout of gemstones, working with our client through various design options, and hand crafting the ring, the final result is a stunning engagement ring and wedding band that not only showcases her beautiful Ruby, but also features a dazzling pair of trilliant diamonds and beautiful hand engraving. Her ring and band are truly miniature masterpieces......works of Art!

There are many steps involved in creating a beautiful jewel of lasting quality and beauty, but the finished piece is definitely worth the time and care we take to create a ring you will admire and enjoy for many years.

Tell me what you think of this design. If you have any questions about Rubies, the ring, or how the design can be tailored to your own lifestyle and taste, just send me an email !

Judi

The Great Ruby Hunt - Part III

The Great Ruby Hunt

Part III - Crafting the Ring

In The Great Ruby Hunt I and II, the focus was on how I helped a client find the perfect Ruby for her custom engagement ring. Once the Ruby had been found, the next steps were to finalize the design and craft the ring.

When custom designing a jewel the best place to start is with jewels and design elements you already admire. After reviewing our design portfolios and the rings at our gallery, the client identified three elements that she particularly liked.

1. Engraving - She was drawn to the rich elegance and intricate patterns of our hand-engraved rings She admired the the flowing Flowers and Scrolls pattern and our dramatic Engraved Elegance design, but she absolutely fell in love with the cascading richness of our Regal Elegance design.

2. Side Stones - She also admired the way the trilliant diamonds were set flush with the shoulders in our Cool Ice ring. She liked how the trilliants were tucked slightly beneath the center diamond and appeared to flow into the platinum band of the ring.

3. Ring Shape - Last but not least, she loved the low profile of the gemstones in our Cool Blue Design as well as the tapered width of the band. She enjoys outside activities and felt the low profile of the ring would be perfect for her active life style.

We discussed these and other elements and came up with a ring design inspired by the elegant, dramatic rings of the Art Deco era. The resulting ring is pictured above.

Once the design had been finalized, the next step was to find the perfect pair of trilliant-cut diamonds. I examined about twenty pairs of trilliants. The diamonds needed to complement one another, and also the center Ruby.

I wanted the trilliants to fit within the beveled corners of the Ruby. The goal was to create a continuous line from the slanted corners of the Ruby, along the straight edges of the trilliants, to the outer points of the diamonds burnish set in the band of the ring. This would create a dramatic tapered look which would perfectly accent the elegant shape of the Ruby.

After matching up a stunning pair of D-color trilliant-cut diamonds, it was time to begin crafting the ring.

When creating a special ring the quality of the workmanship is as important as the beauty of the gemstones and the design. In creating this ring we worked with three different craftsmen - a master platinum smith to build the ring, a talented hand engraver and an experienced gem setter. Each is a master of their craft and a talented artist in their own right.

Our platinum smith crafted the ring in three steps:

First, he took a small solid block of platinum and, like a sculptor, carved out the upper and lower galleries of the mounting. By carving the setting from a single piece of platinum our platinum smith was able to shape and adjust the mounting so that it perfectly matched the shape and size of the Ruby. This approach assured that the mounting is sturdy and securely protects the gemstone.

Next, the platinum smith crafted the prongs from flat-edge platinum stock. He polished the prongs along their length to create a narrow taper towards the base. We then asked the platinum smith to add a slight crease or recess along the outer surface of the prongs. This added a little contrast to the bright surfaces of the prongs and emphasized the linear design.

Finally, our platinum smith crafted the band (or "shank") of the ring. He hand built the band with flat surfaces and slightly rounded edges to give the engraver a good working surface. At the slightly flared shoulders of the band, he carved triangular recesses for the trilliant diamonds. The recesses were shaped so the diamonds would angle slightly downward and flow into the pattern of the engraving. Because the ring was hand-crafted we were able to adapt the design to the specific size and shape of the gemstones and pay close attention to the small details.

Our client also wanted to create a wedding band in the same style. So, our platinum smith crafted a platinum band that matched the flat surfaces and profile of the ring. Then he carefully carved out a section at the top of the band, so that the engagement ring would nestle up closely against the band. The best time to create a contoured wedding band is when the engagement ring is being crafted. This assures the best fit between the two rings.

When wearing a straight band against an engagement ring, there is often friction between the two rings resulting in possible wear to the setting. A custom-fit contoured band greatly reduces the friction between the rings.

Notice how closely fitted the two rings rest against each other. This creates a more comfortable wearing ensemble, but it also helps to minimize the wear and tear on the two rings.

Hand crafting a ring is an "old school" technique that requires exceptional (the finest) craftsmanship and patience. The time it takes to create a truly custom ring from scratch is rewarded in the final jewel.

If you have any questions about how we work with clients on custom projects, please send me an email.