Verb
I have heard this word more and more as of late, and it comes to mind when I think about this recent custom redesign. This client came into my salon with three generations worth of diamonds to work with, including a stunning three-carat
European Cut heirloom diamond. The European Cut diamond is the predecessor to the modern Round Brilliant Cut Diamond, dates back to the early 1900s, and is still sought after in today’s market. Such a shame this beautiful heirloom was not being worn and enjoyed!
Very rarely does a client come to my salon with a firm idea of what they want from a redesign. My job to ask the right questions and listen closely to determine which type of design will suit them best. This may sound a little daunting from your end, but we actually have a lot of fun during the process. This is where I bring out the jewelry designer in you!
The first question I ask is usually about the jewelry we are upcycling, this usually tells me a lot about which items will be important to the client in the design. Then we get down to the questions about the more technical design aspects. We will browse through my inventory to get an idea of what you like and don’t like in jewelry design. How would you like the center stone highlighted? Do you prefer a more traditional look, modern design, or a combo of both? Do you like symmetry or a free-form design? Prongs, channel, bezel? Which kind of metal do you prefer? Even asking about their line of work helps with a focus. Through this initial conversation, I get a feel for the path I will take with the design and how we can make it unique to the client’s personality. Don’t worry! It’s not a pop quiz, if you don’t know the answer, I am here to help you find it.
One of the original design renderings offered for approval. You can see the different direction we took with the final design.
Next, I start modeling on my computer. I often will present two or three renderings to the client, often by email, to ponder over. Once we have a favorite rendering choice, we can start making modifications specific to that design.
The styles with this ring gravitated from an open pierced scroll design (see photo) to an open split shank effect and finally to a mounting with more of a solid appearance. Once we made the desired adjustments to the rendering, we created a wax model in her exact ring size allowing the client to try out the design. She decided we should increase the walls on each side of the diamond, giving a strong impression and keeping the design proportionate to her hand.
We utilized the two smaller diamonds from each ring by prong setting them on each side of the center stone and added additional diamonds channeling them in smooth formation around the center stone and down each side of the ring. This gives the ring the appearance of three separate rings soldered together. Very glamorous!
The final design…a knock-out wedding ring! Feminine, strong, and lets that center diamond be the star of the show. I thoroughly enjoyed working with this client and am so pleased she will be enjoying this new one-of-a-kind keepsake for years to come.
~Kim
Jewelry is personal. So is my approach.
Comments are closed.
