Going, going, gone :(
Going….
The main sapphire in this ring had survived a couple of generations of wear. The new owner wanted to change the design and above is what we made. A classic Emerald cut trilogy ring.
The old ring unset.
I always remove and inspect gems whilst customers wait to ensure that there are no flaws that they are unaware of or hidden under the claws. In this case the gem was in very good condition with a few small chips around the gems table.
However the new owner intends to wear this new ring in a very active lifestyle and rarely if ever take it off. If she does that then the next two rings will show her where she is heading.
Going…..
Checking of the unset gem for existing damage.
This Aquamarine has some very noticeable damage shown in this close up photo. However it is not as noticeable with the naked eye.
The owner of the gem had received it from her mother and it is now a treasured possession. She was quite shocked to view the damage. I have informed her that Aquamarine is not suitable for everyday wear and that she needs to take care of it. Aquamarine scratches and chips quite easily….as she can now see.
As we designed the new ring we kept the lifestyle of the owner and the gems properties in mind. The metal halo in the new ring design will protect the gem much more than the previous one it lived in. Most importantly it now reflects her taste in jewellery design.
Gone :(
Main gem chipped and scratched, side gem missing, claws in need of replacement……and much more repair needed.
Many people think that sapphires, like diamonds are almost indestructible. That is not the case as is clearly visible in the photo above.
This sapphire ring has been worn by generations of hard working owners and the main gem is ….well destroyed! One of the shoulder sapphires has also fallen out. This ring is at the end of it’s life and beyond repair in my opinion.
This relative decided to make a ring based on that old design as a tribute to and constant reminder of her late relative. She could also apply her taste in gold colour choices by changing the band to yellow gold.
I sourced a new set of gems for the new ring. Via email I finalised the design with this longtime Brisbane customer. Using freight bags we confirmed finger sizes with drafts and finally the above ring was made.
The advice - there is an article for that!
Anyone who has dealt with me knows that I constantly refer my customers to pages on this website that explain points I believe they should understand about their jewellery. Here are some that explain how to make your jewellery last.
Diamonds are forever but your jewellery is not.
Burnishing - the least destructive polish
Have a great weekend everyone.
More than likely I will be up the Tablelands at some stage. This is a Swamp up there early one morning last week…..LOL and yes I know it looks like a black and white photo but it is not.
The colours are pretty much straight out of camera and what it looked like. You can see how much more colourful it got just a bit later that morning as the fog lifted and the sun rose in this photo here.