I love designing and creating engagement rings that have special meaning behind them! I was so excited when Lisa came to me with request for a wedding set that incorporated diamonds and gold that her fiancé inherited from his grandmother.
We had a lot of material to work with: a gold cluster ring of sapphires and diamonds and another old gold ring with a larger diamond.
To begin the process, Lisa filled out the design inquiry form to give me some information about herself and her style. We then sat down together and started designing her ideal wedding set over cups of coffee from Guillermo's in Little Rock. Lisa prefers minimalist and classic jewelry, so we decided on a classic solitaire engagement ring with the biggest diamond. She didn't want it to stick up really high, so I explained how a basket setting would keep the diamond closer to her finger and reduce potential for snagging her ring on things.
We then discussed using the rest of the small diamonds for a simple band to stack next to the engagement ring. She chose a shared prong style to ensure the stones would be secure while maintaining the minimalist look.
After our meeting, I took her heirlooms back to my workshop and began pulling stones and melting metal to fashion her new rings! Check out these videos of how I made her engagement ring and wedding band!
Hand fabricating is so satisfying. I love the process of melting metal, rolling it into bars, and drawing it into wire.
Once the rings were complete, I met my favorite photographer, Allie Atkisson, to photograph these beauties. (It's always a good idea to have great photos of your wedding set for insurance purposes!) Allie is so talented that she was able to photograph the rings balanced on the nose of my German Shepherd, Ryder!
After Ryder's modeling session, I took the rings back to my shop for a final cleaning and polishing. I then packaged the rings into beautiful velvet boxes and delivered them to Lisa. She was thrilled! But don't take my word for it; here's what Lisa said:
"The first time I met Julia was at a permanent jewelry pop-up at Bella Vita Jewelry. She was so sweet and personable! Her kindness, knowledge, and talent led me to choose to work with her on customizing some jewelry using some of my partner’s family heirloom jewelry. She was great to work with. She kept me informed and was so accommodating during the process. My partner and I love our jewelry! I highly recommend Julia!"
It was an honor to work with Lisa to create her perfect wedding set. These are two beautiful pieces that she will treasure for the rest of her life and then pass down to the next generation with pride.
Are you interested in creating your very own custom piece of jewelry? Let me help you through the process! If you don't have heirloom jewelry to redesign, never fear! I can source beautiful diamonds, gemstones, and recycled gold and platinum just for you! Start the process by filling out my Custom Design Inquiry Form!