We don’t just make the best bespoke jewellery in Edinburgh by making new things from scratch. We can also remodel existing pieces by introducing new elements - which we recently achieved with a spectacular pink sapphire as the centrepiece of a trilogy ring.
Sapphires are among the most popular stones, made famous by rings such as that once worn by Princess Diana, and now by Katherine, the current Princess of Wales. The familiar blue colour is highly attractive and as corundums, they are among the hardest gemstones.
Measuring a 9 on the Mohs hardness scale, second only to diamonds, corundums come in two categories: rubies and sapphires.
However, this is not the red-blue binary distinction some might imagine:
- Whereas red corundums are rubies, all others are classed as sapphires
- Although blue is the most common and popular type, various other colours of sapphire exist, sometimes termed ‘fancy sapphires’
- This includes pink sapphires, despite their closeness to some rubies in colour
Each of these colour variations comes from various mineral intrusions. For example, in corundums, chromium gives rubies their red colour and titanium is responsible for blue sapphires.
Why Are Pink Sapphires So Special?
Pink sapphires are also coloured by chromium, but the amount of the mineral present is too low for it to be classed as a ruby. However, this leaves them with a beautiful colour and the potential to carve out their own niche in the jewellery world.
These are in a different sub-class from the orange-pink padparadscha sapphires, which are extremely rare but highly sought after, with famous wearers including Princess Eugenie.
Even so, pink sapphires are still stunning gems with huge potential for bespoke jewellery.
Indeed, pink sapphires can be particularly valuable for engagement and wedding rings, because they have traditionally been ascribed with the attribute of inspiring love, alongside other virtues such as creativity.
How Did We Use A Pink Sapphire To Transform A Ring?
A prime example of a piece of bespoke jewellery we made is this ring bearing a pink sapphire at its heart, highlighting how we can take an unusual gem and make it a central element of a stunning modified piece:
In this case, we transformed the existing ring by turning it into a trilogy ring. This has been done by placing the beautiful large pink sapphire between the client’s existing diamonds, which have been reset on either side.
The trilogy ring was not a wedding ring, but rather made to be worn next to it. This project enabled us to significantly reshape the existing ring by moving the diamonds already in place and, rather than creating a trilogy ring with three diamonds, to use a pink sapphire.
What Are Petal Trilogy Settings?
That alone would mark this ring out as something special, but when we make bespoke rings, we work with our clients to develop something truly unique. In this case, we used a petal setting for the stones.
Petal settings involve an artistic representation of the metal prongs that can be used to hold a gem in place.
Usually, prongs are thin, offering a more minimalist style, but a petal setting takes the artistic representation of a flower and combines it with the practical benefit of holding the stone securely in place.
Petal settings can often be used for solitaire rings, but they can also be adapted for a trilogy ring, as in this instance. This means shaping the ring so that there are three settings in a row, with the middle one being larger, to accommodate the stones.
This combination also allowed for the three stones to be enclosed within an arrangement of elongated, elegant gold petals, creating an imitation flower shape with the pink sapphire at its heart.
As such, it becomes something much grander and more distinctive than a solitaire ring on its own, enabling the stunning pink gem in the middle to take centre stage.
What does ‘bespoke’ mean for jewellery?
Seeing such a design may inspire you to seek your own bespoke ring, especially if the idea of using a pink sapphire as the centrepiece of an item of statement jewellery appeals to you.
At this point, you may have a few questions in mind, such as:
- How can I go about getting a bespoke ring?
- How do we work with customers to create the design they always wanted?
- What is the process for bespoke jewellery?
- What are the techniques and craft involved in making the ring?
The answer to the first question is, quite simply, to get in touch. Whether you have some very clear ideas of what you want or some general ideas while being less clear about the details, we can discuss this with you as part of a collaborative approach to design.
We love to work this way by helping take an idea and gradually shape it, so that the final result is something truly wonderful, made all the more precious by its unique nature and the level of thought and craft that has gone into making it.
The sort of factors you should consider will include:
- Your budget, which can determine the size and materials involved
- What is the purpose of the ring?
- Do you want any additional elements such as an engraving on it?
- When you need it for, especially if it is a hard deadline such as a wedding
How Do We Make Bespoke Jewellery?
Whatever you are looking for, what you can be sure of is the high level of skill and craftsmanship that we will use in creating your bespoke item, whether it is made from scratch or involves taking an existing ring and remodelling it.
We can do this by using both traditional tools, some of them actual antiques, as well as modern technology. Our goldsmiths can use all the old tried-and-trusted methods, which means the skills are not experimental, even if the designs can be.
At the same time, we use modern technology such as microscopes to ensure that when necessary, we can include fine details, from tiny engravings to handling very small gems.
With this full array of equipment, many years of experience and a long track record of working with our clients to produce wonderful bespoke jewellery, we can bring your dreams to life as well, from the beauty of fancy sapphires to the elegance of petal trilogy settings.