My husband proposed to me 14 years ago with an oval rose cut emerald and white round flush set diamonds on the side. My favorite stone is the emerald. It has been since I was a child, and my thought is that the movie Romancing The Stone played a large part in my fascination with emeralds. 14 years ago I was not a jeweler, and I had no idea I was about to embark on a 13 year journey of metal and stones. But here we are, and long ago I stopped wearing the engagement ring he gave me. After having our child, rock climbing and using my hands metalsmithing my finger size changed almost a full size larger. The ring didn't fit and it wasn't really my style so it was high time I created the engagement ring that would suit me. I'm a lover of the Art Deco period. I find the proportions and styling of this time to be a mixture of modern and refined, an understated elegance that pervades everything from graphics, clothing, architecture, to industrial design.

I wanted a ring that would be truly stunning from every angle, with the sides showcasing hidden stones with great significance. Triangles are the strongest shape there is, the three points signify my husband, myself and our son. Diamonds are the hardest mineral on this planet, they endure great pressure and heat and if there is ever a stone that signifies a families endurance and purity of love, it is the diamond. I especially love when they are included, the inclusions make each diamond unique just like our family. I wanted to be able to see the triangles every time I used my hands, so placing it on the sides allows me to get a flash of diamond with every movement of my hand. 

I chose baguettes as the shape of the top stones because they mimicked graduating lines that are indicative of Art Deco, and their step cut design does not refract light the same way round brilliants do. They create more of an illusion (think Hall of Mirrors) rather than a disco ball of refracting light. This makes the ring more subdued and not as flashy and bright. I sourced a deep rich green Columbian emerald and used graduated salt and pepper baguettes that waterfalled into bead set ombré grey and black diamonds. The choice of stone color, of the cut and the setting made the ring rich with stones but not ostentatious. 

I'm not easy on my jewelry, using my hands to make jewelry definitely adds more wear and tear on it, so I love a thick bezel setting to give my stones extra security. To help achieve that understated elegance I did a satin finish to tamper down the shine of the ring and add a little more modernity to the style.  

I love how it turned out, and feel I achieved what I set out to-an homage to the Art Deco period, a showcasing of my favorite stone, and a symbol of my love for my family.