Often functioning as more than just a simple accessory that complements an outfit, jewelry can represent the most important aspects of a life–love, friendship, family, heritage, rites of passage, birthdays, anniversaries, to name a few. Even the slightest incorporation of meaning, whether it be a simple engraving or a decorative accent, renders a piece not only sentimental but also individual, carrying a personal story that no other piece possesses. We were fortunate to be a part of this “California Poppy Ring” that created a beautiful engagement ring together with representing the life and love of the couple to whom it belongs.
The client, referred to us by a dear friend, lives up north, splitting time between Rhode Island and Brooklyn, New York. He contacted us via email with three pictures of possible engagement ring designs for an oval cut diamond and concluded the email with the picture of the California poppies to the right, inquiring about somehow including them into the design.
We went back and forth a few times with some possibilities until he had drawn his own sketch of the concept that he had envisioned. Seen below, one side had two poppies while the other was meant to display a single flower.
Once the design was finalized, we proceeded with the lost wax process, as opposed to CAD design, for greater ease in carving the flowers by hand to get the exact look that a computer may not depict as accurately. The lost wax process is one of the oldest known metal-forming techniques, dating back 6,000 years. The wax is first melted so that it can be formed into a ring, leaving spaces open to set stones. The wax was then used to create a silicone mold (below), which forms the gold in the casting process. It took a few tries to get the side-view of the poppy just right, finally settling on the same design as the picture to the left.
This is the story as told by the client’s fiancée, who was thrilled with not only the design concept, but also the thought that her fiancée put into it, as well as the beauty of the ring itself:
“I grew up in California and moved away after college to Austin TX. All of my family and friends were still in CA, and it was scary to go off on my own but also exciting. Since then I’ve lived in Illinois (where I met Jon), Rhode Island, and New York. Despite living far from California, it will always be home and hold a special place in my heart. The CA golden poppy is the state flower and has been a special symbol to me and brings me so much joy as it reminds me of home and family. I’ve thought about getting a poppy tattoo for years and still am likely to do so. Jon picked three poppies as a representation of several things with two smaller and one larger being very important. They are our past and present coming together to create our future. They represent us individually and us together.”
If that doesn’t explain the sentimentality that a piece of jewelry can hold f o r e v e r…then nothing will. Congratulations to this adorably radiant couple! We wish you a forever of happiness together!